PENSACOLA, Fla.: With the hopes of ending his 2024 racing campaign by hoisting the coveted Tom Dawson trophy in the highly anticipated 57th annual Snowball Derby, an independent race considered by many as the most prestigious Super Late Model race because of its all-star nature, Canadian standout Treyten Lapcevich will have to wait another year to make that dream a reality after suffering a mechanical issue Sunday afternoon at Five Flags (Fla.) Speedway.
Before the mechanical failure, Lapcevich embraced a solid start to his second appearance in the Snowball Derby. Through the week leading into the high-pressure qualifying session on Friday night, his No. 32 Evirum | Allrem Racing Ford Mustang showcased speed with competitive lap times in the several practice efforts leading up to the two-lap time trials run.
Lapcevich easily qualified for the 57th annual Snowball Derby after delivering the 13th fastest lap for his family-owned Fastline Motorsports team. With his strong performance locked into the race, Lapcevich could concentrate on the final practice session on Saturday for final adjustments before focusing on the 300-lap feature on Sunday afternoon.
From the drop of the green flag, Lapcevich tried to throttle forward. Still, while many expected the track to be soaked in sunshine, Mother Nature threw a curveball at the competitors and instead blanketed the track in cloud cover, which affected the handling of many race cars, including Lapcevich.
Despite Lapcevich’s struggle to get the grip he needed to accelerate off the corners, the zMAX CARS Tour winner found himself slipping through the field. However, his team’s unwavering support and commitment to combat his handling woes provided him with reassurance.
The opportunity to adjust the handling of the No. 32 Evirum | Allrem Racing Ford Mustang came before Lap 100 with a routine pit stop that included tires, fuel, and a significant chassis adjustment.
On the restart, Lapcevich was on the move with the speed back in his race car and began charging through the field, attempting to make up the ground lost early in the race.
The former NASCAR Canada Series champion fought back to his initial starting position of 13th when smoke poured out of the tailpipes before a brief fire erupted as Lapcevich’s car rested in Turn 2.
The dejected driver climbed from his race car visibly frustrated. The engine failure left the 20-year-old with a disappointing 28th-place finish after just 115 of 300 laps completed.
“Unfortunately, we had to end our season this way,” said Lapcevich. “I cannot begin to thank my family-owned team enough for their hard work. We didn’t have the balance we needed at the start of the race, but we knew what we needed to do to get back on track.”
“Luckily, that opportunity came, and we were able to make the necessary adjustments and make the climb back through the field before the engine let go. It’s a major bummer, but we’ll be back, and hopefully, the third time’s a charm next December.”
Treyten Lapcevich and brother Cayden Lapcevich were two pairs of brother siblings who participated in Sunday’s Snowball Derby alongside Caden and Carson Kvapil.
Unfortunately, the older brother also suffered hardship in the historic Super Late Model, even after being collected in a multi-car restart accident on Lap 83. This resulted in a dejecting 35th-place finish for the elder Lapcevich.
Treyten Lapcevich’s plans for the 2025 racing season will be announced in due course.
For more on Treyten Lapcevich, like him on Facebook (treyten.lapcevich) and follow him on Instagram (@treytenlapcevich) and X | Twitter (@TreytenL).
About Allrem Sports and Entertainment:
Allrem Sports & Entertainment, a company of Allrem group of companies, is the powerhouse behind all sports and entertainment endeavors within the Allrem group of companies, with a strategic focus on ensuring optimal business development, brand awareness, and marketing opportunities for the entire Allrem group of companies and its partners.
Through the collective power of its diverse subsidiaries (Allrem Racing, BKFC, Les Pétroliers de Laval), Allrem Sports & Entertainment delivers unparalleled value to its sponsors and the Allrem group of companies. We provide our partners with business development opportunities, corporate hospitality programs, targeted brand awareness initiatives and innovative sponsorship activations. We ensure that all our partners receive maximum exposure and tangible returns on their investment to meet their objectives.
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About Evirum:
Evirum, part of the Allrem group of companies, is a Canadian residual materials management brokerage offering eco-responsible solutions across North America to minimize environmental impact and promote recycling and other innovative practices. Evirum is committed to providing companies, events and industries with the best sustainable practices and services.
Learn more at evirum.com
About BKFC:
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), the World’s Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion, in which Allrem is a shareholder, is the first entity sanctioned to hold regulated bare-knuckle events in the United States since 1889. BKFC is based in Philadelphia (PA) and headed by President and Founder David Feldman.
Learn more at bkfc.com