Stephen Nasse Caps Off 4 Dominant Years with Snowball Derby Glory
Dec 14, 2025
Stephen Nasse Caps Off 4 Dominant Years with Snowball Derby Glory
PENSACOLA, FL - After four years of heartbreak, brilliance, and near-misses, #51 Stephen Nasse in his Anthony Campi Racing machine finally lifted the Tom Dawson Trophy on Monday evening at Five Flags Speedway, winning the 2025 Snowball Derby in a dramatic finish.
For Nasse, one of the most accomplished Super Late Model racers of his era, the Snowball Derby had always been the one that got away. Fifteen attempts. Unbelievable speed. Countless ways to lose, countless cars passed; Even a year where he crossed the finish line first, only for the “Room of Doom” tech shed to strip the win after a gruelling charge from 36th to 1st without power steering.
This time, nothing: not chaos, not controversy, not restart games could keep him from his long-awaited triumph.
Four-Year Run: Worst Average Start, Best Average Finish
Nasse’s recent Snowball Derby record has been a masterclass in perseverance:
2021: Started 36th - finished 3rd
2022: Started 8th - finished 6th
2023: Started 30th - finished 2nd
2024: Started 30th - won the race
Across the last four runnings, Nasse has owned the worst average starting position in the field, yet delivered the best average finish of anyone.
His performances have been defined by "Hard Charger Awards", consistency, and strong finsihes. In 2022, he led nearly half the race before late-race contact with Bubba Pollard while battling for the win ended both of their chances. In 2023, he was unquestionably the fastest car on the track at the end, but just barely ran out of laps while chasing down Kaden Honeycutt, settling for a frustrating runner-up finish.
This year, the drama came in the form of restart games:
A pair of critical late restarts saw Ty Majeski tagged for jumping the restart twice, first with a warning, and followed by a black flag. Both rulings fell in Nasse’s favor, setting the stage for him to control the final dash to the checkered flag.
A Career of Crown Jewel Victories
Even before this Snowball Derby win, Stephen Nasse’s resume placed him among the elite in short track racing:
Two-time Winchester 400 champion, and the all-time leader for most laps led in a single year
Eight top-five finishes in 15 Winchester 400 starts
All American 400 champion
The Last Bristol US Short Track Nationals winner
Two-time Southern Super Series champion
World Series of Asphalt champion
Multiple near-misses in the Blizzard Series Championship at Five Flags, including a loss by just a single point
He has been one of the most versatile, feared, and respected Super Late Model drivers of his generation. But in short track racing, a career can feel incomplete without a Snowball Derby trophy.
Now, that box is checked.
A Win Fifteen Years in the Making
Winning the Snowball Derby is arguably the hardest feat in American short track racing. The list of drivers who never captured the elusive trophy includes some of the sport’s all-time greats, past and present.
For Nasse, it took fifteen years of attempts: years marked by unreal speed, dramatic exits, controversy, and every imaginable setback.
This victory was the culmination of a decade and a half of grit, talent, personal/driver growth, and determination.
Stephen Nasse is officially a Snowball Derby Champion and it feels like the racing world just watched a long-overdue chapter finally close.
And, perhaps, another one open, with plenty of years to continue chasing more glory.
Author: Luke Trottier