Erik Jones Wins Second-Straight Snowball Derby
Chase Elliott Disqualified From Apparent Victory at Five Flags Speedway
PENSACOLA, FL (December 8, 2013) – For the second-straight year, Erik Jones is taking the Tom Dawson trophy home to Byron, Michigan as the winner of the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL.
In 2012, Jones took his family-owned No. 4 Super Late Model to victory lane as he edged out NASCAR star Kyle Busch for the win. This year, Busch put Jones in his No. 51 and the result was the same – the now 17-year-old Jones hoisted the winner’s laurels.
Jones was declared the winner in Sunday’s 46th Annual Snowball Derby Presented by JEGS after unofficial winner Chase Elliott was disqualified for a technical infraction in post-race tech. That gave the win for a second-straight season to Jones.
“It’s racing and sometimes you’re going to have tech infractions,” said Jones. “I’m happy to get the win though, back-to-back like that. That’s amazing doing it with a whole different crew in KBM.”
Sunday’s Snowball Derby win brings a successful 365-day span full-circle. After besting Busch in last year’s event, Jones was signed to drive Busch’s entry on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where he won his first race at Phoenix International Raceway in November. In addition, Jones won another major Super Late Model race, the Winchester 400 in October, as well as an ARCA Racing Series event in 2013.
Now, a full year after his biggest win, Jones added another.
“It’s pretty awesome picking up the win in both the (Winchester) 400 and the Snowball Derby in the same year. That’s something I never would’ve dreamed of. To bring it home again, that’s pretty special.”
Elliott led a race-high 233 laps en route to the unofficial victory in a dominant performance. In post-race inspection, tungsten, which is not allowed according to the rules, was discovered in Elliott’s car.
“That’s not how you want to win a race,” added Jones, “but you’ll always take them.”
“We battled hard, fought hard all weekend all weekend since Thursday’s practice. We were always changing stuff, so it’s pretty rewarding to come and end up getting the win.”
Alabama’s Grant Enfinger finished the 300-lap Snowball Derby on just seven cylinders, but has a second-place result to show for it. Maine’s Austin Theriault was third, followed by Alabama’s Hunter Robbins and North Carolinian John Hunter Nemechek, son of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Joe Nemechek.
Now the Tom Dawson trophy is en route to Michigan for a second-straight season with Erik Jones. Will he be going for a third in 2014?
“Definitely,” said Jones. “It’s only 364 days away.”
For more on the 46th Annual Snowball Derby Presented by JEGS, visit http://www.snowballderby.com.
46th Annual Snowball Derby Presented by JEGS
Five Flags Speedway
Pensacola, Florida
Sunday, December 8, 2013
| 1 | 51J | Erik Jones | 300 |
| 2 | 90 | Grant Enfinger | 300 |
| 3 | 29T | Austin Theriault | 300 |
| 4 | 18 | Hunter Robbins | 300 |
| 5 | 8 | John Hunter Nemechek | 300 |
| 6 | 11 | David Rogers | 300 |
| 7 | 71 | Kyle Benjamin | 300 |
| 8 | 25 | Ross Kenseth | 300 |
| 9 | 12 | Derek Thorn | 300 |
| 10 | 2W | Donnie Wilson | 300 |
| 11 | 29C | Landon Cassill | 300 |
| 12 | 96 | Ben Kennedy | 300 |
| 13 | 42 | Chad Finley | 299 |
| 14 | 21 | Cale Gale | 299 |
| 15 | 99 | Casey Smith | 299 |
| 16 | 10 | Johanna Long | 299 |
| 17 | 7 | Paul Shafer Jr. | 299 |
| 18 | 22 | Jeremy Pate | 299 |
| 19 | 45 | Clay Rogers | 298 |
| 20 | 98 | Daniel Hemric | 298 |
| 21 | 51N | Stephen Nasse | 298 |
| 22 | 49 | Josh Hamner | 298 |
| 23 | 15 | Mason Massey | 297 |
| 24 | 129 | Spencer Davis | 295 |
| 25 | 29B | Anderson Bowen | 294 |
| 26 | 11 | Logan Boyett | 294 |
| 27 | 91 | Zac Hausler | 270 |
| 28 | 77 | David Ragan | 244 |
| 29 | 98 | Mason Mingus | 235 |
| 30 | 26 | Bubba Pollard | 224 |
| 31 | 74 | Preston Peltier | 123 |
| 32 | 14 | Chris Davidson | 40 |
| 33 | 41 | T.J. Reaid | 37 |
| 34 | 53 | Boris Jurkovic | 24 |
| 35 | 1 | Mike Garvey | 11 |
| 36 | 112 | Augie Grill | 0 |
| DQ | 9 | Chase Elliott | 300 |
