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Thorn wins Snowflake leading all 100 laps; Garcia 2nd, Allman, DeAngelis and Bollen; Okrzesik Wins Outlaws

Thorn Owning Derby Week, Captures Second Allen Turner Snowflake 100; Okrzesik Scores Outlaws Derby 

 

By Chuck Corder 

Derek Thorn is not of this world. 

He certainly has been on another planet than everyone else at the 54th Annual Snowball Derby presented by Hooters. Thorn has the Midas touch. As the kids say: “He don’t miss.â€? He’s Scrooge McDuck swimming through gold coins. He’s a chef’s kiss. 

Thorn, 35, is hitting every line and rewriting Derby record books with each lap he puts down at Five Flags Speedway. The California driver in the No. 43 led flag-to-flag Saturday night and topped the 35 best Pro Late Model drivers in America in capturing the Allen Turner Snowflake 100. It’s his second ’Flake in three years. It also marked his second consecutive pole, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished. Thorn achieved the same history in Derby qualifying Friday night by winning the pole in back-to-back years. Today, he looks to become the first driver to sweep the weekend in winning both the ’Flake and Derby. 

“Fifteen years ago, this was a figment of my imagination,â€? Thorn said. “The car was phenomenal. Every time we come here, we try to get a little better. To have this car tonight, it’s unbelievable.â€?  

He had competition for most of the race from teenager Jake Garcia, but the Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series track champion and Southern Super Series champion for Super Late Models settled for second. Colin Allman was steady all night, staying in the top-five, and finishing third. 

Thorn earned quite the payday. An anonymous donor earlier Saturday threw in $3,000 to move the winner’s purse from $7,000 to $10,000. Thorn earned an additional $5,000 because he registered for his Snowball Derby pit pass on Pit Pay app. 

“We were doing everything we could to stay out front,â€? Thorn said. “(Garcia) was keeping us honest. Track positioning is big here. And I was doing my best to save tires and keep them in one piece.â€? 

He was brilliant. There were six cautions and Thorn was perfect on each one. Each time he approached lapped traffic, Thorn showed no fear and deftly maneuvered through the cars in the back. 

Johanna Robbins was enjoying a top-five performance at her home track before Noah Gragson started a chain reaction on Lap 82 that deposited Robbins into the wall on no fault of her own. 

Fans were treated to a welcomed surprise before the opening green flag dropped Saturday night. Hunter Johnson, who crashed viciously into the Turn No. 1 catch fence at the Proxy Equipment Pro Trucks Snowball Derby on Thursday, spoke with track announcer Bill Roth in Victory Lane about the incident and the recovery road ahead of him. The capacity crowd roared with appreciation when Johnson was introduced. 

“I didn’t think I’d get airborne like that,â€? joked Johnson, who broke two vertebrae but was in high spirits Saturday. 

 

Okrzesik Steamrolls Way to Faith Chapel Outlaws Snowball Derby Title 

Connor Okrzesik’s future is bright and full of options. 

Nineteen years old. An engineering scholarship awaiting him soon at the University of Colorado. And a knack for wheeling any kind of racecar he hopes into. 

Okrzesik, who already has four Snowball Derby starts in his young career, had prior school commitments that prevented him from dutifully preparing and, thus, appearing in today’s 54th Annual Snowball Derby presented by Hooters. The 32-car field in the Faith Chapel Outlaws Snowball Derby wishes Okrzesik stuck with the books Saturday instead of showing up at Five Flags Speedway. 

Okrzesik led 47 of the 50 laps and was dominant  en route to his first career Derby title. He barely broke a sweat in capturing his second Outlaws checkered flag of the season at Five Flags. This one, obviously, taking on much greater importance. 

“We just won the Derby, boys!â€? Okrzesik wailed. “It kills me we couldn’t run (the Derby), but I wasn’t gonna miss this race.â€? 

Piloting the red George Bragg No. 22 out of Mississippi, the Grand Bay, Ala., native started second. Okrzesik got to the inside of polesitter Bubba Winslow on Lap 3 and quickly shot off like a cannon. Panama City teenager Timothy Watson challenged Okrzesik on late restarts, but he was up to the task each time and maintained his lead. Watson, another young man with a high ceiling, finished as runner-up, and Outlaws season track champion Jake Finch rounded out the podium. 

“Timothy had a really fast car there at the end,â€? Okrzesik said. “He put a lotta pressure on us.â€? 

Not enough to stop Okrzesik from capturing the checkered flag and celebrating by doing donuts in Turn No. 1. Or, at least, trying to do donuts. 

“I’m not good at donuts. I guess I don’t win that much,â€? the humble Okrzesik said. 

Don’t let him fool you. Okrzesik is winning at life right now. 

 

Snowflake  Finish

 

1	43	Derek Thorn	Bakersfield, CA	16.752
2	35	Jake Garcia	Monroe, GA	16.792
3	67	Colin Alman	Plant City, FL	16.752
4	7	John DeAngelis	Hubertus, WI	17.067
5	2	John Bolen	Jasper, AL	17.065
6	51	Stephen Nasse	Pinellas Park, FL	16.966
7	15	Mike Hopkins	Herman, NC	16.953
8	54	Jarrett Butcher	Porters Lake, NS	16.965
9	81	Jett Noland	Sarasota, FL	16.915
10	69	Michael Hinde	Hernando, FL	16.869
11	30	Noah Gragson	Las  Vegas, NV	17.052
12	91	Jim Wall	Huntville, AL	16.965
13	89	Chase Spradlin	Oak Grove, AL	16.883
14	32	Treyten Lapcevich	Grimsby, ONT. Canada	16.93
15	25	Blaine Rocha	Oakdale, CA	16.865
16	33	Wes Griffith Jr	Crown Point, iN	16.968
17	26	Cole Williams	Borden, IN	16.818
18	9	Ryan Luza	Cypress, TX	16.811
19	18	Johanna Long Robbins	Pensacola, FL	16.883
20	12	Derek Griffith	Hudson, NH	16.901
21	29	Mason Keller	Plainfield, IN	16.959
22	13	Austin MacDonald	Picton, NS Canada	16.948
23	90	Trevor Christiani	Boise, ID	17.104
24	24	William Sawalich	Eden Prarie, MN	16.826
25	112	Augie Grill	Hayden, AL	16.871
26	12	Justin Bonnet	Hayden, AL	17.016
27	47	Dakota Stroupe	Maceo, KY	16.946
28	89	Dylan Fetcho	Lebanon, TN	16.946
29	48	Preton Peltier	Johnstown, CO	16.964
30	9	Hudson Halder	Cumming, GA	16.905
31	33	Dustin Smith	Mobile, AL
32	95	Derrick Griffin	Pensacola	16.918
33	22	Mike Garvey	Pensacola	16.97
34	5	Casey Johnson	Edgerton, WI	16.863
35	22	Brandon  Oakley	Beavercreek, OH	16.899
36	10	Steve Dorer	Lakeland, FL	16.947

 

Outlaws Finish 

 

1	22	Connor Okrzesik	Grand Bay, AL	17.789
2	28	Tim Watson	Panama City, FL	18.167
3	51	Jake Finch	Panama City, FL	17.885
4	92	Bubba Winslow	Cantonment, FL	17.749
5	54	Conner Sutton	Pensacola, FL	18.084
6	407	Jason Vail	Clairmont, FL	17.867
7	92	Cameron Henderson	Dothan, Al	17.939
8	98	Kraig Hall	Pace, FL	18.152
9	4	Todd Jones	Pace, FL	18.388
10	17	Robert Barker	Bourne, TX	17.943
11	10	Steve Campbell	Pensacola, FL	18.287
12	3	Adam Salter	Andalusia, AL	18.425
13	64	Jonatham Langham	Theadore, AL	18.442
14	93	Paul Jean		18.539
15	51	Jason Loveday	Huntsville, AL	18.502
16	69	Mike Pollaro	Floresville, TX	18.501
17	1	Logan Boyett	Cantonment, FL	17.834
18	31	Jr. Niedecken	Milton, FL	18.231
19	33	Jason Welch	Mobile, AL	18.157
20	409	Allen Carter		18.331
21	6	Robbie Elledge	Joppa, AL	18.035
22	21	Nathan Ingersoll	Bay Minette, AL	18.576
23	17	Chris Cotto	Milton, FL	18.927
24	21	Brandon Gaither	San Antonio, TX	18.392
25	3	Chad Chaffin	Murfreesboro, TN	17.979
26	42	Jay  Jay Day	Theadore, AL	18.254
27	1	Daniel Webster	Brooksville, FL	18.188
28	32	Stuart Dutton	Tallahassee, FL	18.134
29	5	Bill Tutchtone	Pensacola, FL	18.388
30	23	Gary Goodwin	Pensacola, FL	18.491
31	43	Jerry Bohlman	Milton, FL	18.466
32	28	Jody Henderson	Dothan, AL	18.595

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