This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It turns out that SONIC restaurant carhop Nate Snow-Cornelius has the best moves of them all.
The Taylorsville roller skater this week was crowned the winner of the SONIC Skate-Off, a competition where carhops competed for the title of America's No. 1 carhop.
Snow-Cornelius, who is already a two-time national champions in jam skating (a mixture of dances, mostly breakdancing, on wheels), didn't start skating until 2009.
The 2011 Jordan High School graduate traveled to SONIC's world headquarters in Oklahoma City last month , all expenses paid, to represent "America's Drive-in" in American Fork in the Dr. Pepper/RC Sports SONIC Skate-Off. Snow-Cornelius showed off his carhopping skills in an obstacle course and flashed his signature footwork and flair in a freestyle competition, all for a chance at the gold medal, $1,500 cash and bragging rights as the best skating carhop in America. As a finalist, he'll also receive a pair of skates worth $1,000.
But he had to wait three weeks to find out if he won. He received the good news this week, when he was named the winner at SONIC's national convention in San Antonio. Snow-Cornelius and other finalists were on hand to perform.
In the video Snow-Cornelius submitted to enter the contest — chosen from more than 300 sent by SONIC carhops from across the country —he smiled while careening through cones, spinning food trays and busting "windmills" — one of his biggest breakdance moves, but difficult to do on rough, unforgiving pavement.
Snow-Cornelius previously told The Salt Lake Tribune that he skates to have fun.
"My whole routine is all about having fun," he said, "fun and games...When it comes to competition, my personality comes out, especially in my smile." —