Every season, Late Model drivers from across the country make their way to Florida during the months of November and December to compete in some of the biggest short-track races in the United States. One of those events is the Florida Governor’s Cup at New Smyrna Speedway.
The Florida Governor’s Cup has been held annually since 1965 at a variety of tracks. Serving as a prelude to the annual running of the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, the Florida Governor’s Cup typically attracts a strong contingent of competitors looking to get some extra laps in advance of the biggest Super Late Model event of the season.
The list of Governor’s Cup winners consists of some of history’s greatest asphalt short-track competitors. Among them are Wayne Reutimann, uncle to NASCAR Cup Series winner David Reutimann, Gary Balough, Ed Howe, Dick Trickle, Mike Eddy, Butch Miller, Bobby Gill, Pete Orr, David Rogers, Erik Jones, Ty Majeski, Augie Grill, Bubba Pollard, Sammy Smith and the most recent winner, Stephen Nasse.
In 2024, several familiar names will invade New Smyrna in pursuit of the trophy. Below is everything you need to know about this year’s Florida Governor’s Cup.
What TV channel is the 2024 Florida Governor’s Cup on?
All the on-track action for the Florida Governor’s Cup at New Smyrna Speedway can be viewed live on FloRacing, the official streaming home for all NASCAR Regional properties.
The event will not be shown on a traditional television network.
Below is the complete schedule for FloRacing‘s coverage of the Florida Governor’s Cup
Date |
Event |
Start time |
How to watch |
Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 |
Florida Governor’s Cup |
7:15 p.m. ET |
|
Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 |
Florida Governor’s Cup |
2 p.m. ET |
Florida Governor’s Cup schedule
On-track activity for this year‘s Florida Governor’s Cup will be split between Saturday, Nov. 9 and Sunday, Nov. 10.
Saturday’s schedule of events is headlined by a 100-lap feature for the Pro Late Model division. Sunday’s action will include the 200-lap Florida Governor’s Cup race for Super Late Models.
Below is the complete schedule (All times ET).
Time |
Event |
10 a.m. |
Pit Gate Opens |
10:30 a.m. |
Late Model Tech (By Appointment) |
12:15 p.m. |
Drivers Meeting |
1 – 1:30 p.m. |
Pro Late Model Practice |
1:35 – 1:55 p.m. |
Modified Practice |
2 – 2:45 p.m. |
Super Late Model Practice |
2:50 – 3:10 p.m. |
Modified Practice |
3:15 – 3:45 p.m. |
Pro Late Model Practice |
3:45 p.m. |
Modified Qualifying Tech |
3:50 – 4:25 p.m. |
Super Late Model Practice |
4 p.m. |
Pro Late Model Tires Released |
4:30 – 4:45 p.m. |
Pro Truck Practice |
4:30 p.m. |
Pro Late Model Qualifying Tech |
4:50 – 5:05 p.m. |
Modified Mini Practice |
5 p.m. |
Super Late Model Tires Released |
5:05 – 5:15 p.m. |
Track Cold |
5:15 p.m. |
Modified Qualifying |
5:30 p.m. |
Super Late Model Qualifying Tech |
5:40 – 5:55 p.m. |
Pro Truck Group Qualifying |
6 p.m. |
Modified Mini Qualifying |
6:15 p.m. |
Pro Late Model Qualifying |
6:45 p.m. |
Opening Ceremonies |
7 p.m. |
Super Late Model Qualifying |
7:30 p.m. |
Pro Late Model Feature (100 Laps) |
Followed by… |
Pro Truck Feature (35 Laps) |
Followed by… |
Modified Feature (75 Laps) |
Followed by… |
Modified Mini Feature (50 Laps) |
Time |
Event |
9 – 10 a.m. |
Haulers Removed From Infield |
10 a.m. |
Pit Gates Open |
10:15 a.m. |
Super Late Model Qualifying Tires Released |
10:30 a.m. |
Drivers Meeting |
10:45 a.m. |
Super Late Model Pre-Race Tech |
11 a.m. |
Church Service |
11:45 a.m. – 12 p.m. |
Sportsman Practice |
12 – 12:15 p.m. |
Track Cold |
12:15 – 12:30 p.m. |
Sportsman Group Qualifying |
12:30 p.m. |
Grid Super Late Models |
12:45 – 1:15 p.m. |
Autograph Session |
1:15 p.m. |
Opening Ceremonies |
1:20 p.m. |
Driver Group Photo |
1:30 p.m. |
Governor’s Cup Driver Intros |
1:40 p.m. |
Prayer & National Anthem |
2 p.m. |
59th Governor’s Cup (200 Laps) |
Followed by… |
Sportsman Feature (35 Laps) |
Race format
The field for Sunday’s 200-lap Florida Governor’s Cup will be set via qualifying Saturday evening; drivers will line up based on the results of that session.
The race is 200 green flag laps. The last five laps must run under green, but not consecutively. Scoring will freeze in the last five laps if necessary. Teams can not lose a lap under yellow in last five laps. If a yellow flag is waved once the leader has taken the white flag, there will be a green/white/checkered restart. The event is completed after a maximum of three green/white/checkered attempts.
New Smyrna Speedway reserves the right to count cautions in certain situations. A mandatory caution will be thrown after 75 consecutive laps up to Lap 190. One pit stop is mandatory during the event.
The event will utilize controlled pit stops up to Lap 190. All cautions will be controlled unless declared a quickie yellow by race control. Teams can only take tires during controlled pit stops unless to replace a flat tire as approved by track officials.
Controlled pit stops will consist of a two-lap grace period. The pace car will pick up the field. The pits are closed until the lineup is established. Once the lineup is established, race control will announce that pit road is open next time and the pit open flagman will show green. Drivers can enter pit road when they get to the entrance.
The two-lap grace period is only the first two laps that pit road is open after cars have been brought to pit road. When pitting under a controlled pit stop, the cars that pit the first time by will return to the track in the same order they were scored running in the race prior to coming to pit road, relative to the other cars that pitted, and will line up behind the cars that did not pit, as long as they return to the track within the stated two-lap window.
Any car that returns to the track after that two-lap window will not get its position back, will start losing laps and must fall to the tail. Any car that pits and does not return to the track prior to the field receiving the one to go signal must restart at the tail of all cars. There will not be a controlled pit stop in the last 10 laps.
Entry list
As of Nov. 6, the entry list for the Super Late Model portion of the Governor’s Cup featured 16 cars.
Headlining that group is Stephen Nasse, the defending Florida Governor’s Cup winner. A native of Pinellas Park, Florida, Nasse last year became the first native Floridian to win the Governor’s Cup since Jeff Choquette won the race in 2018.
Several drivers from across the country are among those entered in the Governor’s Cup. They include Kasey Kleyn, who is from Quincy, Washington. Also entered is ARCA Menards Series East regular Gio Ruggiero. He’ll be part of the stout Donnie Wilson Racing stable during Sunday’s event.
Other notable entries include Gavan Boschele, Brad May, Spencer Davis, Conner Sutton, Michael Atwell and Colby Howard.
Below is the entry list for the 2024 Florida Governor’s Cup.
Car No. |
Driver |
Hometown |
1 |
Kasey Kleyn |
Quincy, Washington |
9 |
Anthony Cataldi |
Umatila, Florida |
9 |
Brad May |
Oviedo, Florida |
10 |
George Gorham Jr. |
Winter Haven, Florida |
17 |
Hudson Bulger |
Perry, Georgia |
22 |
Gio Ruggiero |
Seekonk, Massachusetts |
24 |
Gavan Boschele |
Mooresville, North Carolina |
27 |
Bobby Good |
Lake Mary, Florida |
29 |
Spencer Davis |
Dawsonville, Georgia |
51 |
Stephen Nasse |
Pinellas Park, Florida |
54 |
Conner Sutton |
Pensacola, Florida |
55 |
Michael Atwell |
Naples, Florida |
58 |
John Coffman |
Live Oak, Florida |
58T |
Grant Thompson |
Mobile, Alabama |
81 |
Colby Howard |
Simpsonville, South Carolina |
99 |
Bobby Gordon |
Merritt Island, Florida |