Nemechek wins Snowball Derby, snaps Jones' streak

“It’s an amazing feeling to be able to win the Snowball Derby and have a bunch of our family here,” Nemechek said. “I’m pretty much speechless.”

The win is his first Super Late Model victory and the fifth win of the year in his Pro Late Model Series Chevy. He earned victories at the Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, Georgia on January 26, Milwaukee Mile on June 8, Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis on September 28 and in the All-American 400 at Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville on November 1.

For the second consecutive season, Nemechek finished second in the Snowflake 100, which ended in the early hours of Sunday morning. His two previous starts in the Snowball Derby in 2012 and 2013 resulted in 10th and fifth-place results.

Dalton Sergeant finished second, followed by Derek Thorn, pole sitter Hunter Robbins and Grant Enfinger.

Running second late in the race, NASCAR Next’s Jones and Augie Grill crashed to end Jones’ chance to become the first driver to win three Snowball Derbies in a row. He finished 27th. Nemechek inherited the lead after the wreck and held on through two restarts to take the victory.

Other drivers with NASCAR ties competed in the 47th annual event including Clay Rogers, who finished 12th, Corey Lajoie (13th), Johanna Long (17th), Daniel Hemric (24th), NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Chase Elliott (29th), Ross Kenseth (35th) and Mike Garvey (37th). Elliott, Long and Rogers are former Snowball Derby winners. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stars Donnie Allison and Kyle Busch and NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip also are past winners of the race.

In 10 starts in the Camping World Truck Series, Nemechek had six top-10 finishes, including a top-five finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He shared the No. 8 ride with his father, Joe, and the two teamed up for a seventh-place finish in the owner standings.

At 17, Nemechek is restricted to running road courses and tracks at 1.25 miles or shorter, but when he turns 18 on June 11, 2015, he will finish out the remainder of the Camping World Truck schedule, beginning with the July 9 event at Kentucky Speedway.

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