“Just running over us”: Noah Gragson blasts “dip-dop” William Sawalich at the Snowball Derby event

Noah Gragson took a shot at William Sawalich after a practice session for the 2024 Snowball Derby. Gragson blasted Sawalich for sending him down in turn 1 at Five Flags Speedway, calling the young driver a "dip-dop."

Gragson is a NASCAR Cup Series driver who will be joining Front Row Motorsports next year. Ahead of the 2025 season, the 26-year-old driver entered a super late model race in Florida where he had an incident with Sawalich during practice.

Speaking with FloRacing via X (formerly Twitter), Gragson shared what happened between him and William Sawalich at Five Flags Speedway.

"I guess he's on a mock run. I'm on a race run. I'm already on the racetrack," Noah Gragson said. [1:11]

The Las Vegas native pointed out that his 18-year-old fellow competitor joined the racetrack improperly.

"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. Normally you blend up down the back straightaway. That pissed me off. And then he’s tucked up behind me on a mock run, which doesn’t make any sense. Then he picks us up and sends us down in turn 1. Just, it’s unnecessary, but you just can’t fix stupid.”

Later in the post-session interview, Gragson, who drives the No. 30 super late model car, called Sawalich a dip-dop.

"I've been feeling bad [sick], and then, like I said, the dip-dop in the 62 [William Sawalich] don't make it any better," Gragson concluded. [2:23]

The two will return to Five Flags Speedway in Florida on Friday for the Snowball Derby qualifying session. The 57th Annual Snowball Derby will be held on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EST for 300 laps of super late model racing.

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Noah Gragson responds to critics of his 2018 Snowball Derby win

While Noah Gragson looks to win his second Snowball Derby this weekend, some still criticize his first one in 2018. Gragson didn't mind the critics and just focused on winning the race, which the 26-year-old described as bigger than the Daytona 500.

The issue stemmed from an engine teardown at an independent dyno where the engine manufacturer reduced the horsepower prior to testing. However, Gragson passed the post-race technical inspection during the 2018 Snowball Derby.

The Front Row Motorsports-bound driver shared (via Short Track Scene):

"I couldn’t give a s**t about what they would say [...] I mean, how many names have been put on this trophy? Not many. My name is on one. I am fortunate and grateful to have won this race and am excited to come back.

Noah Gragson added:

“I want to win a second one just because this is the biggest race I run every year. This is bigger than the Daytona 500 to me. That’s just how much this race means to me.”

Noah Gragson celebrating his Snowball Derby win in 2018 - Source: Imagn

As mentioned, the 57th Annual Snowball Derby is happening on December 8. Meanwhile, the Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 16 next year, with Gragson's racing number at FRM yet to be announced.