Two months removed from being tabbed full-time for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season by Niece Motorsports, Kaden Honeycutt won the biggest race of his career at the 57th Annual Snowball Derby.

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The reigning CARS Tour Pro Late Model champion led most of his 91 total laps up front in the middle stages of the race, but it would take passing two-time Derby winner Ty Majeski with 18 laps left to take the lead for good after restarting third just three laps prior.  

A last-ditch effort from Saturday night’s Snowflake 100 winner Stephen Nasse in turns three and four would prove to be not enough, as Honeycutt took the checkered flag in what was the longest green flag run to the finish since 2017. 

“I’ve never won a Super Late Model race before today.  I threw up a little bit but it was from me being excited, not being worn out,” Honeycutt said in victory lane.  “Unbelievable, I can’t believe it.”

“I basically did a burnout from all the way off four to the checkered to make sure I got it.  Stephen had an opportunity to do something historic and go back-to-back after last night and I appreciate him racing me clean.  Not many guys do that for the win nowadays.”

VIDEO: Jump on board as Kaden Honeycutt, Stephen Nasse and Ty Majeski battle for the Snowball Derby win. 

Despite a deep history of Texas racers making the trip to the Gulf Coast and racing at Five Flags Speedway on a local level, Honeycutt is the first driver from the Lone Star State to win the Snowball Derby.  In addition, he is just the fifth driver from west of the Mississippi River to win the Derby, following Freddy Fryar, Kyle Busch, Noah Gragson and Derek Thorn.

The win hands Larry Blount Motorsports and partner Jett Motorsports their first Snowball Derby wins.  The team scaled their Super Late Model program back in 2024, sticking to a handful of races in the state of Florida with multiple drivers.

Honeycutt obtained the ride in part due to the help of the late Jeff Sandlin, a technical salesman for Strange Oval and major asset to the Jett Motorsports program, who passed away earlier this year.  The Snowball Derby win was dedicated to him.

“It’s unbelievable, especially when they want to prove a point that their stuff’s good.  It for damn sure is good.  Pat (Jett) and Larry (Blount) gave me an opportunity that I certainly couldn’t pass up.  I love running for Pat, he’s done a lot for me in my career and where I’m at right now.  I appreciate those two and hopefully we can do more in the future, maybe come back next year and go back-to-back.  It might be a little team but they know how to get it done, they’ve had a lot of trophies on their fridge in the shop.”

“It means more than just me winning.  This one’s for Jeff Sandlin.  He worked so damn hard for me to race for Pat and Larry (Blount) and this is the year we got it done.  Unfortunately he passed away and wasn’t able to be here, but he was watching from a better place.”

Stephen Nasse nearly replicated his performance from the Snowflake 100 Saturday night, driving from the 30th starting spot to coming within a corner of winning his first Snowball Derby.  The former Southern Super Series champion passed Majeski for second with nine to go and nearly erased a 1.3 second lead in his attempts to reel in Honeycutt.  

The Florida native drove for Jett Motorsports for several years, winning the All American 400 and two Winchester 400’s along with two Southern Super Series championships.  Nasse and Jett Motorsports also crossed the finish line first at the 2019 Derby before getting disqualified in post-race tech.

“This might even hurt worse than getting disqualified, I was so close,” Nasse said.  “It couldn’t have happened to a better group of guys.  They work so hard, Pat Jett, Larry Blount, Kaden Honeycutt, he’s a great driver and a great guy.  I’m super proud of those guys because we lost a great guy, Jeff Sandlin and I know how close they all were.  They have his family over there with them.  It’s tough but second place ain’t bad at the Snowball and we’ll go on to next year.”

“The No. 08 (Jace Hansen) jacked me up going into one out of nowhere and ruined our chances.  That let those guys get ahead of me and I couldn’t catch back up.  Hats off to them, I appreciate him and Ty (Majeski) running me clean.  I love putting on a show and passing racecars, 30th to second ain’t bad.”

Ty Majeski’s quest for a third Snowball Derby triumph ended with a third-place finish after leading a race-high 191 laps.  The 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion found himself in the catbird seat for the final restart on lap 279, but fell to third by the finish after struggling with short run speed all weekend.

“We were probably a little bit off on the short run all weekend, I know we sat on the pole but a little bit different conditions Friday night,” Majeski said.  “In race trim we didn’t see that raw speed and I kind of felt it all weekend.  The Snowball’s an interesting race because it’s always long run, long run, long run and then it comes down to a 20 lap shootout.  You have to have a good long run car to stay in the game, then have a good short run car or the right adjustments for a short run.  Kaden was a little bit better on the short run and that’s what it came down to today.

“I love having the opportunity to race in Snowball Derbies.  Like I always say, you can never be fast enough to win this thing.”

Jace Hansen and William Sawalich both earned career-best Snowball Derby finishes to round out the top-five.  Nasse claimed the Bobby Gill Hard Charger Award for his 30th to second run.