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Stagner Outlasts Rain, Deep Field to Win Pro Trucks Snowball in Breast Cancer Tribute Run

By Chuck Corder In the Snowball Derby race that refused to end, Steve “Chopper� Stagner delivered a final exclamation point late Saturday night and into early Sunday morning at Five Flags Speedway. The 40 year old from Turnerville, Ala., just outside of Mobile, outlasted two lengthy rain delays and a slew of cautions to win the Pro Trucks division of the 47th annual Snowball Derby. It was Stagner’s first career victory at short-track racing’s most prestigious weekend. Stagner led all 40 laps in a race that was shortened from 50 because the plethora of cautions against a 34-car field. “We had to hustle early on,� Stagner said. “The cautions killed us. We were able to stay out front, but every two laps, it seemed like another three or four trucks were being taken out. “This was just an amazing, amazing night for me and my team together,� he continued. “There are a lotta people that come out and support us. And I was glad to put on good show for them.� Those that were left in the grandstands at nearly 3 a.m., cheered maniacally, and perhaps with a dose of delirium when track officials made the decision to cut the race 10 laps. And if you thought the fans were overcome with relief, you should’ve seen the celebratory dances the drivers were doing from behind their steering wheels. “I was just glad to get it over with,� Stagner said. “We had gotten up to a lotta lapped traffic and there were wrecks everywhere.� Luckily for him, Stagner had a not-so secret weapon in “Spotterville.� “Rick Crawford was up there for us,� Stagner said of the 1989 Snowball Derby champion and legendary NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series driver. “Kudos to him. He kept me safe, kept me on my toes.� Stagner believed the stars aligned for him this weekend. A month or so ago, he didn’t think he was going to drive the Snowball. Then, his crew of Bobby McDonald, Allen Cooper, Benji Black and “Bigun� Cooley encouraged him to think again. “The crew spent all their time getting this together and made sure everything was perfect,� Stagner said. “I can’t say enough for them.� When he decided to donate any of his potential winnings to a good cause, Stagner’s decision to drive was made. Keitra Young, the mother of Stagner’s son, 7-year-old Logan, died recently from breast cancer. As a sign of respect, Stagner chose the Krewe du Ya Yas, a Pensacola charity that raises money for breast cancer awareness, to be the beneficiary if he earned any money from the race. “I know they do a lot for breast cancer support, and I really feel like, I wanted to come and do something to help people,� Stanger said. “I’ve experienced it and really do know how tough it is. It’s the least we could do.� It was a long, but memorable tribute Saturday. Stagner earned the pole with a qualifying run of 18.691 seconds, nearly two-tenths off the track record. “It was surprising,� Stagner said. “I figured qualifying in the top 8, top 10, the way we had been practicing, would’ve been good. To sit on the pole, it was a shock to us.� Stagner did get pressure from Colt James and Ray Huey, but his biggest obstacle he overcame was the endurance factor. The trucks completed qualifying just before 2 p.m. Saturday and then had to sit until 1:20 a.m. with all the delays. “Through all the rain, the mind gets to wander, the track changes and you can’t adjust quick enough,� Stagner said. “Then, there’s no practice. You’re pitting out in the mud. Everything’s against you. “The good Lord was looking down on us. And I think it had to do a little with being out there for a cause. We’ll continue do that now on.� It was Stagner’s first big win of his career. He’s had some close calls in past seasons, but Stagner had never finished better than third. “Every time we come over here, there’s always a problem — a mechanical failure or a tire going down,� he said. But not on this night. This night, all those nightmares turned into a dream of a lifetime.

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