Snowball Derby
Annual stock car race From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Snowball Derby presented by Bayou Fox Hooters is a 300-lap super late model stock car race held annually at the Five Flags Speedway, a half-mile paved oval track in Pensacola, Florida, United States. The race has been contested every year since 1968 and is typically run on the first Sunday in December, although in some years it has been run on the second Sunday.
| Venue | Five Flags Speedway |
|---|---|
| Location | Pensacola, Florida |
| First race | 1968 |
| Distance | 150 Miles |
| Laps | 300 |
| Most wins (driver) | Rich Bickle (5) |
| Circuit information | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
The Snowball Derby has a reputation for attracting some of the bigger names in short track racing, including top series NASCAR drivers (when not in conflict with their year-end banquet) because it is run after most tracks and touring series have concluded their season. For example, the 2009 event was won by NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, and also featured Steve Wallace, Bobby Gill, Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth's son Ross Kenseth, David Stremme, and Cale Gale.[1] As a result, in 2017, NASCAR moved the Cup Series prizegiving banquet to the Thursday instead of Friday, as in years past, in order to allow drivers to participate in the Snowball Derby.
Because of the "all-star" nature of the race, the Snowball Derby is considered by many to be the most prestigious race in super late model racing.[2] Though most drivers entering the race are from nearby states, some drivers travel across the United States to compete, mainly because of the posted awards and super late model rules, which are very similar to each other regardless of track or tours (the United Super Late Model Rules Alliance).[3]
The Snowball Derby has been won by past and future stars of NASCAR, including five national series champions (one Cup Series, two who won both a Cup Series and Xfinity championship, two Camping World Truck, total ten national championships), five Sprint Cup Series, two Xfinity Series, and seven Camping World Truck Series race winners. The 1994 Snowball Derby winner was female driver, and future NASCAR competitor, Tammy Jo Kirk. From 2011 until 2014, the Snowball was won by teenage drivers who have since won on NASCAR's national series. In the 2010s, only two drivers (2015, 2019) were in his 20s and one driver (2017) was in his 30s.
Over the years, the race format has varied between 100 laps, 200 laps, and a unique 300 laps plus additional laps equalling the number of runnings of this race. The format has settled into a straight 300 lap event, though a late yellow flag can create a green-white-checkered finish that extends the race beyond 300 laps.
The Snowball Derby is an independent event, meaning that it is not officially sanctioned (for a fee) by a racing organization. However, it is associated with both the United Super Late Model Rules Alliance and the Southern Super Series, a series of Super Late Model races in the region including Five Flags Speedway, with officials from that series, most notably Ricky Brooks as chief steward, officiating the race. Most Super Late Model races are run with the USLMRA package, regardless of tracks or regional series (although the track requires Continental AG tires, while some tracks may use American Racer or Goodyear), various series will encourage drivers to attend the event (PASS North and South, Southern Super Series, ARCA JEG'S/CRA, Spears Southwest). In the past the Snowball was sanctioned by Bob Harmon's All Pro organization, and for one year by NASCAR when it acquired All Pro.
The Snowflake 100 is a 100-lap pro late model race held the Saturday before the Snowball Derby. Held since 1999, notable winners include Chase Elliott and John Hunter Nemechek.
The Snowball Derby 75 is a 75-lap modified race held since 2018.
- 1968 Wayne Niedecken Sr.[4]
- 1969 Friday Hassler
- 1970 Wayne Niedecken Sr.
- 1971 Dickie Davis
- 1972 Ed Howe
- 1973 Dickie Davis
- 1974 Pete Hamilton
- 1975 Donnie Allison
- 1976 Darrell Waltrip
- 1977 Ronnie Sanders
- 1978 Dave Mader III
- 1979 Freddy Fryar
- 1980 Gary Balough
- 1981 Freddy Fryar
- 1982 Gene Morgan
- 1983 Mickey Gibbs
- 1984 Butch Lindley
- 1985 Jody Ridley
- 1986 Gary Balough
- 1987 Butch Miller
- 1988 Ted Musgrave
- 1989 Rick Crawford
- 1990 Rich Bickle
- 1991 Rich Bickle
- 1992 Gary St. Amant
- 1993 Bobby Gill
- 1994 Tammy Jo Kirk (First female driver ever to win the Snowball Derby)
- 1995 Jeff Purvis
- 1996 Rich Bickle
- 1997 Bobby Gill
- 1998 Rich Bickle
- 1999 Rich Bickle
- 2000 Gary St. Amant
- 2001 Wayne Anderson
- 2002 Ricky Turner
- 2003 Charlie Bradberry
- 2004 Steve Wallace
- 2005 Eddie Mercer
- 2006 Johnny Brazier
- 2007 Augie Grill
- 2008 Augie Grill
- 2009 Kyle Busch[5]
- 2010 Johanna Long[6]
- 2011 Chase Elliott (Youngest winner in Snowball Derby history)[7]
- 2012 Erik Jones[8]
- 2013 Erik Jones[9]
- 2014 John Hunter Nemechek[10]
- 2015 Chase Elliott[11]
- 2016 Christian Eckes
- 2017 Kyle Busch
- 2018 Noah Gragson
- 2019 Travis Braden
- 2020 Ty Majeski
- 2021 Chandler Smith
- 2022 Derek Thorn
- 2023 Ty Majeski[12]
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