Dawson Sutton Wins Blizzard Finale, Cole Butcher Takes Title

Dawson Sutton prevented the clean sweep of the 2025 Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series, winning the Super Late Model feature on Five Flags Speedway's Night of Champions.

Entering the night, Cole Butcher had won the first three races of the season. The Nova Scotia native hoped to become the first driver to win all four Blizzard Series events in a year. However, Sutton left no doubt on Saturday night at the Pensacola, Florida half-mile who would be victorious in the final stop on the Road to the Snowball Derby.

Sutton set fast time in qualifying and started on pole position for the 100-lap race. The Tennessee native never relinquished the top spot, leading every lap of the event. The victory gives Sutton his first career win with both the ASA Southern Super Series and the Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series.

"My team brought me a great car," said Sutton. "I really just can't thank them enough. This is definitely my favorite track. The first time I raced here, I just fell in love with it. I'm just super thankful for all my team, and there's too many guys to thank. I'm super thankful. Hopefully, we can come back for the Derby and get the big one."

The big one, of course, is the Snowball Derby, scheduled for December 7 at Five Flags Speedway. Last year, Sutton finished 10th in his rookie appearance in the biggest Super Late Model event of the year. Between that and the momentum of Saturday's win, Sutton hopes to be a contender for the Tom Dawson Trophy in December.

"It's all thanks to my guys," said Sutton. "These guys work their butts off night and day. I'm just thankful to race them. Right now, it seems like we're on a roll, so we'll just keep it up and keep going to the next one."

While it was not a win, the fifth-place finish was more than enough to secure Butcher the 2025 Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series championship after a dominant year. When he won the Tibbetts Lumber 100 in June, that already made him the first driver to go three-for-three in the series.

In eight previous starts in the Snowball Derby, Butcher has finished in the top-five four times. Pensacola, Florida may be a long distance from Porters Lake, Nova Scotia, but Five Flags Speedway has become a second home of sorts for Butcher.

He and his Wilson Motorsports team have won the ASA STARS National Tour Sunshine State 200 each of the last two years, giving him four total victories at the track alongside his stout Snowball Derby track record.

"We're all one big team," said Butcher. "[Bond Suss]'s definitely a big part of it. This whole Wilson camp works really hard together, and this just goes to show it."

With the Blizzard Series championship, Butcher is guaranteed a starting spot in the 58th Annual Snowball Derby. Should he fail to qualify on time, he will be the first driver eligible for the Blizzard Series points provisional in the starting lineup for the Derby.

Carson Brown finished second on Saturday, followed by Matthew Craig and Jake Finch. Finch was crowned earlier in the evening as the Allen Turner Pro Late Model Series champion.

Dylan Fetcho crossed the line sixth, followed by Dustin Smith. Defending Snowball Debry champion Kaden Honeycutt finished eighth. Bubba Pollard, who entered the night as the ASA Southern Super Series points leader by 12 over Butcher, finished ninth, with Stephen Nasse rounding out the top 10.

Former NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, making his second career Blizzard Series start, finished 12th.

The 58th Annual Snowball Derby takes place on December 4-7 at Five Flags Speedway. The Snowball Derby Preview is scheduled for November 22, the last organized opportunity for teams to take the track at Five Flags ahead of the Derby.

Five Flags Speedway will have racing on next Friday, October 3. The Must See Racing Sprint Cars visit the half-mile, joined by Legacy and Crown Stocks.

-Photo credit: Reid Scott/Liberty Racing Review

Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series Unofficial Results