12/4/2021
Five Flags Speedway
Cody Stickler Wins Modfieds of Mayhem 75, Grill 2nd, Griffin 3rd
Stickler Sticks it to the Competition, Wins First Career Modifieds Snowball Derby Title
By Chuck Corder
Five Flags Speedway had long been a pain in Cody Stickler’s career until five months ago.
He got the proverbial monkey off his back with a Modifieds of Mayhem win back in July after years of close calls and a few podium finishes. Then, came Night 2 of the 54th Annual Snowball Derby presented by Hooters Friday.
Stickler won the 75-lap Modifieds edition of the Derby, passing then-leader Stephen Nasse on Lap 59 and hitting all his lines en route to his milestone victory. The Pinellas Park driver has assuredly found his groove in the right grooves of Pensacola’s high banks.
“This is amazing,� an overjoyed Stickler said, as steam unfurled off his shaved head. “We’ve been trying to get this one for five or six years now.�
Augie Grill didn’t have quite the setup he wanted, but the three-time Modifieds Derby champion fought his way to a runner-up finish. Derrick Griffin, last year’s Modifieds Derby champion, battled to a third.
“We were just a tick tight,� Grill said. “I just missed the setup. We were good in practice but lost that center rotation during the race.�
Stickler had a top-five car all night in the 39-car field but made his push toward clean air around the halfway point of the 75 lapper. He slid under Grill for second at Lap 35 and gradually reeled in Nasse. Stickler got around his Pinellas Park rival 16 laps shy of the finish. He had a phenomenal restart and was able to pass Nasse on the outside. It was setting up for a classic duel down the stretch.
That was until Nasse experienced troubles chasing Sticker down the backstretch. Nasse was off the pace and decided to park the No. 46 with just three laps remaining. It marked the first time Nasse, an accomplished Late Model driver, had driven the Doug Moff-owned Modified.
“Man, it feels good,� Stickler said. “This is crazy. Getting out front in clean air certainly helps here.�
Burba Cinches Modifieds of Mayhem 2021 Championship
That it does. Bill Burba never found clean air Friday night, which also served as the Modifieds season finale. Burba came into the night leading the points comfortably. That suddenly changed when his motor blew up just 16 laps into the race, which brought out the fourth of six cautions Friday. Fortunately for Burba, Kevin Peel—his closest challenger—struggled mightily, too.
Despite watching the rest of the race in the pits, Burba secured the Modifieds of Mayhem points title when Peel couldn’t finish enough spots ahead of him.
Order of finish
1 | 99 | Cody Stickler | Pinellas Park, FL | 17.66 |
2 | 112 | Augie Grill | Hayden, Al | 17.693 |
3 | 95 | Derrick Griffin | Pensacola, FL | 17.713 |
4 | 84 | L J Grimm | 18.356 | |
5 | 71 | L B Skaggs | Ft. Myers, FL | 18.392 |
6 | 7 | Parker Pugh | Madison, AL | 18.561 |
7 | 7w | Josh Ware | Barbeau, MI | 18.175 |
8 | 54 | Clayton Green | Marble Falls, TX | 18.595 |
9 | 116 | Nicholas Carr | Clio, MI | 18.387 |
10 | 5 | Danny Jackson | Loveland, OH | 18.42 |
11 | 4c | Jason Congdon | Clio, MI | 18.37 |
12 | 18 | Kevin Peel | Chipley, FL | 18.544 |
13 | 10 | Okie Mason | 8 Mile AL | 19.426 |
14 | 48 | Hunter Evans | Jasper, AL | 18.28 |
15 | 73 | Danny Duchesne | Lathia, FL | 18.017 |
16 | OO | Bradon Curren | Hayden, AL | 18.14 |
17 | 46 | Stephen Nasse | Pinellas Park, FL | 17.499 |
18 | 88 | Larry Hughes | Deatsville, AL | 19.099 |
19 | 131 | Jeff Letson | Madison, AL | 17.789 |
20 | 66 | Logan Bearden | Leander, TX | 18.265 |
21 | 21 | Kaden Honeycutt | Aldo, TX | 18.106 |
22 | 26 | Bill Burba | Germantown, OH | 17.989 |
23 | 57 | Tim Moore | 18.183 | |
24 | 93 | Curtis Spencer | Owosso, MI | 18.217 |
25 | 8 | Donnie Hamrac | Semmes, AL | 18.318 |
26 | 13 | Kyle Purvis | Marion, OH | 17.998 |
27 | 4x | Matt Maurer | Granger, IN | 18.281 |
28 | 51 | Max McDonald | Mission, TX | 18.867 |
29 | 1 | Ryan Amonett | New Castle, IN | 18.461 |
30 | 39 | Johnny Walker | Pasadena, TX | 18.544 |
31 | 5 | Logan Boyett | Pensascla, FL | 18.435 |
32 | 0 | Jordan Key | Jasper, AL | 18.389 |
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