On Monday at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, Stephen Nasse finally ended a 14-year quest by capturing his first-ever Snowball Derby victory, after a penalty on Ty Majeski shifted the lead in the closing laps of the crown-jewel Super Late Model race. The Ty Majeski Snowball Derby penalty dramatically changed the outcome, allowing Nasse—long known for his tenacity and misfortune at this event—to inherit the lead and secure the prestigious Tom Dawson Trophy.
Years of Frustration Lead to Redemption
Over the course of 14 prior attempts, Nasse experienced nearly every form of disappointment possible at the Snowball Derby, which stands as Super Late Model racing’s equivalent to the Daytona 500. Whether running out of time, involved in on-track incidents, or stripped of a win after a disqualification in 2019, his pursuit remained unfulfilled. His determination only grew stronger with each setback, and even a rain delay that pushed the race from Sunday to Monday did little to dampen his focus on breaking his winless streak.
A Victory Decided by Late-Race Drama
The final laps on a cold, cloudy afternoon were shaped by a surprising turn of events after Ty Majeski, who had controlled most of the race, was penalized for a restart violation. This ruling allowed Nasse to move to the head of the field for the final sprint to the finish, where he claimed the checkered flag.
“With the Derby, you’re going to take them however you can get them,”
Nasse said.
“I was looking forward to racing against [Majeski] on the restart. I thought I’d be able to put up a decent fight, but he surprised me by jumping two times in a row like that. You wouldn’t think something like that out of Ty. Definitely unfortunate for them, but we’ll take it.”
– Stephen Nasse, Driver
Ty Majeski, who has previously won the Snowball Derby twice, was black-flagged after being cited a second time for jumping the restart. Despite leading most of the event, he finished 23rd and voiced his frustration with the officials’ decision.
“I got a little bit of chatter over the radio that Nasse was going to maybe try and jump,”
Majeski said. “I was trying to anticipate that a little bit and clearly jumped. I knew they were going to call the next one close, so I decided to gradually increase my speed to the line, fire in the box. Obviously it was close and wanted to be right at the line. Felt that I was.
“They made a ball-and-strike call in the biggest race of the year. I’ve had some lows in my career, and this one probably takes the cake.”
– Ty Majeski, Driver
Nasse’s Road to Victory: Overcoming Adversity and Qualifying Battles
Nasse’s journey to Snowball Derby glory has been marked by resilience and continual adaptation. His Super Late Model record includes major wins like the Winchester 400 (twice) and the All American 400, earning him the nickname “The Honey Badger” for his relentless approach on and off the track. Yet, the Snowball Derby remained elusive, often hindered by struggles in qualifying—eight out of his last ten starts saw him line up worse than 25th. Nasse’s refusal to let his critics or misfortunes define him kept him focused, while each attempt bolstered his motivation.
This year, Nasse had to earn his way into the main event through the Last Chance Qualifier. Starting from the outside of the second row, he drew on years of experience at Five Flags Speedway to confidently advance into the field.
“Of course you have a little bit of worry on what could happen, [given] I started outside on the second row [in the Last Chance Qualifier],”
Nasse said.
“Once that race got going, I knew I’d be better than those guys, and I’d be able to race around them. I’ve put in thousands of laps around [Five Flags], and in race trim, we’re very good.”
– Stephen Nasse, Driver
Nasse’s drive through the field was fueled by strong pit strategy and the speed of his Anthony Campi Racing No. 51 car. He methodically worked his way into contention, and lined up on the outside of the front row for the fateful restart that would determine the race.
Clash Between Two Veterans Decides the Derby
Facing veteran rival Majeski for the win, Nasse knew the challenge would be fierce. Majeski’s consistently fast lap times underscored just how tough the task was. However, the penalty for Majeski following two questionable restarts sealed his fate, handing Nasse the opportunity he had chased for years. As Nasse crossed the finish line, he finally left behind the sting of previous disappointments, including a disqualification in 2019 and coming up short as a runner-up just last year to Kaden Honeycutt.
Triumphs, Inspections, and Validation
The relief and emotion of the moment were only amplified several hours later, after Nasse’s car passed technical inspection—an especially meaningful outcome considering the events of 2019, when a post-race infraction cost him a victory.
“It’s been a long journey with a lot of ups and a lot of downs,”
Nasse said.
“I’m just fortunate that I’ve been in the position that I’ve been in to have a chance to win it. There’s a lot of people that come here for many years and have never been able to sniff the front. To be able to put the races in like we have and get the wins that we have, it feels very special.”
– Stephen Nasse, Driver
Nasse Looks to Expand His Legacy
Now in possession of the Tom Dawson Trophy, Nasse is already focused on defending his title. While qualifying has historically presented challenges, his recent years have shown that pure race performance is often enough to deliver strong results at the Snowball Derby. He remains optimistic about adding more victories to his growing legacy, emphasizing that the chase for another win remains as motivating as ever.
“My name will be on [the Tom Dawson Trophy] next year, and that’s something to be very proud of,”
Nasse said. “You have to work on making sure it’s not a one-and-done thing. I think I can do it multiple times. I’ve been in front the past few Derbys, and I got lucky today, but I’ve also gotten unlucky on other days.
“I’m going to try and put my name on it again. Who knows how many times we can get it? But we’ll keep trying.”
– Stephen Nasse, Driver
As Nasse and Anthony Campi Racing look ahead, their focus will be on sustaining the momentum and returning to Five Flags Speedway with a contender once more. For the driver known as The Honey Badger, the weight of 14 years of frustration has finally lifted, replaced now with the satisfaction of achievement and the drive to build on this breakthrough moment in Super Late Model racing history.
Ty Majeski gets black flagged for jumping a late restart and that gives the lead to STEPHEN NASSE, who takes the checkered flag in the 58th #SnowballDerby!
📺 @FloRacing pic.twitter.com/ptXhcRIoF3
— NASCAR Regional (@NASCARRegional) December 8, 2025
Rings. Trophies. Glory.
A #SnowballDerby win comes with a bit of everything for Stephen Nasse. pic.twitter.com/XPYPabznqc
— NASCAR Regional (@NASCARRegional) December 8, 2025
