How Snowball Derby Qualifying Works
It's the most dramatic time trials in short track racing
Snowball Derby
There are only four drivers on the premises who are guaranteed a starting spot in the 54th Snowball Derby and that comes as a huge relief to defending winner Ty Majeski, Jake Garcia as champion of both the Southern Super Series and Blizzard Series, and Stephen Nasse by virtue of being runner-up to Garcia in both of those Super Late Model championships.
The legendary Rich Bickle is closing out his career on Sunday and track operator Tim Bryant has guaranteed the five-time Snowball Derby winner a starting spot should he otherwise not make it into the show.
Due to their accomplishments, the quartet will make the Super Bowl of Short Track Racing regardless of their respective qualifying efforts on Friday night. That means just four of the 51 drivers set to take two timed laps know their Sunday plans.
For everyone else though, this is the most dramatic time trials session in all of motorsports.
The session will lock-in the top-30 based on qualifications. Two provisional starting spots will also be awarded to the Southern Super Series and track champion, thus Garcia and Nasse. If those two drivers qualify inside the top-30, the provisionals will be awarded to the next highest finishing driver in track and touring series points.
If needed, Majeski would make the field as a 37th entry if he is unable to make the show on time. If needed, Bickle would make the field as a 37th or 38th entry, if he is unable to make the show on time and depending on the status of Majeski.
After that, starting positions 31-34 will be earned by the top four finishers from the 50-lap last chance showdown on Saturday afternoon.
"The most intensity that we’ll feel all weekend may very well be in the couple of hours that precede Friday night’s pole position qualifying," says Bryant.
It never fails that every year a surprise driver fails gets bumped. Last year, it was Bubba Pollard, who failed to make the show but had his track championship to fall back on.
Meanwhile, the likes of Chase Elliott, Noah Gragson, Connor Okrzesik, Kodie Conner and Augie Grill were all bumped to the last chance race.
You can feel the mood in the air. Drivers, typically affable and personable, go stoic and stone-faced as they wait in line and watch the first couple of cars go out.
Not even two-time and defending pole winner Derek Thorn is immune to the pressure.
"You go into like a trance," Thorn said. "I don’t talk to anyone. You just sit in the car and you make sure you’re ready to go. You can’t give up a single tenth – not against this field."
Drivers need to be careful to not get disqualified for a simple mistake, too. Last year, Chandler Smith had his qualifying times disallowed because he had a cell phone in his car to watch lap times, something that is not permitted. He started last in the last chance but raced his way into the main event.
Derek Griffith is seeking to make his fourth consecutive appearance in the race, but he has never qualified well at the Florida half-mile. He has started to better than 20th and needed to advance via the last chance race last year.
"I know what I need in a race car to race well, but I struggle with qualifying, especially here sometimes," Griffith said. "You see sometimes a guy runs a line that doesn’t make any sense and they’re three-tenths faster than you.
"A little bit nervous but as long as we make it in, that’s all that counts."
SNOWBALL DERBY QUALIFYING ORDER
- 122 Mike Garvey
- 9 Brad May
- 45 Rich Bickle
- 53 Cole Butcher
- 51 Stephen Nasse
- 4 Kyle Plott
- 78 Corey Heim
- 53 Boris Jurkovic
- 51 Jake Finch
- 4 Erik Jones
- 91 Ty Majeski
- 69 Michael Hinde
- 18 Hunter Robbins
- 2 John Bolen
- 88 Perry Patino
- 1 Michael House
- 21 Derek Kraus
- 36 Dan Fredrickson
- 96 Kaden Honeycutt
- 21 Jesse Love
- 21 Jeff Choquette
- 43 Daniel Dye
- 45 Kodie Conner
- 43 Derek Thorn
- 51 Michael Atwell
- 4 Luke Fenhaus
- 23 Eddie Van Meter
- 6cr Ryan Preece
- 9 Brandon Watson
- 14 Carson Hocevar
- 22 Sammy Smith
- 7 John DeAngelis
- 08 Jace Hansen
- 25 Jeff Storm
- 10 Ryan Crane
- 81 Jett Noland
- 44 Jeremy Doss
- 26 Bubba Pollard
- 7 Paul Shafer Jr.
- 26 Chandler Smith
- 32 Grant Enfinger
- 13 Cassius Clark
- 54 Matt Craig
- 12G Derek Griffith
- 35 Jake Garcia
- 62 Lee Tissot
- 24 Mason Diaz
- 5 Casey Johnson
- 48 Preston Peltier
- 25 Casey Roderick
- 79 Kyle Bryant