Haeden Plybon Files First Entry for 58th Annual Snowball Derby

While Haeden Plybon is in the middle of his summer tour of Super Late Model racing, he is already thinking about the 36-hour trip to Pensacola, Florida, for the 58th Annual Snowball Derby in December.

Plybon is fresh off a big win at Stateline Speedway (ID) in May and he’s looking to another big race in the Summer Showdown at Evergreen Speedway (WA) later this month. Plybon is racing in the moment in the Northwest right now, but he was the first driver to enter the event this year as he will be returning to chase the Tom Dawson Trophy for the fourth consecutive year.

“We wanted to get the entry out of the way early, and that way we can race and worry about December later on,” said Plybon. “I can say we are eager to get back to Five Flags, we qualified well in 2024, and we had good speed, but a shock issue got us behind and we could never recover.”

Plybon does not fly to the Snowball Derby. He drives the team transporter across the 2500-mile, 36-hour stretch from Spokane, Washington, to Pensacola, Florida.

“It’s a goal for us to go and race against the best,” added Plybon. “You kinda get tired on the drive thinking, man, this is long. Then I think about Five Flags, and how much I like that place. I know it's worth it. When you pull into the pits, there you are racing against the best of the best.”

While he’s locked down big wins in the Northwest like the Idaho 200 and the Idaho 208, the Snowball Derby would be a lofty goal, and a fellow West Coast driver, Derek Thorn, won the race a few years back with a California-based team. That helped open the door for drivers from all over to dream of a win in Pensacola.

Plybon’s efforts are not done alone. The team sells “Snowball” packages for sponsors, family, and friends to add to the car and help get the young Super Late Model ace across the country. Plybon also receives support from primary sponsors like RaceCals.

By being one of the first entries for the Snowball Derby Plybon is eligible for the Snowball Derby Package that includes: 2025 SBD Early Entry Prize Package: a Simpson Fire Suit, Pair of Simpson Gloves, Set of Simpson Seat Belts, a Holley Carburetor, a Complete MSD Ignition Tray, a Hans IV Device, one Set of Hoosier Tires and 25 Gallons of Sunoco Fuel. Drivers can still enter for this drawing until August 1st.

For more information on the Snowball Derby, visit www.5FlagsSpeedway.com.

-Five Flags Speedway Release
-Photo credit: Will Bellamy