Racers Geared Up To Chase Snowball Derby Victory

Erik Jones picked up his second Snowball Derby victory a 5 Flags Speedway in 2013 after Chase Elliott’s car failed post-race inspection. Photo by Matt Weaver

The highways leading to Pensacola, FL will be lined with racing transporters early this week, as drivers and teams from across the country get head for Five Flags Speedway for an event rich with racing history.

The 47th annual Snowball Derby is set to roll off on Sunday, with a field filled with the best Super Late Model jockeys in the world lined up to fight for one of the most coveted prizes in short track racing, the Tom Dawson Trophy, which goes to the winner of the 300 lap grind.

Over the last 47 years, the Snowball Derby has come to mean as much to short track racers as the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 combined. The race draws not only short track talent, but NASCAR drivers from the top three National touring series, all of whom want to have the chance to stand in Victory Lane.

Wayne Niedecken scored the win in the first Snowball back in 1968. From there, the names of the winners read like a who’s who of American short track racing. Georgia Racing Hall of Famers Pete Hamilton, Ronnie Sanders, Jody Ridley and Freddy Fryar are on that list, along with NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip, Donnie Allison, Gary Balough, Butch Lindley, Rich Bickle and Kyle Busch are just a few of the big names to land in victory lane over the years.

Last year, it looked like Dawsonville, GA’s Chase Elliott would write another page of Snowball Derby history, as he was flagged the winner for what looked to be his second win in the event, having won previously in 2011.

But Elliott’s winning car was disqualified in post-race technical inspection, found with an unapproved weight. That handed the victory to Erik Jones, giving him back-to-back Derby victories. The win made him only the third driver to score consecutive victories, as he joined Bickle (1990-91 and 1998-99) and Augie Grill (2008-09) on an exclusive list.

This year’s Snowball Derby entry list reads like a who’s who of American short track stock car racing, with drivers from as far away as California and Canada looking to make the field.

The list is topped by Elliott, who just wrapped up the NASCAR Nationwide championship in his rookie year, who will be looking to avenge last year’s disqualification, while Jones will come in looking to become the first driver to win three Derbies in a row. World Crown 300 winner Casey Roderick of Lawrenceville, GA will also be looking to add another short track major victory to his resume.

Other notable entries include Daniel Hemric, John Hunter Nemechek, Kyle Benjamin, Johnny VanDoorn, Johanna Long, Stephen Nasse, T.J. Reaid, Brian Hoar, Kyle Grissom, Ross Kenseth, Anderson Bowen, Preston Peltier, Harrison Burton, Spencer Davis, Augie Grill, Mike Garvey and Corey LaJoie, to name just a few.

Chase Elliott celebrates in victory lane after winning last year’s Snowflake 100 at 5 Flags Speedway. Photo courtesy Chase Elliott/Facebook

Also on tap for the big racing weekend is a race that has become almost as big a “must win” for many drivers, the Allen Turner Snowflake 100, which pits the top Pro Late Model pilots in a 100 lap battle the night before the Snowball Derby.

Last year, Chase Elliott wrote another page of short track racing history by becoming the first three time winner of the event, which dates back to 1986. Elliott held off another second generation racer, John Hunter Nemechek, for the win.

Just as with the Derby, the Snowflake boasts a strong entry list going into the race weekend. That includes several drivers who are looking to try to become the first ever to win both the Pro Late Model and Super Late Model features on the same weekend, including Bubba Pollard, Augie Grill, Johanna Long, Harrison Burton, Spencer Davis, Anderson Bowen, and John Hunter Nemechek.

Other notable entries include Russell Fleeman, Wayne Niedecken, Mason Mingus, Lee Langford, Christopher Bell, Dwayne Buggay, Justin south, Chad Finley, Dillon Oliver, Dalton Grindle, Riley Thornton, Korey Ruble, R.S. Senter, Brad May and Willie Allen.

Snowball Derby week kicks off on Wednesday with the parking of the rigs, along with the qualifying order draw and an autograph session. On track action begins at 10 am Thursday, with Snowball and Snowflake practice. The first race action of the week takes place on Thursday as well, with the local Bomber and Sportsman divisions.

Friday brings pole qualifying for the Snowball Derby, along with racing from the local Super Stocks and Modified divisions.

Saturday includes the last chance races for both the Snowball Derby and the Snowflake, with the top four finishers in each transferring to their respective features. The local Pro Truck division will also be in action before the Pro Late Models take center stage for their 100 lap event.

That all leads up to Sunday, and the 300 lap Super Late Model Snowball Derby feature.
For more information, visit 5FlagsSpeedway.com.

Five Flags Speedway – Pensacola, FL
47th annual Snowball Derby / Snowflake 100

Snowball Derby Entry List
Jerry Artuso – Sault Ste Marie, ON
Kyle Benjamin – Easley, SC
Anderson Bowen – Suwanee, GA
Logan Boyett – Pensacola, FL
Travis Braden – Wheeling, WV
Josh Bragg – Helena, MS
Kyle Bryant – Navarre, FL
Dwayne Buggay – Canton, GA
Harrison Burton – Huntersville, NC
Jeff Choquette – West Palm Beach, FL
Bayley Currey – Driftwood, TX
Spencer Davis – Dawsonville, GA
Gus Dean – Bluffton, SC
Steve Dorer – Lakeland, FL
Chase Elliott – Dawsonville, GA
Scotty Ellis – Forsyth, GA
Grant Enfinger – Huntersville, NC
Chad Finley – Dewitt, MI
Chris Fontaine – Lakeland, FL
Spencer Gallagher – Charlotte, NC
Mike Garvey – Pensacola, FL
Augie Grill – Hayden, AL
Jacob Gomes – Manteca, CA
Kyle Grissom – Concord, NC
Will Gallaher – Santa Rosa, CA
Derrick Griffin – Indianapolis, IN
J.J. Haley – Winamac, IN
Zak Hausler – Tomball, TX
Daniel Hemric – Kannapolis, NC
Brian Hoar – Williston, VT
Clay Jones – Goldsboro, NC
Erik Jones – Byron, MI
Garrett Jones – Mooresville, NC
Ross Kenseth – Jenison, MI
Allen Karnes – Sharpsburg, GA
Ben Kennedy – Daytona Beach, FL
Mark Kraus – Stratford, WI
Corey LaJoie – Cornelius, NC
Johanna Long – Pensacola, FL
Ty Majeski – Seymour, WI
Tim Martin – Amite, LA
Mason Mingus – Brentwood, TN
Stephen Nasse – Pinellas Park, FL
John Hunter Nemechek – Mooresville, NC
Jeremy Pate – Pensacola, FL
Preston Peltier – Concord, NC
Kyle Plott – Marietta, GA
Bubba Pollard – Senoia, GA
Charles Price – Ontario, CA
Dennis Prunty – Knowles, WI
T.J. Reaid – Acworth, GA
Roger Reuse – Birmingham, AL
Hunter Robbins – Shorter, AL
Casey Roderick – Lawrenceville, GA
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Dalton Sargeant – Boca Raton, FL
Dennis Schoenfeld – Van Buren, AR
Paul Shafer, Jr. – Portage, IN
Jordan Sims – Sault Ste Marie, ON
Casey Smith – Austin, TX
Austin Theriault – Fort Kent, ME
Derek Thorn – Bakersfield, CA
Cole Timm – Mooresville, NC
Rick Turner – Yorktown, IN
D.J. Vanderley – Mobile, AL
Johnny VanDoorn – Coopersville, MI
Donnie Wilson – Oklahoma City, OK

Snowflake 100 Entry List
Caleb Adrian – Walcott, IA
Willie Allen – Nashville, TN
Cole Anderson – Northfield, MN
Hunter Baize – Bremen, KY
Christopher Bell – Norman, OK
Larry Blount – Orange Park, FL
JR Bolden – Calera, AL
Anderson Bowen – Suwanee, GA
Dana Bowers – Medford, OR
Josh Bragg – Helena, MS
Dwayne Buggay – Canton, GA
Harrison Burton – Huntersville, NC
William Byron – Charlotte, NC
Stacey Crain – Brentwood, TN
Rick Crawford – Theodore, AL
Kyle Crump – Brighton, MI
Bayley Currey – Driftwood, TX
Spencer Davis – Dawsonville, GA
Chris Dilbeck – Charlotte, NC
Corey Deuser – Lanesville, IN
Steve Dorer – Lakeland, FL
Chad Finley – Dewitt, MI
Russell Fleeman – Dacula, GA
Augie Grill – Hayden, AL
Dalton Grindle – Flowery Branch, GA
Kurt Guillot – Escatawpa, MS
Scooter Grice – Pensacola, FL
J.J. Haley – Winamac, IN
Brayton Hawes – Youngsville, NC
Bret Holmes – Munford, AL
Kyle Ivey – Nashville, TN
Kurt Jett – Middleburg, FL
Garrett Jones – Mooresville, NC
Ben Kennedy – Daytona Beach, FL
Bobby Knox, Jr. – Clanton, AL
Zachary Knowles – Houston, TX
Dan Leeck – Birch Run, MI
Lee Langford – Commerce, GA
Johanna Long – Pensacola, FL
Ryan Luza – Cypress, TX
Elliott Massey – Lucedale, MS
Brad May – Oviedo, FL
Jordon McCallum – Macon, GA
Trever McCoy – Caledonia, MI
Mason Mingus – Brentwood, TN
Jake Moore – Mobile, AL
Brandon Morris – Mulberry, FL
Travis Nelson – Hurley, MS
John Hunter Nemechek – Mooresville, NC
Wayne Niedecken – Milton, FL
Dillion Oliver – Bowling Green, KY
Ronnie Osmer – Pearl River, LA
Perry Patino – Mongtomery, AL
Bubba Pollard – Senoia, GA
Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. – Hudsonville, NH
Rick Pollaro – Canyon Lake, TX
Grant Quinlan – Harrison, MI
Bobby Reuse – Hoover, AL
John Robicheaux – Gulfport, MS
Corey Roper – Baytown, TX
Cole Rouse – Fort Smith, AK
Korey Ruble – Headland, AL
Rusty Sanford – Seminary, MS
J.T. Schild – Waller, TX
Derek Scott, Jr. – Franklin, TX
R.S. Senter – Oakwood, GA
Dustin Mitchell Smith – Mobile, AL
Jared Smith – Stanford, KY
Justin South – Leeds, AL
Hunter Spivey – Decatur, AL
Justin Steiner – Houston, TX
Kevyn Terry – Citra, FL
Riley Thornton – Peachtree City, GA
Chuck Tuck – Athens, AL
Justin Wakefield – Adairsville, GA
Dominique Van Wieringen – Charlotte, NC
Brennon Willard – Lebanon, MO
Cole Williams – Sellersburg, IN
Dylon Wilson – Taylorsville, NC