Snowball Derby
| Venue | Five Flags Speedway |
|---|---|
| Location | Pensacola, Florida |
| First race | 1968 |
| Distance | 150 |
| Laps | 300 |
| Most wins (driver) | Rich Bickle (5) |
| Circuit information | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
The Snowball Derby is a 300-lap super late model stock car automobile race held annually at the half-mile Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida. The race has been contested every year since 1968 and is typically run on the first weekend in December, although in some years it has been run on the second weekend.
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]
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 Sprint Cup, one Xfinity (and a second who won both a Sprint Cup and Xfinity), two Camping World Truck, total eight 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. At 20 years 8 days as of race day in 2015, Chase Elliott's second win in the Snowball made him the oldest driver to win this decade.
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 Tires, while some tracks may use American Racer or Goodyear), various series will encourage drivers to attend the event (CARS Tour, PASS North and South, Southern Super Series, ARCA Jeg's/CRA). 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.
List of Snowball Derby winners
- 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 Clay Rogers
- 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]
References
- ↑ Kallman, Dave (December 6, 2009). "Rowdy, Prunty and the younger Kenseth". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
- ↑ http://www.speed51.com/2009_Stories/Snowball/Five_Flags_of_Derby.html
- ↑ Panure, Matt. "Midwestern Cinderella Preps for the (Snow)Ball". Racing Online. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- ↑ http://5flagsspeedway.com/sbpastwinners.php
- ↑ http://www.scenedaily.com/news/articles/sprintcupseries/Kyle_Busch_wins_Snowball_Derby_Super_Late_Model_race_.html
- ↑ http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/trucks-johanna-long-wins-snowball-derby/
- ↑ "Chase Elliott wins Snowball Derby". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved 6 December 2011.
- ↑ "Erik Jones wins Snowball Derby". Yardbarker. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
- ↑ Inabinett, Mark. "Erik Jones gets second straight Snowball Derby victory after Chase Elliott disqualified". Alabama Media Group. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
- ↑ Bonkowski, Jerry. "John Hunter Nemechek rallies to win 47th Snowball Derby". NBC Sports. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
- ↑ Allaway, Phill (December 6, 2015). "Chase Elliott Wins Snowball Derby After Christopher Bell DQ'd". Frontstretch. Retrieved December 7, 2015.