Five Flags: Blizzard Notes 4

Sutton First Win:  If you are going to win your first Super Late Model race at Five Flags, there is no better feeling than winning the pole, redrawing the pole, and leading all 100 laps for the win. Sutton, who also claimed his first ASA Southern Super Series win in his  15th start, became the eighth different winner this season and the 10th different Engine Builder Pole Award winner. 

Blizzard Champion:  While Cole Butcher was a solid fifth in the final rundown, it was not the same as what we have seen from the Wilson Motorsports driver.  After winning the first three Blizzard Series races, Butcher had to come from 11th to get the fifth-place finish.  It was the seventh top-five run of the season for Butcher in the ASA Southern Super Series.  

Identity Crisis: If you were watching closely, you might see some things that pondered the brain for a few minutes.  The 26 car won the Deep South Crane Blizzard finale, but it was not Bubba Pollard.  Dawson Sutton took the honors in his Rackley WAR racing machine.  In fact, this is the third-straight year in which the number 26 car won the finale as Casey Roderick won last year for Anthony Campi Racing, and in 2023, Bubba Pollard won in his familiar number 26.  

Adding to the confusion was that Stephen Nasse had to jump out of his primary car and into a Jake Finich backup car. Now Finch and Nasse run the same number, but it was like seeing double as they got close to each other on the race track.  Nasse did what he always does, overcame his qualifying position, and got a decent finish, this time in a car he had never driven. 

Happy Harvick: For the second-straight year, Kevin Harvick took part in the Blizzard Series race and this time the outcome was better.  Not only did Harvick finish 12th, but this time he was on the lead lap when the checkered flag flew. Harvick was 13th in last year's event.  

Lights Out: Since the June 7th race at Montgomery, Matt Craig has been lights out.  The Kannapolis, NC driver has a win, three seconds and a third.  In that time, he has scored the most points in the series over that stretch. Craig has also had four front-row starts and three pole awards in that time.  

Impressive First Year: Carson Brown came home second for the second time this season in a Blizzard Series race at Five Flags.  Brown was also strong in the 200-lap race in the spring before his day ended early. 

Mixed Doubles:  Jake Finch had a long but rewarding night.  Finch was second in the Pro Late Model race and clinched the Allen Turner Pro Late Model track championship.  It was the first for Finch and the first Floridian to win the honor in over a decade. Finch then finished fourth in the Super Late Model race. 

Spencer Davis won the Pro Late Model race and then jumped in his Super Late Model, where he was 11th in the final rundown on the lead lap. 

Local Hero: Dustin Smith has transformed his program from running in the top 10 on occasion to running in the top 10 each week.  His seventh-place finish in the Super Late Model race marked his fourth-straight race in the top 10 for Smith in the Series.  Smith has also completed every lap he’s run in the last six races. 

In the Pro Late Model race, he overcame some issues to finish 10th.  

Keeping on the Go: Dylan Fetcho had planned to run the full season with the ASA Southern Super Series, but the plan quickly changed.  It’s a shame that we haven’t seen him more, as he’s been in the top 10 in every race, including a sixth this past weekend at Five Flags.    

Derby Champ Logs Top 10:  Kaden Honeycutt received his ring for winning the 2024 Snowball Derby before the Blizzard finale on Saturday night.  Honeycutt was running for the second time this season after he ran the Sunshine State 200 in March at Five Flags Speedway.  Both races resulted in top 10 runs for the Texas-born driver, but both times, he left the track knowing they needed a little bit more. 

Quick Notes: 

Bubba Pollard scored his 13th top 10 of the season 

74 drivers have raced with the series in 2025 

Dawson Sutton has now led over 300 laps in his last two starts in the Southern Super Series 

The World Crown 300 is up next on October 25th at Cordele Motor Speedway

(Daniel Vining Photo)