Some major NASCAR star power will participate in the Snowball Derby this weekend in Pensacola, Florida.
While the NASCAR offseason is in full swing, the Snowball Derby is a major non-NASCAR stock car race that annually draws some of the biggest names in the discipline each winter. The purse pays an event record $30,000 to win this year in addition to a $5,000 championship ring and thousands in contingency bonuses.
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But it’s not about the money.
Going through the five-decade history book you’ll find that the race has been won by some of the biggest names in NASCAR either before their careers took off or even in the middle of their runs at the highest level of the discipline.
The Snowball Derby is a Super Late Model race that always takes place on the first weekend of December, weeks after the NASCAR season ends, allowing full participation by anyone from the three national tours to try their hands against the best from the short track ranks.
William Byron and Erik Jones part of NASCAR stars taking part in 2023 Snowball Derby
From the NASCAR Cup Series ranks are William Byron, Erik Jones, Ryan Preece, Carson Hocevar, and Noah Gragson. The Xfinity Series will be represented by Sammy Smith and the Truck Series has Ty Majeski, Jake Garcia, and Derek Kraus.
They are in town to do battle with the recognized best in the national Super Late Model landscape like Bubba Pollard, Stephen Nasse, Cole Butcher, Jeremy Doss, and defending winner Derek Thorn.
The event is a week-long celebration of short-track racing with half a dozen divisions racing throughout the week. The race only starts at 36 and with over 50 cars on the entry list, it makes qualifying and the last chance race some of the most dramatic days in motorsports, and something worth following over the four days of on-track action.
The event airs live on RacingAmerica.TV and the 300-lap main event is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
Snowball Derby entry list
| 1 | Michael House | Columbia, TN |
| 2 | William Sawalich | Eden Prairie, MN |
| 2 | John Bolen | Jasper, AL |
| 4 | Erik Jones | Charlotte, NC |
| 5 | Andrik Dimayuga | Mexico City, MX |
| 7 | Jackson Boone | Franklin, TN |
| 7 | Derek Thorn | Bakersfield, CA |
| 08 | Jace Hansen | Berthoud, CO |
| 9 | Derek Kraus | Stratford, WI |
| 12 | Derek Griffith | Hudson, NH |
| 14 | Carson Hocevar | Portage, MI |
| 14 | Connor Okrzesik | Grand Bay, AL |
| 16 | Jacob Gomes | Manteca, CA |
| 18 | Chase Burda | Richmond, MI |
| 18 | Hunter Robbins | Pensacola, FL |
| 21 | Travis Braden | Wheeling, WV |
| 22 | Gio Ruggiero | Seekonk, MA |
| 22 | Sammy Smith | Johnston, IA |
| 23 | Billy VanMeter | Indianapolis, IN |
| 23 | Ed VanMeter | Indianapolis, IN |
| 24 | William Byron | Charlotte, NC |
| 26 | Bubba Pollard | Senoia, GA |
| 26 | Luke Fenhaus | Wausau, WI |
| 27 | Travis Rodewald | Manitowoc, WI |
| 28 | Cole Butcher | Hansport, NS |
| 28 | Timothy Watson | Panama City, FL |
| 30 | Noah Gragson | Mooresville, NC |
| 32 | Stuart Dutton | Tallahassee, FL |
| 32 | Caden Kvapil | Mooresville, NC |
| 32 | Treyten Lapcevich | Grimsby, ON |
| 33 | Albert Francis | Painesville, OH |
| 33 | Dustin Smith | Mobile, AL |
| 35 | Jake Garcia | Monroe, GA |
| 36 | Carson Kvapil | Mooresville, NC |
| 44 | Conner Jones | Fredricksburg, VA |
| 44 | Jeremy Doss | Upper Lake, CA |
| 48 | Allen Karnes | Sharpsburg, GA |
| 48 | Preston Peltier | Johnstown, CO |
| 50 | Jett Noland | Groveland, FL |
| 51 | Stephen Nasse | Pinellas Park, FL |
| 51 | Jake Finch | Lynn Haven, FL |
| 54 | Matthew Craig | Concord, NC |
| 54 | Conner Sutton | Pensacola, FL |
| 55 | Haeden Plybon | Deer Park, WA |
| 58 | Johnny Aramendia | New Braunfels, TX |
| 62 | Ryan Preece | Kannapolis, NC |
| 63 | Kole Raz | Lake Oswego, OR |
| 69 | Michael Hinde | Hernando, FL |
| 74 | Ryan Moore | Mooresville, NC |
| 91 | Ty Majeski | Neenah,WI |
| 98 | Blaine Rocha | Oakdale, CA |
| 112 | Augie Grill | Hayden, AL |
Previous winners
- 1968 Wayne Niedecken Sr.
- 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
- 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
- 2010 Johanna Long
- 2011 Chase Elliott
- 2012 Erik Jones
- 2013 Erik Jones
- 2014 John Hunter Nemechek
- 2015 Chase Elliott
- 2016 Christian Eckes
- 2017 Kyle Busch
- 2018 Noah Gragson
- 2019 Travis Braden
- 2020 Ty Majeski
- 2021 Chandler Smith
- 2022 Derek Thorn