THOUGHTS: Live Pit Stops Gone for 52nd Snowball Derby in a Needed but Bittersweet Change

With blazing fast stops, the crews from Kyle Busch Motorsports played a huge roll in the success of the team at the 51st Snowball Derby on December 2, 2018. (Daniel Vining/PixelatedSPEED.com)

PENSACOLA, Florida (January 27, 2019) -- Five Flags Speedway announced on Saturday that the 52nd Annual Snowball Derby will see the end of live pit stops, instead favoring the controlled pit stop format used at other marquee events around the country. The hope is to help with the added costs of teams bringing in hired, professional pit crews for the 300 lap Super Late Model race.

Event promoter Tim Bryant made the announcement during the driver’s meeting at Saturday’s SpeedFest at Crisp Motorsports Park in Cordele, Georgia. During that meeting, Bryant emphasized that this decision was made with drivers and teams in mind.

“We know that the Snowball Derby is a costly event for the teams to participate in,” said Bryant.  “We are in constant search of ways to make it less expensive for competitors. On-track competition has gotten increasingly more competitive over the years.  The importance of length of time on pit road has gone to the extreme. The cost of a high-paid pit crew was never intended for this level of racing. Given the competitiveness of this event and the importance of the event, guys will take any measure necessary to get an edge on the others.  For that reason, we’ve decided to go to the controlled caution format for the 52nd Snowball Derby.  It’s simply in an effort to save teams the money of high-team pit crews.”

And save money it can. At last year’s Snowball Derby, Wayne Okrzesik, father and team owner of 2019 SpeedFest 200 winner Connor Okrzesik, told PixelatedSPEED that the cost of pit crews was a limiting factor at the Snowball Derby. He admitted that he had what was basically a crew comprised of pit crew “students”, and that the crew paled in comparison to the crews from the likes of Kyle Busch Motorsports.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Stephen Nasse, who became a highlight in the 51st Snowball Derby for all the wrong reasons after an altercation with his own crew member after a botched tire change resulted in Nasse losing a wheel while on the speedway and crashing hard into the wall, destroying his car.

Nasse told Short Track Scene, “There are so many elite pit teams, and only so many of them come to the Derby, so a lot of teams have to settle for mediocre options. So people like me get stuck with those.”

In practice, this format will see the field basically frozen during a caution period. During this time, teams may change tires and do all of the things that are done during a normal pit stop. The difference is, however, that instead of racing to be first off of pit road, teams will retain their position after the completion of their stops. Without the added urgency, teams will not need faster crews, and thus will save the $5,000 plus bills from the professional caliber crews.

There are a few more rules and procedures associated with this format. For instance, teams cannot change tires unless it’s under the controlled caution period (or replacing a flat after official approval). Bubba Pollard found this out the hard way during the SpeedFest 200, coming in to change tires -- then having to return to pit road after being told he could not change the tires because it wasn’t a controlled caution period. The old right sides were put back on his car, resulting in a mountain of lost track position.

While the importance of cost savings is of paramount concern, implementing this format will also result in the loss of one of the layers of competition that has made the Snowball Derby so exciting over the years. For many, watching a full field of race cars swoop down pit lane with teams of crews slinging lug nuts and throwing tires is exhilarating. The race off of pit road could be the race for the win, or at least a vital part of the overall drama of the race.

I for one, will miss live pit stops. I realize I may be in the minority here with my experiences, but let me share why.

As a photojournalist at the Snowball Derby, I’ve had the privilege to find myself mere fee from the heart of the action on pit road. The thrill of cars flying by on pit road, watching them dive into their stalls, and capturing the action of the pit crews has always been one of the most intense experiences I’ve encountered at the race track.

During last year’s Derby, I was hit by a flying lug nut coming off of the car of Derek Kraus during a round of stops. I saved that lug nut as a memento, and know that anyone that has spent enough time on pit road over the years can probably relate. This may sound odd to most, but dodging flying lug nuts is just another aspect of live pit stops, albeit a sometimes painful experience.

In closing, yes, saving teams money whenever possible is a no-brainier. This measure will at the very least free up cash for teams to use in another area, but saying farewell to live pit stops at the Snowball Derby is going to be bittersweet.

PixelatedSPEED is a motorsports news and views website covering all things racing and has been “Bringing Pixels 2 Pavement Since 2018”. If you've made it this far into the post, thank you. Please consider sharing this content on the interwebs and following PixelatedSPEED on Facebook and Twitter and joining in on the conversation. http://facebook.com/PixelatedSPEED & http://twitter.com/PixelatedSPEED 

PixelatedSPEED is a part of the Gravel Network. Copyright - 2018, 2019

Thank You, 2018 - It’s Time to Roll the Credits on a Great Year

Noah Gragson Winning the 51st Annual Snowball Derby in Pensacola, FL (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

PENSACOLA, Florida -- Wow. What a wild ride these past few months have been. In August, I relaunched PixelatedSPEED to give myself a place to share my perspective on the motorsports world. It was only meant to be a simple blog, but already, has grown into something far beyond what I had imagined. I am so very thankful, and truly humbled to share that in the time spanning from August thru December, PixealatedSPEED has amassed over 250,000 views.

In order to get to this point, I have been very fortunate to have help from a huge network of supporters, family and friends. I have a lot of people to thank.

First and foremost I thank you, the reader and viewer. It’s your eyeballs on this content that really keep things going. It’s the interaction in the comments that keep the conversation alive, and spark ideas and thought about the sport that we all love so much.

Thank you to Tim and Pat Bryant. They have always backed my endeavors, and without them would have never been afforded any of the opportunities that has led me to today. Also, a huge shout-out to the crew at Speed51.com. It was a blast working around and among them during this year’s Snowball Derby.

While at the Derby, there were a few key people that were vital to me being able find my way among the chaos.

Thank you Eddie Richie of Turn 1 Photos. He and I worked side-by-side throughout both weeks at Five Flags Speedway. We braved the elements during the “Derby Monsoon of 2018” and captured a ton of great moments and memories. I look forward to working with Eddie more in 2019 at tracks across the Deep South.

Thank you Jacob Seelman of Speed Sport News, Bruce Nuttleman of Ultimate Lap Photo, Brad Newman of Short Track Central, and Tyler Sontag of Speedracer Photos. They all provided me with tips and hints along the way that made PixelatedSPEED’s content shine even as the rain continued to pour.

Thank you to my good friend and colleague, Matt Weaver of Short Track Scene. For years, he’s been an inspiration to me, proving that a guy from the Deep South can get it done and make it. He provided me with insights, advice, and severed as a check and balance for myself and my content. He let me tag along with him like a puppy dog as I found my footing during the week, and continues to do so today. Thank you, buddy. Without you I am sure that this project would not be as far along today.

It’s no secret that PixelatedSPEED is a social media driven platform. Once the content is created, its spread across social media through a network of administrators in order to find the viewers and readers. Without this distribution, PixelatedSPEED would be be mired in the noise of meme’s, food posts and political nonsense that has saturated the Internet. Thank you to everyone that has afforded me distribution channels.

Most Notably:

Ryan Holman, The Motorsports Aficionados
Robert Mesich, Unforgettable NASCAR
Matthew Correll, Everything Racing
Johnny Dickson, Racers of 5 Flags & Racers of Mobile International Speedway
Bobby Foster, Southeastern Racing Memories
Mike Perricone, NASCAR and Other Racing

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t thank my family. Mom, Dad, thank you for always supporting my projects and helping me in whatever ways you can.

I’m sure I’ve missed some names, but please know that I really am thankful to everyone that has helped me along the way.

2018 was a great start for PixelatedSPEED. It provided a trial run for next year, which is set to be rather epic. I intend to continue to write about the sport as I see it, with honesty and integrity. I hope to provide a balanced perspective that highlights all the things that I love about the motorsports world, and I hope that you all continue to follow along with me in this journey. Thank you again, everyone. Goodbye 2018, it’s been a great one... on to 2019!

Merry Christmas from PixelatedSPEED

Jack Dossey III at speed around Five Flags Speedway during the 51st Snowball Derby (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

Just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. No matter who you are or where you are from, just know that I have truly appreciated all of your support this holiday season. Without your support, this venture would not be possible. Thanks!

Over on the PixelatedSPEED Facebook Page I’ve left a special gift; the 1995 Snowball Derby, in its entirety for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Best in Show: Snowflake 100 - Jackson Boone

Jackson Boone - 2018 PixelatedSPEED Best in Show: Snowflake 100 (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

Nashville racer Jackson Boone traded is normal black and blue paint scheme for something a little more festive at this year’s Snowball Derby. Entering his number 7 Boone Racing Pro Late Model into the 20th Annual Snowflake 100, Boone’s car was wearing the popular “ugly sweater” motif. The car had a base of black and was covered with “stitched” snowflakes in red along the bottom third of the car, and snowmen, Santa, and gingerbread men adorning the second third.

This, of course isn’t the first time an ugly sweater themed car has been to Pensacola. Back in 2014, Tim Horvath of Horvath Designs wrapped the car driven by Ross Kenseth in a heavily themed ugly sweater machine. That car won the Best Appearing Car Award for 2014.

This year, Boone’s car looked the part all week long, but unfortunately didn’t last the entire 100 laps of the Snowflake 100. In a race covered with cautions, Boone found himself among the chaos, losing the nose of his machine, ultimately finishing the race in 24th.

Still, Boone’s car was one of the best looking of all the late models this year, and definitely deserving of the PixelatedSPEED Best in Show: Snowflake 100 Award.

Jackson Boone's car was less than pristine by the end of the Snowflake 100 (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

Hocevar and Davidson Round Out Snowflake Top Five

Hocevar being interviewed by Speed51.com prior to Snowball Derby Qualifying (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

While most of the focus in the 20th Annual Snowflake 100 was set firmly on the battle for the lead, two drivers held strong among the leaders all night to solidify a respectable top five in the country’s biggest Pro Late Model Event.

Carson Hocevar didn’t get the result he was seeking in the 51st Annual Snowball Derby; hell, he didn’t even finish after contact early in the event relegated him to a 35th place finish. Come the next weekend at the Snowflake 100, however, the Michigan driver was among the favorites.

Hocevar was solid in practice throughout Derby week and looked to be true contender come race time. His efforts paid off with a solid run in the 100 lapper, though he was left looking for more.

“We had a really good car,” he said after the race. “We just couldn’t fire off like those guys up front did.”

“We needed a longer run to get us going forward, and that never happened with all the crashes.”

“What are you going to do?,” he added with a shrug. “We’ll be back and get it next time.”

Chris Davidson is perhaps one of the chillest dudes in the pit area. Throughout the long a gloomy day at Five Flags Speedway, the Texas native took everything in stride and with a grain of salt.

Davidson’s Snowball Derby didn’t go as planned, with a disappointing 31st place finish. In the Snowflake 100, however, he came alive and held strong throughout all of the carnage to pick up a solid fifth place result.

“It was rough,” he said. “It was more like a demolition derby than a race. All and all though not bad because we finished and a whole bunch of them look a lot worse than us.”

Hocevar and Davidson were among 12 cars to finish a Snowflake 100 that began a week late and after misting weather caused a delay which resulted in the cancelation of qualifying. During the race, track officials fought to keep the track in a raceable condition as teams fought each other. There were numerous multi-car incidents that prolonged the race significantly.

I asked Davidson if he thought that the race should’ve been shortened, or postponed due to the persistent misting conditions.

He said, “Oh hell no!. The track was dry, let’s line them up and race!”

That was a prevailing sentiment throughout the field. The 2018 edition of the Snowflake 100 was won by Chase Purdy, with Bubba Pollard in second, Connor Okrzesik in third, Carson Hocevar in fourth and Chris Davidson in fifth.

Chase Purdy Wins Wet and Wild Snowflake 100

Chase Purdy in victory lane at the Snowflake 100. (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

Chase Purdy, the 19-year old from Meridian, Mississippi, won the 20th Annual Snowflake 100 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida on Sunday, December 9th, 2018.

The start of the race was delayed multiple times due to bad weather, a common theme in this year’s Derby. Once the race was underway, a slew of multi-car accidents stunted the pace of the event. Bubba Pollard and Casey Roderick led the early laps, but Purdy took the lead on lap 36 of the 100 lap event, and never looked back.

“A lot of guys took off early,” Purdy told Speed51.com. “I let them go and do their own thing for a little bit. Once I got control of the race and was the leader, I controlled the pace and I knew I could keep a faster pace. That’s what I did. With about 20 to go, I just pulled the trigger.”

This was Purdy’s first win in Pensacola, coming at time with his future up in the air.

“It’s surreal,” Purdy said to PixelatedSPEED following the race. “I don’t know what I’m going to be doing next year, but this is going to a huge factor in those decisions. If this is my last race, then what a way to go out.”

In a race that saw a deluge of crashes in its first half, Purdy credits his team, and spotter, for helping him get the win. When asked what it took to make it through the chaos of the weather conditions, and carnage, he said that it was about staying sane mentally, and hard work.

“I’m really proud of my Anthony Campi Racing guys,” he said. “It’s just a really cool moment for me and really glad these guys got this. It’s really big for me and the team.”

“Shout out to Brandon Lines. He’s kind of the whole package. He’s more than just a spotter, he’s a coach and did a hell of a job tonight.”

When asked why he races at Five Flags, with a smile from ear to ear, Purdy replied, “I love this place.”

“I think this place is awesome,” he continued. “It’s a great venue. It’s a big show. Everybody knows what the Snowball Derby is and the Snowflake is a huge event too, and it’s just really awesome to be here.”

“I learned a lot,” he added. “I got to race with some of the best of the best. It’s a really cool moment for me and all the guys. I love this place.”

This edition of the Snowflake 100 had some pretty big firsts. For the first time in event history, weather forced the postponement of the race from its traditional date on the Saturday before the Snowball Derby. Moving forward one week, the race was again postponed; from Saturday to Sunday - marking the first time that the Flake would be run on a Sunday.

Most of the teams returned to the Panhandle on Sunday to contest the most prestigious Pro Late Model race in the country. Some notables that did not make the trip back included Derek Thorn, Jeff Choquette, Stephen Nasse, and Corey Heim.

The Modifieds of Mayhem started the day’s racing action. The caution-filled feature was cut four laps short of the scheduled 75 lap distance after a violent crash involving Billy Melvin and Jason Morman. Both drivers were taken to the hospital with injuries, with Melvin suffering from multiple broken bones requiring multiple surgeries. Augie Grill was credited with the win in the Modified feature after having the dominant car in that race.

After the Modified’s race, the mist rolled into Pensacola, ultimately scrubbing Snowflake 100 qualifying, causing the field to be set by the practice session held earlier in the day; this put Connor Orkresik on the pole.

The mist lingered the entire evening, causing caution periods to be extended in an effort to keep the track in a raceable condition. The uncertainty brought by the weather, also brought an added element of haste by many drivers further back in the field as the threat of a shortened race also shortened their patience.

That lack of patience resulted in a lot of torn up race cars, leaving many drivers angry; some even in tears.

The first half of the race had eight cautions, which led to only 12 of the 31 car field finishing the event.

Ironically, the Pro Truck feature closed the night by going flag-to-flag, caution free. Josh Hicks passed polesitter Steven Davis on lap 47 of the 50 lap race to pick up the win.

Official Results of the 20th Annual Snowflake 100:

1. Chase Purdy
2. Bubba Pollard
3. Connor Okrzesik
4. Carson Hocevar
5. Chris Davidson
6. Casey Roderick
7. Ryan Paul
8. Johanna Long
9. JoJo Wilkinson
10. Jake Garcia
11. Trever McCoy
12. Kyle Ivey
13. Brandon Curren
14. Augie Grill
15. Tyler Porter
16. Stacey Crain
17. Spencer Davis
18. Mason Diaz
19. Dillon Oliver
20. Justin South
21. Mason Keller
22. Perry Patino
23. Dylan Smith
24. Jackson Boone
25. Dylan Fetcho
26. Martin Latulippe
27. Colt James
28. Bobby Knox Jr.
29. Jarrett Parker
30. Elliott Massey
31. Ryan Worsham

How to Watch the 20th Annual Snowflake 100

PixelatedSPEED Photo

After the monsoon of 2018 hit Snowball Derby weekend last Saturday, causing the postponement of the Modifieds of Mayhem, Pro Trucks and Snowflake 100 Pro Late Models, the time has finally come to get this show on the road.

Sunday, December 9th, 2018, Five Flags Speedway hosts the 20th Annual Snowflake 100 in Pensacola, FL. The day looks to be jam packed from the opening of the pit gates through to the closing of the tech shed after the day’s final racing action has ended.

Schedule of Events:

8:00 - Pits Open
11:00 - Driver’s Meeting
12:00 - 12:15 - Modified Practice
12:15 - 12:45 - Snowflake Practice
12:45 - 1:30 - Pro Truck Practice
2:00 - Modifieds of Mayhem 75 lap feature
- Snowflake Qualifying
- Snowflake Last Chance Race
- Pro Truck Qualifying
- Pre Race Ceremonies
- 20th ANNUAL SNOWFLAKE 100
- Pro Truck 50 lap feature

For those that plan on attending the races in person, Five Flags Speedway addressed a number of frequently asked questions associated with the amended schedule.

Personal Vehicles in the Pits:

At this time, there will be no personal vehicles allowed in pits on Sunday, just like last Saturday would have been. Haulers will be parked strategically to allow best possible visibility from the grandstands. We anticipate today’s rain (on Sunday, December 8th) to limit parking areas in pit area. ATVs for race teams only.

Armbands:

Anyone still wearing armband from last weekend will be allowed direct pit access. For those not wearing armbands, you can trade last weeks armband for new armband and resign release and waiver form.

Tickets:

Tickets punched with "Mickey Mouse ears" will be granted entrance to grandstands. Tickets punched with "gun" was a Sunday only ticket, and will not be good for entrance this week.
It is important to note, that if you are sitting on a numbered seat, first rights to that seat go to person holding ticket. Simply relocate to different seat.

VIP ticket holders will be required to have both ticket and armband.

General Admission for Sunday $30 adults $5 under 12
Pit passes $40

Reserved Parking:

Reserved parking area will be in same spot as before for those with parking pass. We anticipate an ample amount of free parking on ground for those without pass. There will be no shuttle from fairgrounds unless parking lot becomes full.

Apparel vendors and scanner trailer will be on site.

Pay Per View:

While the best way to experience racing of this caliber is in person, you can still take in all the action via pay per view by Speed51.com.

Pay per view video tickets can be purchased here. Speed51.com will be honoring all applicable purchased video tickets from last week as well.

Additional information on all the broadcast info can be found here.

Editor’s Note: I understand that there will still be questions for many of you, but please understand that I can only verify the information that I’ve been provided by Five Flags Speedway and Speed51.com. Please direct further questions to them as needed.

Bubba Pollard Takes PixelatedSPEED Best in Show

Bubba Pollard's Super Late Model at speed during Snowball Derby practice. (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

Bubba Pollard brought a brand new car to contest in the 51st Annual Snowball Derby in Pensacola, FL. Much like last year, the paint scheme on the Harrison’s Workwear Ford Fusion is striking, and has turned heads all week.

For last year’s 50th Annual Snowball Derby, Pollard debuted this scheme, featuring mirrored gold accents with sharp graphics. The scheme was my favorite last year, and with this year’s iteration is once again an eye turner.

Featuring the same base aesthetic, the main difference in this year’s scheme is the replacement of the mirrored gold accents with bright, neon orange instead. It’s eye popping, and hard to miss from anywhere at Five Flags Speedway.

For that reason, Pollard is the first recipient of the PixelatedSPEED Best in Show Award.

What paint schemes do you think looked the best at this year’s Derby?

Derby Days: Sunday is Derby Day

Noah Gragson, in a plume of smoke after a victory burnout, celebrates winning the Snowball Derby. (PixelatedSPEED Photo) 

Sunday is Derby Day. After an intense week of practice, support division features, and a monsoon, the time finally came. The 51st Annual Snowball Derby was set to go!

Well, almost. The day started with lingering wet conditions from the previous night’s storms. As the track officials continued to facilitate drying efforts, Derby Day began to roll.

That started with the Driver’s Meeting. Tim Bryant, Dan Spence and others took their turns giving their speel about how the day would be run. As that went on, I snapped as many candids of drivers and crew members in the crowd as I could.

After the driver’s meeting, I met up with fellow photographer Brad Newman. I wanted to take my own “class photo” on the backstretch as a keepsake of the weekend. Since PixelatedSPEED doesn’t have a fancy logo painted on the wall like a certain other media outlet, we both took a turn posing in front of the “Five Flags Speedway” lettering on the backstretch.

Once we got the class photo done, I began working pit road, taking candids and chatting with various people. I also got some journalism out of the way, interviewing a handful of drivers and posting the subsequent stories.

After the Saturday postponement, the Snowball Derby Last Chance Qualifier was moved to noon on Sunday. That start, however, was pushed further still by the continuing wetness left by the previous storms.

With nothing else better to do, and a very long day ahead, I grabbed some pizza from the concession and had lunch with Mr. Dave Pavlock, track announcing legend.

Then I met up with some friends from South Alabama Speedway… oh… did I mention that PixelatedSPEED is planning on attending the 2019 running of The Rattler? Yeah, that’s going to be a thing.

Roughly 45 minutes to an hour later than planned, the track was ready for action. The last chance cars made their way onto the speedway for a 30 lap dash to see who the final four drivers to transfer into the Snowball Derby would be.

Steve Wallace didn’t even get to take the green flag, as a mechanical issue sidelined him during the pace laps. The race itself proved, as usual, to be a crash fest, wiping out several cars before race’s end. Yes, I wanted to get good shots of the LCQ because it’s race, but I mainly used it as a raceday practice session for myself.

As the last chance race drew to a close, the field of Snowball Derby cars were pushed onto pit road.

Finally, the time had come. Pre-race ceremonies were underway. I got a few shots, but chose to forego the Derby class photo and introductions. Instead, I spent this time chatting with Wayne Okrzesik and some close friends that were in attendance. I also talked a little business with my colleague Brad Newman.

The race itself was pretty straight forward from my point of view. I’ll save the details of the actual racing for other articles, and focus on a couple of experiences I had.

I started on the frontstretch at the green flag, and slowly made my way around the infield, taking car shots and candids along the way. I go the opposite way of the traffic so I can pay closer attention to what’s coming at my on pit road. I’d rather not get run over.

Not long after I made it to the middle of turns one and two, the track started coming up. I guess the water did a little more damage to the track surface than what had been thought. Inevitably, this caused a yellow, and the track crew spent several laps filling in the pothole with asphalt. I didn’t think it’d last, but it did… some how.

I continued to make laps around the speedway, shooting cars, fans, pit road, the infield, and even some shots into the stands. I stopped periodically to check the standings, and checked with a few crews after accidents or other issues. Typical pit road journalism.

As the evening turned into night, and the laps drew down, I switched to flash photography, the area of photography I am worst at. I kept practicing, knowing that most of the shots I took were not going to be useful. Still, I prepared to get the best shot I could of the winning car crossing the finish line.

At some point, for some reason, I looked down and noticed that the diffuser on my flash was down. I flipped it up and wouldn’t you know it… my photos instantly got better. Just goes to show that I have a long, long way to go with this stuff. I reset myself, now knowing I could get a better shot, and got it! Given the lens I had, and the knowledge I had, I thought it was a pretty nice shot of Noah Gragson crossing the line.

After he took the checkered flag, Gragson did a burnout on the frontstretch, climbed out, and then climbed the fence! It was awesome, but I was in the path of the smoke. I didn’t get clear shots. I’ll have to work on them a little to get the good out of them.

Then we lined up for victory lane photos… doing the hat dance and such.

It was during this time that what I’m sure will become a long told story in the years to come occured. Noah Gragson went in to kiss Miss Snowball Derby, Helena Ciappina. At first, she turned away. After a couple of seconds, and with a smile, they kissed. No big deal from my perspective, but that didn’t stop a flood of negativity on social media the following day from it. Especially considering that Noah and Helena talked a great length about an hour later outside the tech inspection area, with Noah coming away with Miss Snowball Derby’s phone number! Oh yeah, I was standing right there for that too.

Speaking of tech. Technical inspection took a while, as it always does, but on this day it was perhaps the smoothest post Derby tech I’ve ever witnessed. While the crews tore down the machines for inspectors Ricky Brooks, Nick Rogers and the rest of the Room of Doom, I gathered interviews from the top three drivers, and chatted with others in the area about the night’s events.

After all was said and done, and no issues at all in tech inspection, the night had finally come to a close. The 51st Annual Snowball Derby was in the books. Time to wrap things up, head home and sleep well.

Unlike every other year, this year Derby Week doesn’t end on Sunday. After the postponement of the Snowflake 100, Derby Week is kind of morphing into Flake Week as the postponed Flake, and two support races will be held on Saturday, December 8th.  So that means there is one more weekend of racing coming, and I suppose a few more Derby Days to go.

Noah Gragson Wins Historic 51st Snowball Derby

Noah Gragson celebrates winning the 51st Snowball Derby (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

“Why not the Snowball Derby? It’s the biggest in the country! Best drivers, it’s a long race and the coolest trophy.”

Those are the words of a very happy Noah Gragson after winning the 51st Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, FL on Sunday, December 2, 2018.

Gragson, in his final race driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports, beat Ty Majeski and Jeff Choquette on the final restart with six laps remaining to claim the win.

“I don’t even know what to think right now. It hasn’t sunk in, it feels so surreal to me,” Gragson told PixelatedSPEED.com.

“I’m just so thankful to be able to run with Kyle Busch Motorsports, (crew chief) Marcus Richmond... all the crew guys.”

To get there, Gragson first raced in the final Blizzard Series race held at the Speedway this past September. In that race, Gragson struggled, finishing eighth in what many would consider the prelude to the Snowball Derby.

“We really struggled here these past couple of years,” said Gragson. “We came here in September for the final Blizzard Series race and ended up struggling really really bad. I’m thankful we struggled because I knew what we needed to work on to resolve the issues.”

Come Derby Week, the practice times didn’t really reflect the effort being but into the team’s number 18 Super Late Model. They continued to work on finding speed, and were awarded for their efforts.

“We came here on Thursday and did three 45 lap runs,” he said. “In practice, everybody was counting us out. We qualified eighth, that’s the highest I think I’ve ever started here.”

From that eighth place starting spot, Gragson held strong in the front part of the field as pole sitter Harrison Burton, Jeff Choquette, Raphael Lassard, and Ty Majeski all took turns leading portions of the race.

With 20 laps remaining, Kyle Bryant spun in turn three. This setup a final round of pit stops. Gragson’s crew got the 20 year old off pit road first, lining him up alongside Harrison Burton for the ensuing restart.

“The pit stop guys all did a hell of a job all weekend and during the race,” said Gragson.

Burton, who did not pit, also did not take off well. This caused a classic check up situation that resulted in Ty Majeski turning Bubba Pollard toward the inside wall as the field screamed into turn one.

This setup the final restart with six laps remaining.

“I was a little sketched out on that last restart,” recalled Gragson. “I didn’t know how good we were. It seemed like those other guys could fire off a lot better than we could there at the end of a run, but we just out muscled them and out raced them in the laps that counted there at the end and ended up with the checkered flag.”

While Gragson now gets to reap the rewards and accolades that come with being a Snowball Derby winner, the Las Vegas native is also turning his sight’s toward 2019 and a debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Jr. Motorsports.

“It’s the last race of the year,” he said. “Normally, you get a win and the following week you have to reset. Now I get two months to enjoy it.”

“That doesn’t mean I can ride on that,” he added. “I still have to continue to work hard and continue to try to improve with everything moving over to Jr. Motorsports.”

“It’s a new challenge for me, racing fulltime in the Xfinity Series next year. I’ve just been so thankful to be able to run with Kyle Busch Motorsports. Just gotta keep on working hard and striving everyday to get better.”



Official Results:

1. Noah Gragson
2. Ty Majeski
3. Jeff Choquette
4. Connor Okrzesik
5. Casey Roderick
6. Chandler Smith
7. Donnie Wilson
8.Tyler Ankrum
9.Cole Butcher
10. Harrison Burton
11. Jeremy Doss
12. Derek Thorn
13. John DeAngelis Jr
14. Chase Purdy
15. Jesse Dutilly
16. Derek Kraus
17. Jack Dossey III
18. Kyle Plott
19. Spencer Davis
20. Logan Boyett
21. Paul Shafer Jr
22. Derek Griffith
23. Dennis Prunty
24. Kyle Bryant
25. Raphael Lessard
26. Bubba Pollard
27. Stephen Nasse
28. Michael Atwell
29. Corey Heim
30. Kaden Honeycutt
31. Chris Davidson
32. Preston Peltier
33. Perry Patino
34. Stewart Friesen
35. Carson Hocevar
36. Austin Nason

PixelatedPICK: 51st Annual Snowball Derby

Bubba Pollard zooms around turn three. (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

Bubba Pollard is one of the all-time greats at Five Flags Speedway, having won just about everything you can at the famed Pensacola half-mile. Everything, except the biggest show of them all, the Snowball Derby.

"It is a unique race,” Pollard said in a recent interview. “It’s hard to describe the feeling of competing in this race.”

"You have great drivers who have won this race and have become part of history and I'm hoping one day our name can be on it. This is what we work for and live for. But I also understand this one race can't define your career."

With 68 total starts at Five Flags, Pollard has scored 19 victories, and amassed 41 top five finishes after leading 1,242 laps. In 10 Snowball Derby starts, he has a pole in 2011 and after leading 157 laps in 2017, has a best finish of third.

In last year’s Derby, Pollard was the class of the field, and the class of the week. He dominated the practice sessions, won the Snowflake 100 Pro Late Model race, and led the most laps in the Snowball Derby itself.

“It’s a hard race to win and you never know how it’s going to play out,” Pollard told Short Track Scene. “We build the best car we can and take it to the race track. But that’s all we can control.

Pollard looks to achieve his first Snowball victory in a brand new Senneker chassis powered by Hamner Racing Engines.

In an interview with Speed51.com, Pollard talked about the confidence he has in his new racecar.

“I have a lot of confidence in the guys that help me put them together and the team,” Pollard told Speed51.com.

“I have a lot of confidence in the race cars,” he added. “You hear that a lot of people are scared of bringing new cars but there’s nothing better than a new piece of metal. That’s when they’re the best. That’s when they’re the fastest. We built one back in July and won the first four races with it.

Simply put, although Bubba Pollard has yet to reach victory lane, he is the odds on favorite, making him the PixelatedPICK for the 51st Annual Snowball Derby. While there is never any guarantees in this race, one sure fire bet that rans fans can make is that Bubba Pollard will be a heavy hitter, and if all goes according to plan, a factor at the end of this 300 lap contest among the very best in Super Late Model racing.

Rain Makes for Murky Snowball Derby Schedule

Tim Bryant addresses teams on Saturday morning. (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

After persistent storms pounded the Gulf Coast on Saturday, Five Flags Speedway has had to make some changes to the Snowball Derby schedule, including the first ever postponement of the Snowflake 100.

With the Saturday slate of racing washed out, the focus shifted to preparing the track for Sunday’s 51st Annual Snowball Derby.

To get there, speedway officials worked late into Saturday night, pumping water out of the areas affected by torrential downpours that flooded the racetrack, submerging turn three’s infield area up to the edge of the apron on the speedway.

From the Five Flags Speedway Facebook Page:

“Sunday's schedule will remain unchanged with the exception of tire selection at 7:30 am and the last chance qualifier which will start at noon and be 30 laps. Snowball Derby pre-race festivities to start immediately following the last chance qualifier followed by the 51st Annual Snowball Derby at 2pm.”

Should rain continue to be a factor, the Snowball Derby could be ran on the following day.


“If we have weather tomorrow, we’ll run the Snowball Derby on Monday, if possible,” said Tim Bryant, Snowball Derby Promoter.

The Modifieds of Mayhem and Pro Trucks will join the Snowflake 100 Pro Late Models on Saturday, December 8th for a one day show that will also include abbreviated practice sessions, qualifying, and last chance races if needed.

The postponement of the Snowflake 100 is the first of its 20 year history.

“We hate this for anyone who has traveled a long way for these races, but when you combine the bad forecast with the fact that most of them can’t race on Monday anyway, that was the reason for our decision,” said Bryant.

The Modifieds were initially scheduled to battle on Friday evening for 75 laps. Rain pushed that race to Saturday, and then again after Saturday’s storms. Because of this, that feature has now been shortened to 50 laps. Starting positions from the qualifying session held on Friday will remain, and teams will get a short hot laps session before going racing.

The Pro Truck teams never made it onto the property on Saturday after all the flooding around the speedway. Tim Bryant has told truck teams that they are welcome to leave their rigs parked at the nearby Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds this week and that there will be security provided.

Tickets will still be honored on December 8th, as well as the pay per view coverage by Speed51.com.

Speedway Hopes to Race Saturday; Has a Backup Plan

Its turning out to be a soggy day so far in Pensacola, but Five Flags Speedway officials are still attempting to get the day’s activities in.

Tim Bryant announced in the morning driver’s meeting that they are bringing in more equipment to facilitate track drying procedures.

Bubba Pollard suggested using racecars to further aid in track drying. Bryant eluded to using the modified division in that capacity.

Every effort will be made to race today, however, should the wether dictate a full washout, there is a plan in place.

If needed, the Snowball Derby Last Chance Race could be bumped to Noon, on Sunday, with the remainder of Derby Day festivities following suit.

Should it be required, the Modifieds of Mayhem, Pro Trucks, and Snowflake 100 could be moved to next weekend, with Saturday being used for practice, and racing on Sunday. 

As mentioned, these are tentative resolutions, and Five Flags Speedway is fully committed to getting the day’s activities in today.

Stay tuned to the PixelatedSPEED Facebook Page,  Five Flags Speedway, and Speed51.com for more updates as the day moves forward. 

Derby Days: Friday is Pole Day.

PixelatedSPEED Photo

Described by many as the most intense qualifying session in motorsports, the aim of the game on Friday at Five Flags Speedway was cracking the top 30 in pole qualifying for the 51st Annual Snowball Derby.

A trip in the weeds.

To get this pivotal day started, I ventured into the weeds, literally. While there are many great places to shoot photos around the facility at Five Flags Speedway, some to the best shots come after making a trek around some fences, through a campground, and along a briar patch laden path that leads to the outside wall of turn four.

I feel as though some of my best photos of the week thus far were from that hard to get to spot. I think the trip was worth it, and it’s not a journey I like to do more than once during a Derby week.

Once there, I stayed there for the duration of the first Snowball Derby practice.

Dashing through the pits.

At the conclusion of that first Snowball Derby practice, I knew I only had a few minutes to be setup for the next round, which featured the Snowflake 100 cars. I knew I wanted to be in turn two… on the literal opposite side of where I was. If I had to backtrack along the path I came, I would have run out of time and missed a decent chunk of time, plus the initial rush of cars off of pit road.

So, not wanting to waste time, once I knew the coast was clear (as in officials clearing the gates) I jumped over the turn four wall and darted across the track, then dash through the infield to get to turn two.

Again, this was worth it, as I got some shots I’d never gotten before.

Modified Madness and Interviews.

After I got my fill of photos from turn two, I made my way back to the frontstretch, shot a few candids in and around the grandstands, and headed on down to the infield once Snowflake practice ended.

Next up was Modified practice, so I setup on pit road and got photos from start finish down to turn four.

Interviews.

Switching gears a bit, after Modified practice I made the rounds hitting up various drivers for interviews. I was able to get just about everyone I was looking for, and for what I have to work with this week, I think those interviews came out pretty well.

There was a bit of a lull before Modified qualifying, so I got a bite to eat, and had a nice chat with Nicholas Rogers, one of the head tech officials at Five Flags Speedway.

Next up was Modified qualifying. I really wasn’t planning on covering much of it, but as I was making my way along pit road, Johnnie Walker had a part failure, from which he broke loose off of turn four and then over-corrected, slamming hard into the outside wall. I stuck around to get the candids of Johnnie getting out of his car, and assessing the damage before moving along.

Horvath

I had the pleasure of chatting with Tim Horvath of Horvath Design for a spell along with colleague Matt Weaver. Horvath is a hoot. His stories can go on for days, and in some way always leave you smiling.

Before I knew it, about an hour had passed and I still had interviews to do, so I left Horvath and Weaver to hunt down those drivers, but ended up running into Hunter Robbins and DJ Vanderley… which led to another round of storytelling along with Mike Williamson, Johanna Long-Robbins’ crew chief.

Qualifying

I spent the lead up to qualifying getting candid shots around pit road. The lighting was providing some really cool, unique shots.

During qualifying, I shadowed Weaver for a bit, shot photos for a bit, and just sat back and took in the atmosphere of watching 47 of the nation’s top Super Late Model drivers all vying for a spot in the Snowball Derby.

Afterward, I went to the tech shed, but by then the rains had begun to fall. Honestly, I wasn’t looking forward to playing the rain game, so I packed up and headed home, spending the rest of the evening (into the early morning hours actually), writing, editing, and posting.

I’m glad I didn’t stick around as the rest of the night was a wash, pushing the Modified race to Saturday.

Saturday is Snowflake 100 Day.

Saturday is going to be jam packed. On tap is the postponed Modified race, final practice sessions, last chance races, Snowflake qualifying, the Snowflake 100, and the Pro Truck feature. It’s going to be busy, for sure.

Show Me the Money Driver Patino Makes the Show in Pensacola

PixelatedSPEED Photo

Show Me the Money Series driver, Perry Patino, will be in the show and start his first Snowball Derby on Sunday. Patino is driving for Bobby Reuse in the number 89 Super Late Model out of Montgomery, AL. Patino will also be attempting to qualify for the Snowflake 100 on Saturday.

Patino’s father Richard, was ecstatic to have his son in the Derby.

“Our first Snowball Derby!,” he said. “He busted a heck of a lap for his first qualifying in a Super Late Model.”

“How cool is it to see his name right next to the NASCAR elite!,” he added.

Reuse took to Facebook on Friday night to share the news.

“Perry Patino just laid down a 16.53 to qualify 16th in his first ever Snowball Derby,” he said. “I am super excited. It is the highest ever starting position for AIR Company in the Derby, although Dillion Oliver was kinda handicapped with a last minute deal.”

“Contrats Perry and thank you,” he added. “No last chance race. Beat some really big money teams. Tomorrow we hope to do it again in the Snowflake car.”

Dillion Oliver responded with, “Great job guys! Our deal was last minute and I had never driven a Super before, but we got her in! Y’all keep diggin. Keep the fenders on it and be there at the end. There’s a lot of cars that won’t be!”

Interview: Christopher Tullis Hopes to Win in Borrowed Car

Christopher Tullis destroyed his primary car during practice for the Snowflake 100 at the 51st Annual Snowball Derby. Now, thanks to the help of a friend, Tullis hopes to contend, and even win this prestigious race in a borrowed car.

Interview: Kyle Bryant Aiming for Success in 51st Snowball Derby

Kyle Bryant is looking to add his name to the record books as a winner in the Snowball Derby, a feat that if achieved, would make him only the fifth driver from Pensacola (Navarre) to do so. He said that if were to win, he could retire that day happily, but the goal for this year is to first make the race, then to finish.

Interview: Jeremy Pate - 51st Snowball Derby Outlaw Stock Winner

A string of Pensacola based drivers winning during this year's Snowball Derby continued on Thursday night. Jeremy Pate passed a fading Derrick Griffin half way through the 50 lap feature and went on to win in the Outlaw Stock division in the 51st Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway.

Pate joins Caleb Burkett (Pure Stocks) and Shanna Ard (Sportsman) as the third Pensacola native to win features in this year's Derby.

Pit Walk - 51st Annual Snowball Derby

Every year at the Snowball Derby, I walk through the pits at Five Flags Speedway and record a video showing a little bit of the chaos that is this prestigious event. It's shaky, raw and unedited... so enjoy!

Derby Days: Thursday is Practice Day.

A fan watches as Carson Hocevar flies down the backstretch. (PixelatedSPEED Photo)

After a rather eventful Wednesday, I went home and tried to write the stories I should’ve written while I was at the track, but failed to do so.  On Thursday morning, I published the stories and articles that I could before heading back to the track.

Thursday is practice day.

The focus was fully on the late models today. By the time I arrived at the track, the first Snowball Derby practice was already underway, so I lingered around the outside wall of the track, getting shots from a photo hole in turn one.

When the time came to head down to the infield, I began shooting as much as I could. Trying to not wind up with 1,000 photos of the same racecar on track, my primary focus today was on candid shots. Yes, I got plenty of car shots, but candids of the folks at the speedway doing the business of racing seem to be my sweet spot.

I didn’t hang out and chit chat as much today as yesterday, instead focusing on attempting to cover as much of the grounds as I could.

Something that I failed to do, however, was keep up with the news of day. It wasn’t until late in the day before I even gave a thought to doing actual journalism. I just got so wrapped up in taking pictures, that before I knew it the bulk of the day had passed me by.

Not wanting to repeat my follies from the day prior, I made the decision to leave the track following late model practice. I stopped by the campgrounds to visit some friends for a spell, then headed home.

I’m glad I did. I spent the rest of the evening reviewing my photos, writing, and posting stories. There is just so much to cover it’s virtually impossible to get it all done. I watched the night’s feature races online while I worked, and was thankful to do so.

I could’ve sat in the stands to watch those races, but being able to get work done while at the same time was critical.

Friday is Pole Day. There will be plenty more practice first… but the focus of this day is qualifying for the 51st Annual Snowball Derby.