What’s Happening?

Sunday, Five Flags Speedway hosted its annual Snowball Derby Super Late Model race. This race is a must-watch for NASCAR fans, but if you missed the race, here is how some of NASCAR’s best finished on one of the biggest stages in late-model racing.

• The Snowball Derby carries that All-Star mentality and features some of the most well-known faces on short tracks and in NASCAR.
• The 150-mile race is 300 laps around the half-mile Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida.
• Notable past winners include Darrell Waltrip, Donnie Allison, Kyle Busch, and Chase Elliott. Many other drivers, such as Erik Jones, Noah Gragson, and Christian Eckes, have used a Snowball win to propel themselves into the eyes of racing fans nationwide.
• The full race results are available on the Five Flags Speedway website.

Truck Series Regulars:

1st: Kaden Honeycutt

• Truck Team: Niece Motorsports No. 45

3rd: Ty Majeski

• Truck Team: Thorsport Racing No. 98

6th: Giovanni Ruggiero

• Truck Team: TRICON Garage No. 17

10th: Dawson Sutton

• Truck Team: Rackley W.A.R. No. 25

30th: Jake Garcia

• Truck Team: Thorsport Racing No. 13 (Part-time in 2024)

32nd: Conner Jones

• Truck Team: Thorsport Racing No. 66 (Part-time in 2024)

There are no real surprises for the four drivers that finished in the top ten. Each is an extremely talented and experienced short-track racer. Kaden Honeycutt has a history of running well at the derby, and Majeski is a two-time winner of the event.

Honeycutt, Ruggiero, and Sutton will all compete for Truck Series Rookie of the Year honors next season. If this race is any indication, perhaps this is one of the most talented rookie classes in recent Truck Series history.

Xfinity Series Regulars:

5th: William Sawalich

• Xfinity Team: Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18

7th: Sammy Smith

• Xfinity Team: JR Motorsports No. 8

8th: Chandler Smith

• Xfinity Team: Joe Gibbs Racing No. 81 (in 2024; 2025 plans unknown)

15th: Carson Kvapil

• Xfinity Team: JR Motorsports No. 1

Two 2025 Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year contenders went head to head at Five Flags Sunday. Top Toyota prospect William Sawalich beat two-time CARS Late Model Stock Tour champion Carson Kvapil. Throughout the race, Sammy Smith made a presence at the front of the field. However, NASCAR free agency was the storyline of this bunch from this weekend.

During the weekend, former Joe Gibbs Racing standout Chandler Smith confirmed to Sportsnaut’s Matt Weaver that he has a 2025 ride. Smith had another strong showing in the race he won in 2021. His departure from JGR was a shock to many, and he has continued to prove his doubters wrong since he confirmed this split-up in late October.

Cup Series Regulars:

19th: Noah Gragson

• Cup Team: Front Row Motorsports No. TBD

2018 Snowball Derby winner Noah Gragson’s weekend was quiet on track but loud off track. Gragson, who is heading to Front Row Motorsports in 2025, called William Sawalich a “dip-dot” following Thursday’s practice.

While it was not the weekend he had hoped for, Gragson and his new team have a much more important task ahead of them heading into 2025. Last season, FRM showed improvement, and with Gragson’s addition, they hope to grow only further next year.

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