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Snowball Derby

Initial Snowball Derby Entry List Features Familiar Cast

Here is the initial list of drivers entered into the Super Bowl of Short Track Racing.

Bruce Nuttleman | STS

It’s basically Thanksgiving before Christmas, the best description for Snowball Derby entry list day, in advance of the most prestigious pavement short track event of the year.

Currently, there are 47 drivers from 18 U.S. states and one Canadian province on the initial entry list for the Super Bowl of Super Late Model racing. Additional entries are expected to be filed in the coming weeks.

Previous winners to have already filed their intent to compete includes defending winner Travis Braden, who will not return with Platinum Motorsports, but a yet to be revealed organization. The other former winners on the entry list includes five-time winner Rich Bickle in his penultimate start at 5 Flags Speedway and two-time winner Augie Grill.

Regional Late Model champions making the trip south to the Florida Gulf Coast include ARCA Midwest Tour and TUNDRA champion Casey Johnson, 5 Flags Pro Late Model champion Chris Davidson, Southern Super Series champion Stephen Nasse, CARS Tour champion Matt Craig Pensacola Super Late Model champion Bubba Pollard.

Crown jewel winners from 2020 include CRA Triple Crown winner Carson Hocevar, who has already earned wins in the Redbud 400, Money in the Bank and Winchester 400 this summer. Newly crowned All-American 400 winner Casey Roderick has filed an entry alongside Irwindale All-Star Showdown winner Casey Roderick and CRA Speedfest winner Corey Heim.

Ty Majeski has won the Rattler 250, Slinger Nationals, Dixieland 250 and Oktoberfest 200 will return to the Snowball Derby after his 2019 heartbreak in the event.

Donnie Wilson will once again compete in the race but will bring three others cars out of his Oklahoma shop for NASCAR Truck Series youngster Chandler Smith, ARCA notable Kaden Honeycutt and Canadian racer Cole Butcher.

Derek Kraus will return to the Snowball Derby after completing his first full NASCAR Truck Series schedule.

Other upper midwestern drivers include Dalton Zehr, Gabe Sommers and John DeAngelis. Austin Nason, Boris Jurkovic and Paul Shafer will also look to escape the snow on the Florida Gulf Coast. CRA Super Series winners Jack Dossey, Mason Keller and Dan Frederickson will also come from the central Midwest.

Kyle Busch Motorsports will field a car for Sammy Smith as has been the case all season.

Jeremy Doss and Bob Lyon will join Thorn as competitors from the Southwest making the trip East.

In addition to Grill, Pollard and Nasse, the Southeast is represented by Jeremy Pate, Jake Garcia and the Plott Boyz. Hudson Halder and Kyle McCallum will race under the Georgia banner as well. Connor Okrzesik will make the short trip over from nearby Mobile, Alabama.

The 53rd Annual Snowball Derby begins on Thursday, December 3, with the WCIParts.com Pro Trucks, the Dock of Pensacola Beach Sportsmen and the Lloyd’s Glass Pure Stocks competing in their feature events following the first rounds of practice for Super Late Model and Pro Late Model teams.

Friday, December 4 presents one of the most dramatic and intense days in short track racing, with Snowball Derby teams competing for a spot in Sunday’s race on Country Pleasin’ Sausage Pole Night. The Modifieds of Mayhem Tour 75-lap season finale follows qualifying.

Saturday, December 5 is an action-packed day of racing, featuring the Snowball Derby last chance race, the Snowflake 100 for Pro Late Models and a 50-lap feature for the Faith Chapel Outlaws.

Finally, Sunday, December 6 brings the most prestigious event in Super Late Model racing, the Snowball Derby. Pre-race festivities begin at noon, with driver introductions at 1:15 p.m. At 2:00 p.m., the Snowball Derby begins, starting the 300-lap battle to see who will take home the Tom Dawson Trophy.

The event will air live on digital PPV via Speed51.com.

The known entries as of Nov. 15 can be found below.

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Matt Weaver is the owner and founder of Short Track Scene. Weaver grew up in the sport, having raced himself before becoming a reporter in college at the University of South Alabama. He also has extensive experience covering NASCAR, IndyCar and Dirt Sprint Cars.

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