December 1, 2024

With the 57th Annual Snowball Derby now just one week away, it seems like a fitting time to start coming up with some thoughts and predictions on how everything will play out.

Note that this story is all based on opinion, with these five predictions solely being my own personal thoughts on how the laps and stories will unfold throughout the week of the most prestigious pavement short track race of the year.

Also keep in mind that this is just for fun, folks. No offense is intended if I don’t pick one of your favorite drivers to win, claim a pole award, or accomplish any other sort of achievement.

With that being said, let’s start with my first prediction.

At least two cars will be disqualified in post-race tech.

It’s no secret that racers are always trying to find a competitive edge wherever they can. What might seem like minuscule or unimportant changes can add up to a big difference on track.

With that being said, the Snowball Derby in particular is an event that is no stranger to seeing these small exploitations get caught or snuffed out. Stephen Nasse in 2019 or Chase Elliott in 2013 could tell you that firsthand.

The tech shed at Five Flags Speedway doesn’t just acquire the nickname “The Room of Doom” for no reason.

I have zero clue what teams are doing from a mechanical standpoint this week, but I can say confidently that every racer in every division will be doing all they can to squeeze whatever potential performance they can get out of their chariots.

It’s one thing to say that one car will be caught post-race, so I’ll be bolder. I’m predicting that two cars will be caught. It might not be the winners necessarily, but I can see the running order being altered after the checkered flag waves on more than just one occasion this week.

Jake Finch and Augie Grill will battle for the lead of the Snowflake 100 at some point.

Now this thought is specific to the Pro Late Model Snowflake 100 on Saturday, not the Derby itself. However, it’s one that has been heavily prevalent in my mind.

Jake Finch has been one of the fastest drivers in the Southeast in 2024, particularly in his Ronnie Sanders Racing Pro Late Model. To his credit so far this year, he has won the Baby Rattler 125 at South Alabama Speedway and the Montgomery Motor Speedway Pro Late Model championship. Finch also won the most recent Pro Late Model event at Five Flags Speedway during the season finale weekend.

Add to those accolades the fact that this same Ronnie Sanders Racing crew won the Snowflake 100 last year with Hunter Robbins, and you start to see the puzzle pieces forming into a strong upcoming week for Jake Finch.

So why did I mention Augie Grill?

Augie Grill hasn’t been as prevalent in the Pro Late Model rounds this year, notably due to a cancer diagnosis in June that he publicly discussed in October. Grill announced the diagnosis after an emotional Pro Late Model victory at Montgomery.

Grill also ran up front in a few other Pro Late Model features at Montgomery, battling no other than Jake Finch. One race even saw Finch beat Grill to the line after a last lap bump-and-run maneuver. These two are no strangers to racing each other.

I believe the young gun and the veteran will meet on track again at Five Flags this week. There’s still more stories to tell.

The win mentioned earlier came with a change of perspective for Grill, where he wanted to prioritize being happy and having fun at the track above all else.

I don’t know what would make Grill happier than being in contention for his fourth Snowflake 100 win, but I also don’t see him being in contention without having to race Jake Finch for that trophy.

Speaking of the Snowflake 100, my next prediction also has something to do with the Pro Late Model event.

No drivers will claim the Snowflake 100 front row bonus.

Five Flags Speedway recently announced an incentive bonus for the front row starters of the Snowflake 100. If the polesitter or second-place starter elects to start in the rear of the field and go on to win the race, they stand to win $3,000 on top of the $10,000 winner purse. If both drivers start in the rear, that bonus money increases to $5,000 for the winner.

It’s been a point of discussion since its announcement, but simply put—I don’t see how it’s a feasible challenge.

Pro Late Models don’t have quite the same amount of power under the hood as their Super Late Model counterparts, making it somewhat harder to pass.

It’s also only a 100-lap race. This isn’t the 300-lap Super Late Model feature on Sunday where drivers will have all afternoon to work through the field. The Pro Late Model field will be on a much shorter timetable.

That’s not even mentioning how wrecks can often be hard to avoid around Five Flags. We see big restart pileups and multi-car incidents all the time. Add that to the list of obstacles for any driver electing to start in the rear and work their way up.

As such, I don’t know if either of the front row starters will elect to take on the challenge. If they do, I personally don’t see either car making it all the way through the field.

If I’m proven wrong, however, then that accomplishment is absolutely deserving of a bonus. After all, it is supposed to be a challenge.

Kaden Honeycutt will win at least one feature this week.

Texas native Kaden Honeycutt is slated to compete in four divisions during the week of this year’s Snowball Derby. The recently-crowned 2024 CARS Tour Pro Late Model champion and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor will be piloting cars in the Super Late Model, Pro Late Model, Pro Truck, and Modifieds of Mayhem divisions.

Honeycutt ran all four cars during the Snowball Derby Preview practice sessions, topping the charts in every division’s “Money Run” except for the Modified class, where he placed second.

With that much speed shared between four separate types of cars, the argument could be made that perhaps Honeycutt might not be focusing on one specific car as much as he could, however I believe that seat time is still seat time.

Surely though, more laps around a track will provide more speed and knowledge. Those are two qualities that are much needed at Five Flags Speedway, especially during Derby Week. I think it’s safe to say that Honeycutt has added a good portion of either quality into his overall skill set.

I don’t know what car it will be in, but I think there’s good reason to count Kaden Honeycutt as a contender for any feature he races in. But for the Super Late Model Snowball Derby on Sunday, there’s one driver that stands out to me as a clear favorite.

Ty Majeski will win the 57th Annual Snowball Derby.

Ty Majeski has a massive list of accomplishments in the racing world. Just this year, he won his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship.

2023 was a somewhat similarly successful year for Majeski, winning the ASA STARS National Tour championship and of course, the 56th Annual Snowball Derby.

With that Derby win last year, Majeski joined elite company in being a multi-time Snowball Derby winner. You don’t join names like Rich Bickle, Bobby Gill, Augie Grill, and more without being an elite racer.

Also in Majeski’s favor lies the victory he just earned this past weekend in the Bill Bigley Sr. Memorial 128 at Freedom Factory. Call it recency bias, but momentum can often follow week-to-week in this sport.

Everything just seems to be going right for Majeski right now. All cylinders are firing. I think this week will see that trend continue, with Ty Majeski being the victor of the 57th Annual Snowball Derby when it’s all said and done.

Liberty Racing Review’s coverage of the 57th Annual Snowball Derby is presented by Patriot Media & Marketing Solutions.

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Cover photo: Reid Scott / Liberty Racing Review