The bright lights of the Five Flags Speedway technical inspection shed can make mincemeat of any driver’s spirit.
The tiny confines, sitting just inside the turn 3 guardrail at the Pensacola, Florida raceway, has been home to many heartbreaks in recent years.
Drivers, big and local divisions, have endured the nightmares of crossing the finish line first, only to have a disqualification be their demise after being initially declared the winner.
Drivers for the Kyle Busch Motorsports Late Model team know that pain all too well. Just ask Christopher Bell, a KBM driver, about the torture chamber he was put through last year — first in qualifying and then during the Derby when his apparent victory was tossed out.
Thankfully, William Byron avoided that misery.
Byron was given a clean bill of health and he successfully headed to his pits as the official polesitter for the 49th annual Snowball Derby on Sunday. Byron, a seven-time winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this year, stood head and shoulders above a group of 56 other cars in short-track racing’s most exciting two laps.
“It’s a good feeling. I was just hoping we could get through ‘tech’ and celebrate,” Byron said with a smile on his face. “This was just a great job done by this team and I’m looking forward to the rest of the weekend.”
Bell, Byron’s teammate, is back this year and qualified sixth for Sunday’s 300-lap Super Late Model race that is regarded as one of short-track racing’s most prestigious events.
Byron, a Charlotte, North Carolina area driver, posted a fast lap of 16.201 seconds, which was less than a tenth off the track record that was set by Ty Majeski at last year’s Snowball Derby.
The last driver to win the Derby from the pole came in 2005 when local hero Eddie Mercer ended his long quest and finally hoisted the Tom Dawson trophy.
Majeski backed up his performance in 2015 with another great run to finish second in qualifying. He will started on the outside of Byron on row 1 for the Derby on Sunday.
“You always want a fast time,” Majeski said, “and I definitely wanted to back up what we were able to do last year. We just came a little short.
“We’ve had good runs all year long. We wanted to travel down south more this year. We struggled at first, but I think we’ve figured out some things. I hope it continues.”
Senoia, Georgia’s Bubba Pollard is another driver hoping his weekend continues to blossom. Pollard, a heavy favorite to end his winless drought at the Derby, qualified fourth (16.257 seconds) and will start on the outside of Dawsonville, Georgia’s Spencer Davis (16.247) in row 2.
“We’re happy with it,” Pollard said near the tech shed. “I didn’t know where we’d be able to qualify with this car, and I’m really surprised by it.
“We struggled when we came to test, but it feels like we’ve fixed it.”
Modifieds
Korey Ruble proved on day 2 of the 49th Annual Snowball Derby what many short-track drivers across the southeast already knew.
He’s as good a wheelman as there is.
The 31 year old from Headland, Alabama, bided his time for most of the 50-lap Modifieds feature before turning on the afterburners late to capture his first career Derby crown.
“We had a pretty good car the whole race,” Ruble said. “I kept saving tires, saving tires because I knew a caution would come out. We had a little extra there at the end. Everybody on this team came through tonight.”
Ruble, who started seventh in the 34-car field, finished second last year and was determined to not let anything or anyone stand in his way of a championship Friday night.
With 36 laps complete, the field was forced to restart after the third caution of the night came out. When then-leader Joe Aramendia spun his tires as the field came to the green, it opened the door for Jeff Choquette and Ruble running second and third, respectively.
While Choquette initially took the lead from Aramendia, Ruble was shot out of a cannon and refused to wilt away. He snatched the lead from Choquette by blowing past him on the outside going into turn 4 on lap 37, avenging last year’s near miss at the Modifieds Derby.
“It always means a lot to me to win, but, c’mon, this is the Derby,” said Ruble, whose career has been highlighted by high-profile late model wins at short-tracks across Alabama and started on the pole for the Snowflake 100 in 2006.
Aramendia, who won the Modifieds season finale earlier this year at Five Flags, passed Choquette late to claim runner-up honors. Choquette, who will also compete in both the Snowflake 100 for Pro Late Models and Sunday’s Derby for Super Late Models, took home third.
“We just needed more time with it,” Choquette said. “We’ve, obviously, been focusing on the Snowball and Snowflake, so this was just an excuse to have fun. I’m glad to come out of here and keep it all in one piece.”
Super Stocks
Central Florida invaded Five Flags Speedway on Friday, and had little trouble flexing their muscles on the Upside of Florida.
A slew of Super Stock drivers from around the Orlando area were a part of a deep 25-car field at Pensacola’s high banks for the Super Stocks Snowball Derby.
George Gorham led most of the race, but needed a late-race miscue by Corbitt Moseley to reclaim the lead with just two laps left in the 50 lapper.
Gorham took advantage and never looked back to win his first career Super Stocks Derby title.
“This is awesome,” Gorham said. “This is easily the biggest win of my career. I came here with my wife, kid and two other guys. And it has been all hands on deck to get it done tonight.”
Bruce Bennett, Jr. finished as the runner-up and Mosley rounded out the podium.
From the drop of the opening green flag, Gorham showed a desire to get to the front from his starting spot in fourth.
He was second after a few laps and hot in pursuit of polesitter Jason Vail. Gorham finally took the lead on lap 16 and was in firm control until the night’s first caution flew with 27 laps complete.
Moseley, who began the race in sixth, climbed up to second with 16 laps remaining and began to stalk Gorham for the lead in the subsequent laps.
Following a poor restart by Gorham, Moseley assumed the lead on lap 35. But on lap 45, Moseley spun by his lonesome coming down the front stretch and slammed into the inside wall.
It breathed new life into Gorham, who drove back into clean air and never looked back down the stretch.
“We were a little loose on the tail end, but hats off to (Gorham),” Moseley said. “He ran a heckuva race.”
Action returns to the Pensacola high banks on Saturday, as the Pro Late Models move into the spotlight for the Snowflake 100. Also on tap is the 50-lap Last Chance Qualifying Race for the Snowball Derby, along with a 50-lap feature for the Pro Truck division.
On Sunday, all eyes move to the Super Late Models and the 49th annual Snowball Derby.
For more information, visit 5FlagsSpeedway.com.
5 Flags Speedway – Pensacola, FL
Snowball Derby – Dec. 2, 2016
Friday’s Qualifying Results
(Top 30 locked in on time)
1. 9B William Byron, Charlotte, NC, 16.201
2. 91 Ty Majeski, Seymour, WI, 16.241
3. 29 Spencer Davis, Dawsonville, GA, 16.247
4. 26 Bubba Pollard, Senoia, GA, 16.257
5. 4 Kyle Plott, Marietta, GA, 16.282
6. 51 Christopher Bell, Norman, OK, 16.308
7. 5G Noah Gragson, Las Vegas, 16.318
8. 7 Casey Roderick, Lawrenceville, GA, 16.319
9. 07 Corey Lajoie, Cornelius, NC, 16.326
10. 97 Cole Anderson, Northfield, MN, 16.327
11. 3 Kaz Grala, Westbrough, MA, 16.363
12. 15 Christian Eckes, Cornelius, NC, 16.366
13. 9 Jeff Choquette, West Palm Beach, 16.394
14. 14 Chris Davidson, Pearland, TX, 16.403
15. 67 Clay Jones, Mooresville, NC, 16.404
16. 16 Brandon McReynolds, Mooresville, NC, 16.417
17. 12 Harrison Burton, Huntersville, NC, 16.425
18. 43T Derek Thorn, Bakersfield, CA, 16.429
19. 5 Jerry Artuso, Sault Ste Marie, ONT, 16.433
20. 8 John Hunter Nemechek, Mooresville, NC, 16.442
21. 98 Daniel Hemric, Mooresville, NC, 16.446
22. 42 Chad Finley, Dewitt, MI, 16.448
23. 2W Donnie Wilson, OKC, OK, 16.451
24. 83 Scotty Ellis, Forsyth, GA, 16.457
25. 77 Zane Smith, Huntington Beach, CA, 16.460
26. 26S Chandler Smith, Jasper, GA, 16.468
27. 99 Casey Smith, Austin, TX, 16.472
28. 82 Grant Enfinger, Montrose, AL, 16.474
29. 112 Augie Grill, Hayden, AL, 16.484
30. 01 Derek Scott, Franklin, TX, 16.496
