PENSACOLA, Fla. – Derek Thorn completed a sweep of the late model pole positions at Five Flags Speedway by timing fastest during Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 qualifying on Saturday.
Thorn toured the Pensacola half mile in 16.675 seconds (107.946 mph) in the Campbell Motorsports No. 43 pro late model to add the Snowflake pole to his Snowball Derby pole from Friday evening.
The California native won the Snowflake 100 last year from the outside pole. This year, he’ll seek to become only the second back-to-back winner of the event from one spot better.
Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville champion Dylan Fetcho will join Thorn on the front row Saturday night, coming just .013 seconds short of the top spot, with Stephen Nasse and Ryan Luza sharing row two.
Former Five Flags Speedway Pro Truck champion Josh Hicks qualified fifth, followed by Bubba Pollard, Hunter Jack, 2010 Snowball Derby winner Johanna Long-Robbins, Jarrett Butcher and Grant Thompson.
NASCAR Cup Series team owner Justin Marks made the show in 17th, as did NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Josh Williams, who will start 25th in the 100-lap main event.
Dylan Smith, who has backing from Cup stars Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace on his No. 23 this weekend, was the final car to lock into the show on speed with the 30th-fastest lap.
“Man, that felt like Daytona back in the day when you had to qualify in (for the 500),” Smith exclaimed after the final car in line completed its run.
“I was pacing over here … I was dying,” he added with a chuckle. “I’m just happy to be here, though. We’re in the show and it feels awesome. I’m stoked!”
The 22nd Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 is scheduled to go green at 7 p.m. CT Saturday night.
QUALIFYING RESULTS: 22nd Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100; Five Flags Speedway; Dec. 5, 2020
- #43t – Derek Thorn, 16.675
- #89f – Dylan Fetcho, 16.688
- #51 – Stephen Nasse, 16.701
- #53r – Ryan Luza, 16.759
- #38 – Josh Hicks, 16.782
- #26 – Bubba Pollard, 16.791
- #41 – Hunter Jack, 16.792
- #18 – Johanna Long-Robbins, 16.823
- #54b – Jarrett Butcher, 16.835
- #112 – Grant Thompson, 16.841
- #29k – Mason Keller, 16.866
- #3 – Jim Weber, 16.870
- #11c – Stacey Crain, 16.878
- #12b – Justin Bonnett, 16.899
- #12d – Dan Leeck, 16.911
- #14d – Chris Davidson, 16.913
- #99 – Justin Marks, 16.914
- #43s – Dakota Stroup, 16.920
- #9 – Hudson Halder, 16.926
- #54c – Matt Craig, 16.936
- #67 – Colin Allman, 16.958
- #7d – John DeAngelis, 16.959
- #11w – Jolynn Wilkinson, 16.973
- #14c – Connor Okrzesik, 16.975
- #6 – Josh Williams, 16.995
- #81 – Jake Finch, 17.001
- #4p – Kyle Plott, 17.009
- #91 – Jim Wall, 17.029
- #8d – Mark Day, 17.035
- #23 – Dylan Smith, 17.037
- #53k – Kyle Ivey, 17.056
- #15 – Jake Johnson, 17.059
- #33g – Wes Griffith, 17.079
- #33s – Dustin Smith, 17.082
- #4e – Elliott Massey, 17.102
- #40 – Jordan Miller, 17.146
- #89r – Bobby Reuse, 17.157
- #84 – Steven Chunn, 17.158
- #10 – Steve Dorer, 17.214
- #55 – Charlie Keeven, 17.239
- #11b – Jacob Beasock, 17.632
- #37 – AJ Wernette, 17.671
- #7p – Joey Pontbriand, 17.736