Stephen Nasse has never been one to shy from sharing his thoughts and opinions.
It’s earned the Florida driver a legion of fans and critics. He’s won his share of big money races, like last year’s Winchester 400, and made headlines for a Snowball Derby win in December that was taken away in post-race technical inspection.
At the end of the day, Nasse has carved a comfortable niche in the short-track community, following the well-worn road paved by the likes of Keith Rocco and Bubba Pollard, and the Dick Trickles and Steve Carlsons before them.
“If I could make a career out of racing, that’d be awesome. There’s no doubt about that,” Nasse told The Athletic. “I don’t know what’s going to happen and there hasn’t been any big deal that’s been holding me back, but I enjoy racing super late models and pro late models. They’re obviously a lot cheaper, and I feel like I made a pretty good name for myself doing that already and have a pretty decent fan base.”
David Smith of The Athletic caught up with the mercurial talent at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway in February, and provided an in-depth look at the driver alternately called “Classy” and “Nasty.”
THE ATHLETIC: To short-tracker Stephen Nasse, ‘classy and nasty’ appeals more than NASCAR fame
Now posted on @TheAthletic: Stephen Nasse is the most polarizing driver in short-track racing, but he’s also a proven winner marching to his own drummer.
“I’d love to see the super late model side of things change … and do that for the rest of my life.” https://t.co/pVncr1e32i
– David Smith (@DavidSmithMA) March 24, 2020