Richard Childress’ Prodigy Publicly Warns JGR Star Against ‘Stoking’ Noah Gragson’s Fire in 5-Words

The Snowball Derby is in full swing, and it’s heating up fast—of course, it would! After all, not only is the legendary Tom Dawson Trophy up for grabs, but there’s also a sweet $50,000 cash prize. It’s no wonder things get intense every year. Who could forget last year when Bubba Pollard and Stephen Nasse went head-to-head, trading paint in a dramatic battle for the win? The two eventually wrecked, leaving Ty Majeski to take home the big prize!

But this year’s heat hasn’t even reached the main event yet—it kicked off early, even during practice. The 2018 Snowball Derby winner, Noah Gragson, hasn’t had the best season so far, in the practice sessions, he finished 13th and 24th. While he admitted that his car wasn’t quite where it needed to be, he wasn’t blaming it all on himself. And, true to his fiery nature, Gragson was not happy with what went down on the track. Now, a third driver is weighing in, warning the culprit to stay clear of Gragson’s temper!

Jesse Love shares his two cents on the tussle

So here’s the scoop: during the second practice session, Noah Gragson was ahead of William Sawalich when the two-time ARCA Menards East Champion moved Gragson off the bottom of the track. Gragson wasn’t having it. He shared his side of the story, saying, “I guess he’s on a mock run. I’m on a race run, I’m already on the racetrack. He blends up right in front of me. I’m going through 1 and 2, he’s blended on the racetrack. He blends up in the middle of 1 and 2, has his right sides over the line…Then he picks us up and sends us down in Turn 1. Just, it’s unnecessary, but you just can’t fix stupid.”

However, as reported by Floracing, Sawalich didn’t think it was a big deal. He argued that it was just a practice run—not a qualifying run—and that he had no other place to blend in. All he said, was, “It was just a little bit of get together, disagreements. Really just focused on today.” And to back up his side of things, he even posted footage from his in-car camera on X with the caption, “Pretty sure I was under the line.” But that seems to have made things worse, Noah isn’t buying it, and neither are fans and now even Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love has joined in to tell Sawalich to not further elevate the matter.

Jesse Love isn’t part of the Snowball Derby but wanted a say in the matter, he took it to X to reply to Sawalich’s post with the caption, “I wouldn’t stoke that fire.”

Well, technically Love is right, we know Noah Gragson can be aggressive on and off the track. Who can forget the Kansas race where he grabbed Ross Chastain’s collar on the pit road, cursing him and getting punched in the face? And as Gragson was about to swing one back at Chastain, officials jumped in to stop it from escalating.

Fortunately, Gragson kept his cool when he and Sawalich talked after the practice sessions. But who knows? Things could get pretty dramatic in the main event on Sunday. Gragson could be looking for a little payback, and that’s not something Sawalich wants to deal with. After all, Sawalich is starting in P3 and has a real shot at winning the race. Gragson, on the other hand, is back in P28, but he’s the 2018 winner, and he’s up against the 18-year-old rookie in what’s sure to be a thrilling short-track showdown.

Post the incident he had lashed out at Sawalich, he said, “It’s Thursday at the Snowball Derby, it’s a long week, and the dip dot and the 62 just running over us. We’ve been working really hard in this race car, the No. 30, but we’re not quite where we need to be yet… got a little bit to go. Man, like I said, it’s a long week down here – there’s a lot of practice. To be (expletive) me off in the first practice, you know, twerks me up.”

And well, Gragson isn’t upset for no reason, the Snowball Derby means a lot more to him than most.

Trending

1

Stars Finally Align for Richard Petty’s Iconic $14.1 Billion Manufacturer to Make Their Return to NASCAR

2

Richard Childress’ Grandson Sends Final Warning to Roger Penske’s Star Amid NASCAR’s Silence on $100,000 Loss

3

Three Years After NASCAR Exit, Kurt Busch Announces 7-Word Devastation as He Eyes Cup Series Return

4

Samantha Busch Shows Her Real Self to the World as She Boldly Flaunts Her “Curly-ish Hair”

5

‘Frustrated’ Joey Logano Receives Apology After Calling Out Ford Ally’s Move Openly

What does Snowball Derby mean to Noah Gragson?

This race is personal for Gragson. He’s been a regular at the Snowball Derby for years, and it’s got a special place in his heart. “It’s just a special week to me. Everyone here is family to me and it means more to race with family. I spent a lot of time early in my career wanting to beat Bubba Pollard and Derek Thorn. I think Bubba Pollard is one of the best race car drivers of his generation and he doesn’t have a Tom Dawson Trophy yet. A lot goes into this week and I just have a lot of respect for this kind of racing.”

For Gragson, the Snowball Derby is more than just a race—it’s a chance to reconnect with old friends from the Late Model Racing world. “They’re just all really good friends. Like, this is the only Super race I will have run this year and so I haven’t seen everyone in a while. These are all old friends. I first started running this race in like 2015 and didn’t know anyone here but they all took me in,” he said.

What makes the Derby even more exciting for Gragson is the challenge. The 300-lap race features drivers from all kinds of disciplines, making it one of the toughest contests around. “There are a lot of talented drivers and teams here,” Gragson said. “You have to be perfect to win, and that’s why I feel so strongly about this race.”

Gragson’s big goal? To become a two-time winner and join the ranks of NASCAR stars like Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott, who have also won the Derby twice. So, what do you think? Does Noah Gragson have a shot at winning the Snowball Derby again this year? Or will defending champion Ty Majeski, who’s starting from pole, take home the trophy once again? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!