John Hunter Nemechek wrote another page of history Saturday night at 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla.
Nemechek dominated the Pro Late Model Snowflake 100 to become just the third driver in history to win both it and the Super Late Model Snowball Derby.
Nemechek held off two-time Snowflake 100 winner Chase Elliott to take home the trophy and to put him into position to become the first driver to sweep both races on the same weekend, should he win in Sunday’s 48th running of the Snowball Derby.
The second generation racer, son of NASCAR Sprint Cup veteran Joe Nemechek, led 94 of the 100 laps that made up the race en route to the victory.
Pole sitter Justin South brought the field to green, but it was Nemechek jumping out to the early lead. South, Bobby Knox, Jr. and Bubba Pollard gave chase over the opening laps.
The action was broken up for the first time on lap five, when several cars tangled in the fourth turn. Brad May, Riley Thornton and Spencer Davis were among those caught up in the melee. The crash resulted in a red flag to allow for track clean up.
Once the race resumed, Nemechek would put his car back out front, with South and Pollard in hot pursuit. Nemechek would come under fire as the race neared lap 20, as South closed and began looking for a chance to pass. The duo would battle for several laps, until South finally made the pass off the second turn. Moments later, Hunter Robbins went for a spin off turn two, bringing out the caution.
On the restart, Nemechek muscled his way back to the lead, clearing South as the duo raced off the second turn. The caution flew again three laps later, setting up another restart. This time, Nemechek retook the lead while South came under fire from Elliott for second. The fourth caution of the night flew two laps later when Josh Bragg spun into the inside front stretch wall.
Back under green, Nemechek again took command, while Elliott moved to second. As the race approached the halfway mark, Pollard was able to move around South to take the third position.
Up front, it was all Nemechek, as the defending Snowball Derby champion drove away to take his first career Snowflake victory. Elliott finished in second, with Bret Holmes in third, Kenzie Ruston in fourth and Cole Anderson in fifth.
Pollard, Kaz Grala, Ryan Paul, Zane Smith and Robbins rounded out the top ten.
All results are unofficial until certified by race officials.
Earlier in the evening, the 50-lap last chance qualifying race for the Snowball Derby was run, with Christopher Bell taking the win and transferring into Sunday’s race. Bell had qualified on the pole for the race before having his time disallowed after failing to pass post-qualifying tech.
The three other drivers to race their way into Sunday’s feature were Christian Eckes, Cassius Clark and Caleb Adrian.
That leaves just one race on the weekend – Sunday’s 48th annual Snowball Derby. Thirty-seven Super Late Models are slated to take the green flag in the 300 lap event beginning at 2 pm.
For more information, visit 5FlagsSpeedway.com.
5 Flags Speedway – Pensacola, FL
Snowflake 100 – Dec. 5, 2015
1. John Hunter Nemechek
2. Chase Elliott
3. Bret Holmes
4. Kenzie Ruston
5. Cole Anderson
6. Bubba Pollard
7. Kaz Grala
8. Ryan Paul
9. Zane Smith
10. Hunter Robbins
11. Kyle Ivey
12. Dustin Smith
13. Ryan Luza
14. Bobby Knox, Jr.
15. Dwayne Buggay
16. Dalton Armstrong
17. Bayley Currey
18. Spencer Davis
19. Brandon Setzer
20. Josh Williams
21. Johanna Long
22. Justin South
23. Junior Niedecken
24. Josh Bragg
25. R.S. Senter
26. Scott Hantz
27. Derek Scott, Jr.
28. Ronnie Osmer
29. Anthony Cataldi
30. Jake Kruger
31. Brad May
32. Derrick Griffin
33. Derek Thorn
34. Riley Thornton
35. Martin Latulippe
36. Chandler Smith
