Dylan Cappello Lands Surprise Pole For Snowflake 100

Dylan Cappello en route to the Snowflake 100 pole Saturday at Five Flags Speedway. (Photo Courtesy of Front Row Motorsports)

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Arizona’s Dylan Cappello might be the full-time crew chief for Layne Riggs at Front Row Motorsports these days, but he reminded everyone Saturday afternoon at Five Flags Speedway that he still remembers how to wheel a race car with the best of them.

Cappello grabbed the pole for the Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 in qualifying for the 26th running of the pro late model classic, which serves as the top undercard during Snowball Derby week.

His time of 16.610 seconds (108.368 mph) in the No. 11 Ford was tops among a 46-car field, giving the 28-year-old the best starting spot in the house ahead of his third Snowflake 100 start.

After his previous two Snowflake attempts in 2022 and 2023 yielded 24th-place starting spots, Cappello flipped the script in year three with his first pole in the prestigious event.

“This track takes a really long time to figure out, but when we unloaded here on Sunday (ahead of practice), I really believed that we had a great piece,” said Cappello, who guided Riggs to a pair of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victories this year in his first season as a crew chief.

“We worked on everything from qualifying to race trim, and put a lot of work into it, and it showed there on those two laps,” he added. “I’m really excited for this one. I know I’ve got a lot to learn still at this racetrack, but hopefully we can use most of the 100 laps to learn and then be there at the end.”

Even though his day job doesn’t have the former Lucas Oil Asphalt Modified Series champion behind the wheel, Cappello made sure he was right in the middle of the work going on with his No. 11 throughout the day as he prepared to lock himself into the Snowflake 100.

“This is just so satisfying. I think my dad’s crying back in the trailer,” Cappello said with a smile. “It’s a full family effort for us here and we’re having a blast. I’ve got a lot of guys I used to race with on the West Coast who flew in to help out, and I really just want to go out and perform for everyone who’s put their blood, sweat, and tears into making this happen.”

North Carolina’s Matt Craig will join Cappello on the front row for the Snowflake 100, placing his family-owned No. 54 second with a lap of 16.649 seconds (108.115 mph). He was just .039 seconds off the pole.

Carson Brown lines up third for Anthony Campi Racing alongside Bryson Lopez Racing’s Kaden Honeycutt, who earned his third top-five start in three races so far this week by timing in fourth fastest.

Three-time Snowflake 100 winner Augie Grill closed out the top five starters, followed by Jake Finch, Zack Dixon, Seth Christensen, Cole Williams, and Casey Roderick.

Notables starting in the mid-pack include Spencer Davis (11th), Derek Thorn (14th), Luke Baldwin (16th), Conner Jones (18th), 13-year-old Vito Cancilla (21st), Stephen Nasse (24th), Travis Braden (26th), and Bubba Pollard (28th).

Hudson Bulger was the 30th and final driver to lock into the race on speed, earning the outside of row 15 on a tiebreaker with Dylan Caldwell as the first driver to set the bump time of 16.900 seconds.

“I think I hurt us a little bit, because we went out first and the track definitely cooled off toward the end and had a little bit more grip in it,” Bulger explained. “It was a little bit slick when I went out there, but at least we got in the race. From starting sixth here last year to starting 30th now … I’m just glad I’m not in the last chance race, to be honest.

“I’ve had a fast car all week, but it didn’t handle exactly the way I wanted it to in qualifying,” he continued. “We’ll go out and get all we can. But I was definitely nervous waiting it out, that’s for sure.”

Those who didn’t lock in on speed were relegated to the 50-lap Snowflake Last Chance Qualifier, which rolled off minutes after qualifying had concluded.

Jett Noland started second in that contest, rolled to the top spot on the initial start, and controlled the field from wire to wire in leading the four LCQ transfers into the pro late model nightcap.

Noland finished the LCQ 2.117 seconds ahead of runner-up Sylas Ripley, Anthony Bello, and Brandon Lopez, who also secured Snowflake 100 starting spots through the consolation race.

“All weekend I felt like we’ve had a good race run car; we just haven’t had the raw speed, so I figured we’d be in this position,” Noland noted. “I don’t think we need to be and freer than we are now … and we’ll just be patient and try to work our way forward from deep.”

Jim Wall and George Phillips received provisionals to bring the Snowflake 100 grid to its maximum of 36 cars.

James Patrick, Elliott Massey, Dylan Caldwell, Ryan Phipps, Dylan Courtney, Mamba Smith, Chris Munson, Jeremy Williams, Grant Thompson, and Will Mack were the 10 drivers who failed to make the show.

Saturday night’s Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 is slated for an 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT) green flag, with live streaming coverage of every lap available through FloRacing.