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Cole Butcher Wins ASA 200

Butcher Slices Up ASA STARS, Wins 2nd Straight Sunshine State 200 to Cap Opening Weekend at 5 Flags

By Chuck Corder
5flagsspeedway.com reporter

The only thing missing for Cole Butcher on Sunday were a few very important people to celebrate with.
The 28-year-old Late Model driver hails from Porters Lake, Nova Scotia, along the Eastern Shore of Canada. Unfortunately, that means wife, Amber, and their family can’t always make the long trips his career takes him to far-off places like Pensacola.

They missed one heck of a run. Butcher dominated the last 120 laps of the Appalachian Sucker Punch ASA STARS National Tour Sunshine State 200 on Sunday afternoon at Five Flags Speedway. He successfully defended his Sunshine State 200 win from a year ago and continues his recent success at Pensacola’s high banks.

“I just wish my wife and kids were here,” an emotional Butcher said in Victory Lane after 207 official laps after a late caution set up a green-white-checkered finish. “It feels good to be back. That was a butt-kicking.
“I can’t thank Wilson Motorsports enough. Yesterday we struggled in practice, but they found the issue and here we are again.”
It certainly was. Butcher led every lap except two from Lap 80 to the checkered flag. Matt Craig, who finished third, momentarily led Lap Nos. 154 and 155 following a restart. Butcher fought back and reclaimed the lead for good, passing Craig on the inside on Lap 156.

Jake Garcia finished runner-up, getting by Craig with 13 laps left.
“We had a pretty good car,” Craig said. “We struggled to run good the whole race the last couple of years. Today was a good improvement.
“We were better in the long run. I knew we needed to be freer to get more speed, but I think we were too free for that last run.”
Garcia didn’t have his best qualifying performance, but the past champion of both the Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series and Allen Turner Pro Late Model Series didn’t let his 17th starting spot deter him.
Garcia picked off drivers one-by-one until he found himself inside the top-five at Lap 153. His car maintained its strength to the end, clipping Gavin Boschele for third on Lap 184 and Craig a few laps later.
“The last few races have been really good,” Garcia said. “When we do race, we make it count and learn a lot each time. Hopefully, throughout the year that gets us a couple of wins.”

Steven Nasse was another hard charger. He has admitted in the past that qualifying struggles don’t bother him. It was true again Sunday, as he had to climb from his 21st starting spot to finish fourth.
Butcher started third to pole sitter Carson Brown, the 16-year-old who controlled the early tempo despite Craig and Butcher applying pressure. The 16-year-old maintained his lead after two early cautions and was in the wind until the first stage break arrived.

With the entire field under a controlled caution, Brown missed his initial chance and pitted out of sequence. Race officials sent the teenager to the back of the pack where Brown’s No. 81 went south. He was out of the race just past halfway.
Butcher took over and made few missteps the rest of the way. Any error briefly yielding the lead to Craig was rectified in a matter of moments.
“I started to play it back. There were a couple times last year when I lost a couple of those,” Butcher said. “This time I made sure to stay cool, calm and collected.”

Finish:

1 28 Cole Butcher, Porters Lake, NS, Canada
2 35 Jake Garcia, Eatonton, GA
3 54 Matt Craig, Mt. Pleasant, NC
4 51 Stephen Nasse, Pinellas Park, FL
5 18 Colby Howard, Simpson, NC
6 24 Gavan Boschele, Mooresville, NC
7 30 Kyle Steckly, Milvernton, ONT, Canada
8 21 Kaden Honeycutt, Huntersville, NC
9 26 Bubba Pollad, Senoia, GA
10 51 Jake Finch, Lynn Haven, FL
11 26 Dawson Sutton, Lebanon, TN
12 96 Derek Thorn, Bakersfield, CA
13 22 George Phillips, Charlotte, NC
14 14 Connor Okrzesik, Grand Bay, AL
15 7 Jackson Boone, Franklin, TN
16 14 Austin Nason, Roscoe, IL
17 14 Chase Pinsonneault, Belle River, ONT, Canada
18 44 Connor Jones, Frederickburg, VA
19 16 Jacob Gomes, Manteca, CA
20 9 Derek Kraus, Stratford, WI
21 112 Dustin Smith, Mobile, AL
22 5 Johnny Sauter, Deforest, WI
23 8 Nicholas Naugle, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
24 96 Spencer Davis, Statesville, NC
25 22 Buddy Sheperd, Bakersfield, CA
26 81 Carson Brown, New London, NC
27 1 Kasey Klein, Quincy, WA
28 36 Ty Fredrickson, Webster, MN

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