Ticket Sales Ahead of Schedule, Entries Pouring In and Anticipation for the Derby Is Building

51 Sports/Snowball Derby PR
The crisp Autumn air may make some think that the racing season is drawing to a close, but the buzz surrounding the one big race that annually knocks the chill from the air and provides the hottest short track action is rapidly growing. The 42nd Annual Snowball Derby weekend, December 2-6th at Pensacola, Florida’s Five Flags Speedway is circled on the calendars of short track teams throughout the country and fans in the Pensacola area and beyond are already excited for the most prestigious short track racing weekend in the country.

The buzz is so great this year that advance ticket sales and race team entries into the 300-lap Snowball Derby Super Late Model event on Sunday, December 6th and the Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 Pro Late Model feature on Saturday, December 5th are well above typical levels thus far.

“Our regular season is now over and we’re now full speed ahead for the 42nd annual Snowball Derby,” said Tim Bryant, Promoter of Five Flags Speedway and the Snowball Derby. “We are staying pretty busy. Tickets sales are moving along pretty well. We are actually a lit bit ahead of schedule compared to last year.

“The entries continue to come in as well. Right now, we are at 40 or so in both the Snowball and Snowflake. We also know of a lot of guys who are coming who are yet to file their entries. I think we will have one of the healthiest fields of Late Models in the past decade.”

While the official entry list will be announced in the coming weeks, the big names that are expected to be there, including two-time defending Snowball Derby winner Augie Grill, 2009 Blizzard Series Champion Johanna Long, two-time Derby champion Bobby Gill and more big names from the short track world are already drawing numerous fans to Five Flags Speedway’s box office for their tickets to the 42nd Annual event.

“We have some good tickets left and when we remove all of the haulers out of the infield on Sunday for the Snowball Derby, visibility is great from any seat in the house. The higher rows and aisle seats are always the first ones to go and hardest ones to get. People tend not to give those seats up. Seats are going fast and we have not had an actual sellout here for the Derby, but we were very close last year and sales are going pretty well this year.”

Fans in town for the Snowball Derby are encouraged to call any of the preferred accomodations listed on the offical site of the event, www.snowballderby.com, but those fans with motorhomes and campers who have not already reserved a camping spot for Snowball Derby weekend should get one quickly.

“Camping and racing has become nothing short of phenomenal. All of our on site campground spaces have been sold out this year, but we have a nice overflow lot down the street at the fairgrounds with full hook-ups. People can catch a shuttle that goes and comes to the track thought the day. We have had some fans that have experienced that and prefer that rather than staying at the track.”

While more announcements regarding the Snowball Derby weekend are forthcoming, Bryant and the staff at Five Flags Speedway are continuously looking for more ways to improve the already spectacular Snowball Derby festivities.

“We are always tweaking on things a little bit. We find way to make our program move a little more smoothly. We have adjusted the schedule just a bit and think that it will help relieve some of the congestion that we have had in the pit area in the past.”

The 42nd Annual Snowball Derby weekend kicks off on Wednesday, December 2nd with the Fifth Annual Cat Country 98.7/WEAR-TV Green Flag Party at Five Flags Speedway. Fans will be able to meet their favorite drivers and enjoy live music, food, drinks and other fun activities at the track. On-track action starts on Thursday, December 3rd with practice for the Snowball Derby and Allen Turner Snowflake 100 cars as well as feature events for Sportsmen and Bombers. Friday, December 4th is WXBM Pole Night for the 42nd Annual Snowball Derby, featuring Super Late Model qualifying and features for the Modifieds and Super Stocks.

The Allen Turner Snowflake 100 Pro Late Models will take center stage on Saturday, December 5th, with qualifying and the green flag for the 100-lap feature. Last-chance qualifying events for the Snowball Derby Super Late Models will also be held on Saturday.

Then on Sunday, December 6th, it’s the 42nd Annual Snowball Derby, where the best racers in the country will take to Five Flags Speedway for 300 grueling laps.

Tickets and camping spaces are available by calling the Five Flags Speedway box office at (850) 944-8400 and order forms can be found online at www.snowballderby.com.

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