Snow Ball Derby 300

[Chris]

IN an effort to keep everyone up to date on racing...
I was curious if anyone would be checking out the SnowBall Derby held on Pensacola FL this weekend..
This is Johanna Long's home track where she has several track championships.  (You'll remember her from CWTS and NNS races this season)
IMO she is the best female driver running in any NASCAR series currently.  IF she had some good equipment, and seat time I think she's gonna be real good.

This race always draws a premier field of short track races for the Super Late Model race.
Of course Johanna Long is entered... along with Landon Cassill, David Stremme, David Ragan,Ryan Sieg,Jeff Fulta, and  and a Kyle Busch Motorsports entry.
Other well known and successful Late Model drivers entered are Chase Elliott, Dave Mader (1978 winner), Eddie Mercer (2005 winner), Mike Garvey, Augie Grill (winner 2007 - 2008), Tim Steele, Clay Rogers (2006 winner),  Grant Enfinger among others.
http://5flagsspeedway.com/

The last couple years I believe they have had a live internet feed of the race... it is always a great show.
This race has a lot of tradition, and has been won by some great race car drivers...  They include
Donnie, Allison, Friday Hassler, Pete Hamilton, Darrell Waltrip, Butch Lindley, Jody Ridley, Butch Miller, Ted Musgrave, Rick Crawford, Rich Bickle, Gary St Amant, Bobby Gill, Jeff Purvis, and Steven Wallace.  Tammy Jo Kirk also won this event.

The race is at 2 pm EST on Sunday
There is racing all weekend... and the Pro Late Model SnowFlake 100 will be ran on Saturday night.  There is about 60 entries for EACH event.. so just to MAKE the field is an accomplishment

[Tyyrus]

If I make it back from Deer Camp Chris I intend to watch the Race via the Web !

[Chris]

Glad SOMEONE found my post .... not sure why I posted it down in the "Open Wheels" section.. dduuhhh
I been trying to keep up with what is going on down there.. seems Speed51.com may have the live web feed.  I'm not quite sure yet.
Previously I meant to point out that Kyle Busch won this event last year.... adding to the famous winners list.

Cale Gale has won THIS years pole, and 33 drivers are locked in to this years race...  the last chance race is today
Johanna Long won the pole in 2009

Notable starters
4th - Johanna Long
5th - Grant Enfinger
9th - Landon Cassill
10th - Chase Elliott
12th - TJ Riade (KBM entry)
17th - David Stremme
18th - Augie Grill
22nd - Eddie Mercer
29th - David Ragan
30th - Dave Mader

Gale won the pole with a new track record... and just 4/10 of a second separated the pole from 32nd.

ON the schedule today is this:
2 pm - Snow Flake 100 Qualifying... lock in top 30
4 pm - last chance race for Snow Ball Derby - top 4 finishers from 21 remaining - 50 laps
5 pm - two last chance races for Snow Flake 100 - top 2 finishers from each race - 25 laps each
7 pm - Snow Flake 100 - I am thinking this could also be on internet

[Chris]

If you are not at the track, you can listen to Speed 51 Radio on RaceTalkRadio.com.  Tonight's coverage will begin at 7pm

[Chris]

Chase Elliott wins the 2010 Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100.
Elliott was 2nd faster qualifier, but failed post qualifying tech for being too low... he came from 31st to the win.
Chase had 13 wins this season at the ripe old age of 15... this is a chip off the old block, and if all goes well we'll see this kid in some sort of NASCAR ride in a few years.
Elliott starts 10th in Sundays SnowBall Derby

[Montvale]

 That's great! He has been good all year. Has a good teacher.
 I hope he does as well as his day did. Always my favorite.

[Chris]

Snow Ball Derby is 1/2 way over... Elliott is showing the way again today

[Chris]

Well the win was right there in front of Chase Elliott.
Donnie Wilson was leading with 5 laps to go.  Chase Elliott second, and Landon Cassill running 3rd.  Wilson was on older tires, and Elliott had newer tires than the leader.
As they came back to green, Cassill dove under Elliott and spun him putting him into the wall.

Rules require the final 5 laps to be ran under green (although not necessarily consecutive)
On the next restarts it was Wilson, Cassill, Casey Smith, Mason Mingus, Casey Roderrick, the top 5.... 6th threw 10th was Johanna Long, David Stremme, Scott Hanz, Bubba Pollard, and Travis Kittleson
At the drop of the green, Mingus gets spun, also involved were Roderick. 

Still 5 laps to go, and Wilson leads, Cassill second,
Cassill moved Wilson out of the lead,... Long has the freshest tires of the top 5.. Long make a move for the lead, Cassill makes a chop block, and Long gets into Cassiill spinning him..
I guess what goes around comes around.  Cassill spun Elliott putting him out of the race,.. then he gets turned by a much faster Long
Long ends up winning...  Glad to see her win THIS year after she SHOULD of won last year.
She was leading with one lap to go last year when Ross Kenseth sent her spinning, and Kyle Busch went on to win.

Top 5 was
1. Johanna Long
2. Donnie Wilson
3. Scott Hantz
4. Landon Cassill
5. Dennis Schoenfeld

Congrats to Johanna Long.. Look forward to seeing her more in the NASCAR series in 2011

[Tyyrus]

I got back from Deer Camp just in time for the final few laps , what happened to David Ragan  ?  27th out of 37 Cars ?

[Chris]

Ragan was involved in a crash..
The first 100 laps went well with only two yellows... the next 100 laps was a disaster with numerous crashes and cars eliminated
YOu can go to Ralktalkradio.com  or Speed51.com and there is a complete replay of the race that you can listen to.