Luke Yarbrough Shooting for Hot Start on Road to the Snowflake

Luke Yarbrough hopes to start his 2026 season at Five Flags Speedway on a high note, just like when he left Pensacola to end 2025.

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Last year, the Georgia native drove from the 30th starting position to a sixth-place finish in the Allen Turner Snowflake 125, the Pro Late Model showcase during Snowball Derby festivities each year at Five Flags. That showing gives Yarbrough confidence entering Friday's contest, even after a poor start to his 2026 Pro Late Model season at the Alabama 200.

"I'm feeling optimistic," Yarbrough told Racing America. "We had good speed down there at the Snowflake, so I'm hoping we can carry that momentum on and get an even better result, and hopefully have some better luck, too.

"I think, if we can build some momentum up early at Five Flags and wherever else we end up, hopefully we can carry that throughout the season and finish strong with the Snowflake again this year."

While the Alabama 200 at Montgomery didn't go as Yarbrough hoped, he has stayed busy in other racing avenues to start the year. Whether it's racing his Dirt Late Model or karting, Yarbrough has kept an active racing calendar to start the year.

"I think, first of all, it's just that I love racing and I'll get in whatever I have the opportunity to," explained Yarbrough. "Furthermore, I think it's getting more and more common. You see guys running multiple disciplines, especially with road course racing becoming more prevalent as we're seeing in NASCAR. I'm doing whatever I can to get experience on that front, and hopefully that will help me out later. I just try to stay busy every weekend with whatever opportunity I can get."

That trend continues this weekend, as Yarbrough will make the trip from Five Flags on Friday night to Atlanta Motorsports Park on Saturday.

"It's funny you bring that up. Obviously, I'm racing at Five Flags Friday night. We're going to drive home after the race and I'm racing in a kart at Atlanta Motorsports Park on Saturday."

Earlier this year, Yarbrough teamed up with Ricky and Brian Turner to win an enduro karting event at Atlanta Motorsports Park. The event was both an on-track success and a chance for Yarbrough to spend more time working with the Fr8 Racing group.

"That was a lot of fun," Yarbrough said. "Me and Ricky Turner and Brian Turner raced there in the four-hour enduro. It's just so fun to spend time with that group, no matter what we're doing. Any time we can come together and be doing something, I think it's positive team building. We ended up winning that particular race, so it was really cool."

While Yarbrough's Pro Late Model schedule is somewhat limited for 2026, these various racing opportunities keep him sharp behind the wheel.

"I think the biggest thing is just the repetitions. I don't get the opportunity to get in a Pro Late Model every weekend like some of my competitors do. Just staying conditioned for it physically and mentally. The car is not the same mechanically or exactly what you're doing behind the wheel, but just doing something and staying in that racing mentality helps, so that I'm not taking months off throughout the year."

Yarbrough hopes to kick off his Allen Turner Pro Late Model Series season with a strong showing on Friday to build momentum on the Road to the Snowflake.

"Of course, I want to win, and I think that's very possible. There are some good cars signed up. [Jake] Finch is always strong there, but we really want to win. If we can't do that, I think a top three would be pretty good as well.

"Last year didn't go exactly the way we wanted it to. We were kind of plagued with bad luck, but I think we've got a lot of those kinks worked out and we should have a good fight for the championship this year."

Fans can watch Friday's Road to the Snowflake opener live on RacingAmerica.TV, with coverage starting at 8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. ET. Click here to subscribe to RacingAmerica.TV and watch Friday's racing from Five Flags Speedway.

-Photo credit: Rory Malloy/Luke Yarbrough Racing