The Snowball Derby 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.

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.

Stephen Nasse is the defending winner, having won it in 2025.

History The Snowball Derby has a reputation for attracting some of the bigger names in short track racing, including top series NASCAR drivers. 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. The popularity of the race forced NASCAR to move their annual national series prizegiving banquet in 2017 to a date as to not conflict with 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. 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).

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 and Xfinity Series championship, two Truck Series, total ten national championships), five Cup Series, two Xfinity Series, and seven Truck Series race winners. Tammy Jo Kirk became the first female winner of the race in 1994 which led to her becoming a future NASCAR competitor. Johanna Long would become the second female driver to win the Snowball Derby in 2010. From 2011 until 2014, the Snowball was won by teenage drivers who have since won in NASCAR's national series. In the 2010s, only two drivers (2015, 2019) were in their 20's and one driver (2017) was in their 30's.

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.

Snowflake 125 The Allen Turner Snowflake 125 is a 125-lap pro late model race held the Saturday before the Snowball Derby. Held since 1999, notable winners include multi-year winners Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, and Chase Elliott. Other notable NASCAR winners are Darrell Waltrip, Donnie Allison, Noah Gragson and John Hunter Nemechek. Originally 100 laps, the race went to 100 green flag laps in 2007 (eliminating all safety car laps from the count), and increased to 125 laps in 2025.

Keelan Harvick, son of Kevin Harvick, is the youngest winner of the event and the latest winner of the event, having won it in 2025.

Snowball Derby 75 The Snowball Derby 75 is a 75-lap modified race held since 2018.

Past Snowball Derby winners YearDateDriverRace DistanceRef Laps Miles 1968 December 15 Wayne Niedecken Sr. 300 150 (241.4 km) 1969 December 14 Friday Hassler — 1970 December 6 Wayne Niedecken Sr. (2) 1971 December 5 Dickie Davis 1972 December 3 Ed Howe 1973 December 2 Dickie Davis (2) 1974 December 8 Pete Hamilton 1975 December 7 Donnie Allison 1976 December 5 Darrell Waltrip 1977 December 4 Ronnie Sanders 1978 December 3 Dave Mader III 1979 December 2 Freddy Fryar 1980 December 7 Gary Balough 1981 December 6 Freddy Fryar (2) 1982 December 5 Gene Morgan 1983 December 14 Mickey Gibbs 1984 December 9 Butch Lindley 1985 December 8 Jody Ridley 1986 December 7 Gary Balough 1987 December 6 Butch Miller 1988 December 4 Ted Musgrave 1989 December 3 Rick Crawford 1990 December 2 Rich Bickle 1991 December 8 Rich Bickle (2) 1992 December 6 Gary St. Amant 1993 December 5 Bobby Gill 1994 December 4 Tammy Jo Kirk 1995 December 3 Jeff Purvis 1996 December 8 Rich Bickle (3) 1997 December 7 Bobby Gill 1998 December 6 Rich Bickle (4) 1999 December 5 Rich Bickle (5) 2000 December 3 Gary St. Amant (2) 2001 December 2 Wayne Anderson 2002 December 8 Ricky Turner 2003 December 7 Charlie Bradberry 2004 December 11 Steve Wallace 2005 December 4 Eddie Mercer 2006 December 3 Clay Rogers 2007 December 2 Augie Grill 2008 December 7 Augie Grill (2) 2009 December 6 Kyle Busch 2010 December 5 Johanna Long 2011 December 4 Chase Elliott 2012 December 2 Erik Jones 2013 December 8 Erik Jones (2) 2014 December 7 John Hunter Nemechek 2015 December 6 Chase Elliott (2) 2016 December 6 Christian Eckes 2017 December 3 Kyle Busch (2) 2018 December 2 Noah Gragson 2019 December 9 Travis Braden 2020 December 6 Ty Majeski 2021 December 5 Chandler Smith 2022 December 4 Derek Thorn 2023 December 3 Ty Majeski (2) 2024 December 8 Kaden Honeycutt 2025 December 7 (raced on December 8) Stephen Nasse —

Multiple winners (drivers) # Wins Driver Years won 5 Rich Bickle 1990, 1991, 1996, 1998, 19992 Wayne Niedecken 1968, 1970 Freddy Fryar 1979, 1981 Augie Grill 2007, 2008 Chase Elliott 2011, 2015 Kyle Busch 2009, 2017 Dickie Davis 1971, 1973 Erik Jones 2012, 2013 Bobby Gill 1993, 1997 Gary St. Amant 1992, 2000 Gary Balough 1980, 1986 Ty Majeski 2020, 2023

References

External links Official website