Craving hot racing action in the dead of winter? Look no further than the 57th annual Snowball Derby in Pensacola, Florida. The 300-lap short track event has operated at Five Flags Speedway since 1968, spanning five days from December 4 to 8. The event will feature Super and Pro Late Model contenders, but only one will take home the Tom Dawson Trophy. There are many speculations regarding which contender will achieve this and secure the 50,000 purse prize. However, there are several top NASCAR contenders to watch out for.
Snowball Derby Contender Odds
With top contenders on the radar for the Snowball Derby, this begs the question of which will reign supreme. The first name on the list that comes to mind is Xfinity/ARCA Menards East driver Bubba Pollard. Pollard is returning to the Late Model as the first entry in the race for the 19th consecutive year. He is eyeing the win after a disappointing run in 2023 landed a 19th finish. Another is Cup Series driver Noah Gragson, who won in 2018 and is shooting his shot with Rette-Jones Racing for a repeat. A few others to watch include Ryan Preece and William Sawalich as part of the Kevin Harvick Inc. parlay.
Preece was close enough to taste victory, finishing fourth at the 2023 Snowball Derby, but is still itching for a win. Yet, most are eager to see how Ty Majeski will fare, considering he’s already won the Tom Dawson trophy twice in four years. Should he win a third, he’ll join retired Cup driver Rich Bickle as the second driver in Snowball Derby History to win multiple trophies. Last, Xfinity driver and 2022 trophy holders Chandler Smith, Derek Thorn, and Stephen Nasse are all in for the Snowflake 100 on the eve of the main event.
The Return of Kaden Honeycutt
Though many returning Pro Late Racing Model entries are returning, all eyes are on Craftsman driver Kaden Honeycutt. After a three-year hiatus and four previous failed attempts, Honeycutt will return to pilot the No. 21 with Jett Motorsports. Honeycutt yielded his best results in 2020 when he qualified on the outside pole but finished fifth after being blindsided by David Thorn. Super late-model cars and short-track racing are strangers to the 21-year-old, but he has work cut out to overpower Ty Majeski. Majeski. Majeski, who claimed his second pole, is known for being fast on the track, and 2024 will be no exception.
Even so, Kaden Honeycutt holds an advantage, recently competing in and earning his first Pro Late Model title in North Carolina in October. He neglected to make it outside the top five in the 2024 Pro Late Model Season but redeemed himself in North Carolina at Tri-County and North Wilkesboro Speedways to close the season. Without question, Honeycutt has proven he has what it takes to rise from the ashes, and the Pro Late Model Season redemption is the prime example. Will he finally be able to achieve success at the event that has eluded him in the past? It sure looks like it is based on these odds.
Final Thoughts
The 57th annual Snowball Derby is on the horizon, but which of the Pro Late and Super Late Model contenders will take home the famed Tom Dawson trophy? Odds point to reigning two-time champion Ty Majeski, known for being one of the event’s top contenders. Still, with the return of Kaden Honeycutt, it’s possible there could be a toss-up between the two, but fans remain optimistic. Bubba Pollard also focuses on the prize, returning to the Snowball Derby for the 19th consecutive year.
Pollard is finally hoping to secure a win and has been close enough to taste the glory of the checkered flag, but 2023’s 19th finish doesn’t make this notion feasible. Will Kaden Honeycutt surprise everyone or will Ty Majeski win for the third consecutive year? Tune into the Flo Racing Network for a chance to see the action-packed showdown take place live.
