The Rattler 250 may have the most frightening prize in the history of Super Late Model racing.
The winner of the Southern Super Series’ season-opening race on Sunday will earn a trophy that contains a coiled replica of a rattlesnake and will also get to pose with the real thing in Victory Lane at South Alabama Speedway.
The tradition dates back to the inception of the race nearly 40 years ago as a sister event to the City of Opp Rattlesnake Rodeo. Both events had snake handlers, beauty queens and of course … the snake itself.
The tradition was expanded in 2005 when Jason Hogan won the first snake head trophy for his Rattler 250 triumph. That design has since been expanded from a snake head in a glass case to an entire coiled up snake.
Combined with the winner having to pose with the Real McCoy over his shoulders in Victory Lane, second place might be the real winner on Sunday.
“The best snake is a dead snake,” Ross Kenseth said in his trademark dry deadpan. “Winning the Rattler would be a huge accomplishment. I want to win this race so I don’t know how I would respond.”
Defending Southern Super Series champion Bubba Pollard won the race back in 2012 and didn’t pose with the snake then. If he wins his second Rattler on Sunday, he’s not going to change his celebration approach this time around.
“You might see a little less hesitation coming out of Turn 4 if the snake was lined across the start-finish line,” Pollard said with a laugh. “But seriously though, I can’t stand snakes. If they want it in the picture with me, they’re going to have to stage me on one side of the car and it on the other.”
Casey Roderick won the race last year and was noticeably hesitant when the bearded handler, a gentleman that could have easily been a stand-in for a Duck Dynasty cast member, placed the shaking serpent over his shoulders.
With that said, he wouldn’t mind having to go through it again.
“You could probably tell in some of those pictures that I was a little bit weary having the snake a couple inches from my head,” Roderick told Speed 51. “It wasn’t too bad. It was just when they got it up close and the thing started rattling a little bit.
“But shoot I wouldn’t mind it again. That means we’re in victory lane so I’d do it again.”
Friday is the practice day for the Southern Super Series Super Late Models while qualifying and the Pro Late Model Baby Rattler is scheduled for Saturday night. The Rattler 250 itself is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT on Sunday afternoon.
