12/3/2021
Five Flags Speedway
Graham Wins Trucks after Roderick DQ, Fowler Wins Sportsmen; Loper in Pure Stock
Photos by Eddie Richie
Proxy Equipment Pro Truck 50 Revised Finish
| Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Gavin Graham | Lakeland, FL | #38 |
| 2 | 9 | Jerry Goff Jr | Lucedale, MS | #10 |
| 3 | 7 | Darryl Rudd | Chipley, FL | #56 |
| 4 | 4 | Logan Boyett | Pensacola, FL | #9 |
| 5 | 21 | Maddox Langham | Mobile, AL | #1L |
| 6 | 12 | Jeffrey Campbell | Huntsville, AL | #77 |
| 7 | 20 | Anthony Monroe | Ingleside, TX | #82M |
| 8 | 19 | Jim Teague | Buda, TX | #16 |
| 9 | 10 | Bubba Gale | Mocksville, NC | #64 |
| 10 | 18 | Dustin Bryson | Covington, GA | #47 |
| 11 | 14 | Jake Wright | Waxahachie, TX | #48 |
| 12 | 8 | Jarrett Parker | Molino, FL | #46 |
| 13 | 24 | E. J. fitzgerald | Houston, TX | #11 |
| 14 | 1 | Hunter Johnson | Griffin, GA | #138J |
| 15 | 13 | John Heil | Floresville, TX | #96 |
| 16 | 23 | Ethan Barker | Houston, TX | #7 |
| 1 7 | 5 | Chad Robinson | Mobile, AL | #10R |
| 18 | 16 | Treyce Capers | , AL | #22C |
| 19 | 17 | Okie Mason | , AL | #6 |
| 20 | 11 | Brandon Burks | Milton, FL | #12 |
| 21 | 15 | Presley Johnson | Huntsville, AL | #82 |
| 22 | 22 | Jessie Reid | Eight Mile, AL | #R18 |
| 23 | 25 | Paul Riels | , AL | #747 |
| 24 | 3 | Steven Davis | Theodore, AL | #52 |
The Dock on Pensacola Beach Sportsmen 50
Brannon Fowler wanted desperately to win a third career title on Night 1 of the 54th annual Snowball Derby presented by Hooters.
He had a shot to deliver the best 70th birthday present Glenn Fowler, his father, could ever ask for. He sought an opportunity to avenge his regular-season loss of The Dock on Pensacola Beach Sportsmen track championship. Mostly, though, Brannon Fowler wanted to rightfully honor a close friend and permanent fixture in the local short-track racing community.
After winning the pole in qualifying, an inspired Fowler led from flag-to-flag, dominated the 15-car field, and captured the 50-lap The Dock on Pensacola Beach Sportsmen Snowball Derby on Thursday night at Five Flags Speedway.
“We had an extra passenger riding with us tonight,� said Fowler, whose first two Sportsmen Snowball Derby crowns came back-to-back in 2015 and 2016. “Michael Armentrout passed away, and we’re certainly thinking about him and his family.�
Fowler paid tribute to his buddy with a commanding performance and a beautiful mural in memory of Armentrout on the hood of his No. 00. Fowler started lapping cars less than a quarter of the way through the race.
While he saw plenty of beatin’ and bangin’ in his rearview, Fowler was in the wind after the green flag dropped.
“A lotta great people have stood here where I am after winning Derby, and this is our third time to be in this spot,� a grateful Fowler said. “Truthfully, I just feel lucky to be here in Victory Lane, period.�
Veteran Billy Hoover had an impressive runner-up finish and former Late Model and Modifieds of Mayhem driver Dillon Spreen came home third.
Hoover engaged in the best Sportsmen battle of the night with series track champion Jim Pokrant. The two swapped second several times in the first 20 laps. After Hoover slid by him for good, Pokrant’s night got worse. Hunter Lambert was even with Pokrant for third when his No. 97 jostled up the track. He door-slammed into Pokrant’s No. 07 and caused the cars to lock up. Both smashed nose-first into the outside wall on the backstretch.
| 1 | OO | Brannon Fowler |
| 2 | 54 | Billy Hoover |
| 3 | 99 | Dillon Spreen |
| 4 | 19 | Daryl McDonald |
| 5 | 5 | Jason Gammon |
| 6 | 29 | Joe Ricbourg |
| 7 | 55 | Tommie Blocker |
| 8 | 1 | Maddox Langham |
| 9 | 5 | Brock Glenz |
| 10 | 376 | Larry McCraney |
| 11 | 2 | Paul Schloss |
| 12 | 4 | Bubba Hart |
| 13 | O7 | Jim Pokrant |
| 14 | 97 | Hunter Lambert |
| 15 | 13 | Paul Mathis |
| 16 | 99 | Kevin Mitchell |
Lloyd's Glass Pure Stock 35
Robert Loper had been to the mountaintop at the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway.
In fact, the veteran from Theodore, Ala., celebrated Pure Stocks Derby titles twice in Victory Lane (2015, 2017) in the last six years.
Loper’s third Lloyd’s Glass Pure Stocks Snowball Derby crown was much more subdued on the first night of the 54th annual Snowball Derby presented by Hooters. With his son in the hospital, a motivated and emotional Loper took control of the 18-car field midway through the 35-lap race and never looked back.
“This was a hard-fought battle,� Loper said. “I wanted to show my boy that you can never give up. We raced our butts off tonight and got the win.�
The victory was Loper’s sixth of the season after winning his first career series track title during the regular season. Despite his concerns for his son, Loper was able to provide a little bit of levity by making good on an earlier bet. Loper enveloped track mascot Snowball’s face in his hands and kissed it right on its big, red nose.
Cameron Leytham, Loper’s teammate, finished second and Jimmy Hollingsworth rounded out the podium.
| Place | Car | Driver |
| 1 | 88 | Robert Loper |
| 2 | 8 | Cameron Leytham |
| 3 | 27 | James Hollingsworth |
| 4 | 11 | David Johnson |
| 5 | 29 | Parker McDonald |
| 6 | 22 | John Kevin Merritt |
| 7 | 44 | Corey Boddie |
| 8 | 10 | Jimmy Day |
| 9 | 24 | Caleb Burkett |
| 10 | 21 | Butch Harvell |
| 11 | 26 | Thomas Norman |
| 12 | 91 | Chris Brown |
| 13 | 24 | Brandon McKendrick |
| 14 | 343 | Ben Cranford |
| 15 | 14 | Cody Wood |
| 16 | 8 | William Leytham |
| 17 | 16 | Rocky Boyd |
| 18 | 30 | Bobby Suarez |
| 19 | 22 | Dylan Courtney |
