The 56th annual Snowball Derby at 5 Flags Speedway saw intense racing with lead changes and crashes. Preston Peltier won the last chance qualifying race, but Carson Kvapil was disqualified. Bubba Pollard and Ty Majeski were among the leaders throughout the race. With less than 100 laps to go, Stephen Nasse took the lead, but Bubba Pollard also led at one point. The race ended in dramatic fashion with a crash involving Pollard and Nasse, allowing Ty Majeski to claim his second Snowball Derby win in four years.
Pollard in the Frost 🎄❄️ #SaffasAbroad https://t.co/tUevTgkKXN
It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours for @TrBraden, who finished third in the #SnowballDerby. Today, Braden will serve as the spotter for @WatchGavanRace in the #Snowflake100. I talked to him about that, @JeffGordonWeb congratulating him, and the family nature at @TeamHendrick: https://t.co/dk8JajA18x
We are about to have some #Snowflake100 qualifying. @MaxJCookson is among those that is ready to take a lap. https://t.co/1saR2c96uu
Ty Majeski won his second Snowball Derby in the last four years on Sunday. https://t.co/PhTKZ48aDT
The 2023 Snowball Derby, short-track racing's Super Bowl, delivered glory for Ty Majeski. But it also left all-time great Bubba Pollard inconsolable, still waiting on his Dale Earnhardt moment. On an emotional night from Pensacola, for @theobserver: https://t.co/UfAte7wPrs
#SnowballDerby: @bubbapollard26 and @StephenNasse have experienced the thrill of victory countless times throughout their careers, however, they continually experience the agony of defeat in the Snowball Derby. The agony continued Sunday for both: https://t.co/8gA1rzu1WY
Ty Majeski claims second Snowball Derby victory after Stephen Nasse and Bubba Pollard crash racing for the win with seven to go https://t.co/zxkj0TjTio
Official: Ty Majeski clears technical inspection and is a two-time Snowball Derby winner
It’s official for @TyMajeski. He is the winner of the 56th #SnowballDerby https://t.co/m3vCgKOjco
Ty Majeski on winning a second Snowball Derby, staying out of Bubba and Stephen, this car and the brilliance of Toby Nuttleman. https://t.co/KnOdGvcVwY
What Bubba Pollard said about the Stephen Nasse crash https://t.co/SqOmuhKcAH
Ty Majeski drives away to his second Snowball Derby win in four years. Same car that Toby Nuttleman built out of a shed. Gio Ruggiero, Travis Braden podium Story is Stephen Nasse, Bubba Pollard crashing racing for the win in Turn 1 with seven laps to go. A lot to unpack.
Ty Majeski is the winner of the 56th #SnowballDerby at @5FlagsSpeedway!
Alright…. It’s now Majeski, Ruggiero, Braden… who ya got, now?!?! #SnowballDerby
It’s all over for Bubba Pollard. Unfortunate. #SnowballDerby https://t.co/AjHo253vsy
Pollard and Nasse head to pit road, work being done now. #SnowballDerby https://t.co/X0vSoQA1I4
What a damn race, and it’s still not over. Holy hell, folks. #SnowballDerby
Caution. Leaders crash at #ShowballDerby
Pollard to the inside, Nasse cuts down in and attempt to block, and they are both out of the battle for this win. Oh my god, #SnowballDerby
Pollard under Nasse and they both crash for the lead Wow
Nasse to the lead outright. Bubba Pollard follows through. Nasse, Pollard, Majeski 9 laps to go #SnowballDerby
Majeski and Nasse still side by side for the lead. Pollard lurking and ready to pounce. #SnowballDerby
Back to green at #SnowballDerby
This is a phenomenal battle between Nasse, Majeski and now Bubba Pollard who is there as well! Wow #SnowballDerby
Majeski and Nasse fighting tooth and nail for the lead, Majeski takes it, but Nasse comes back for some more. #SnowballDerby
Majeski trying to hold off Nasse Nasse under Majeski Side by side Still 15 to go
Looks like they lost half the field at the #SnowballDerby 😬
A lot of cleanup going on out here after that massive pileup. #SnowballDerby https://t.co/3eTwAYNMw6
MASSIVE CRASH! #SnowballDerby
Nasse-Majeski Pollard-Gragson Butcher-Thorn Who ya got here?!?! #SnowballDerby
Restart order Stephen Nasse Ty Majeski Bubba Pollard Noah Gragson Cole Butcher Derek Thorn William Byron Jake Finch Gio Ruggiero Hunter Robbins Treyten Lapcevich Matt Craig 282/300 restart
And caution when @luke_fenhaus goes around #SnowballDerby
25 to go Ty Majeski to the rear bumper of leader Stephen nasse Caution Luke Fenhaus off the nose of Erik Jones Nasse asks for silence, no lap times "I don't need to be getting nervous."
28 to go in the Snowball Derby Stephen Nasse Ty Majeski -.5 Bubba Pollard-2.25 Noah Gragson-4.41 "It's all out front, Stephen. Spread out."
Under 30 laps to go, Nasse holds a half second lead over Majeski. #SnowballDerby
40 to go in #SnowballDerby @StephenNasse leads @TyMajesk
38 to go .19 to a .27 Here comes Ty Majeski again on Stephen Nasse
40 laps left in the Snowball Derby Stephen Nasse leads Ty Majeski and Bubba Pollard They're nose to tail with a car length between each They are working traffic
This is just a really good Snowball Derby, y'all
Nasse knifes to the inside of Majeski, and he takes the lead. Pollard now looks to the inside of Majeski and he takes P2. But Majeski gives the chrome horn to Pollard and is back in second. #SnowballDerby
Nasse is on the rear bumper of Majeski for the lead now and Bubba Pollard has snuck back to these guys as well. This is shaping up to be an epic finish. #SnowballDerby
238/300 Nose to tail for the Snowball Derby lead Ty Majeski Stephen Nasse Bubba Pollard Nasse back to the leas Bubba under Ty for second
235/300 Stephen Nasse is there on Ty Majeski for the lead Nasse is just being read lap times
Majeski snagged the lead on the restart, Nasse sits second and Pollard has moved around Gragson for P3. #SnowballDerby
.@TyMajeski new leader at #SnowballDerby
".30 to his .38" Nasse is reeling Majeski back in for the lead Bubba Pollard clears Noah Gragson for third Passing all over the place
222/300 Ty Majeski to the lead on the restart around Stephen Nasse Another lead change Noah Gragson to third Bubba Pollard and Cole Butcher side by side behind Noah
Competition Caution. #SnowballDerby
Another competition caution means another chance for Bubba Pollard’s team to look for a cure to the ailments on his car. #SnowballDerby
207/300 Comp caution "Same thing. I think trackbar ... tight might have hurt it. Gained a hair of drive." Nasse Stephen Nasse Ty Majeski Bubba Pollard Noah Gragson Derek Thorn Cole Butcher Nasse said he bottoms out early in run
Less than 100 to go in the #SnowballDerby
Ty Majeski might catch Stephen Nasse for the lead before the comp
202/300 Next break in five laps Stephen Nasse Ty Majeski Bubba Pollard Noah Gragson Derek Thorn Cole Butcher
Majeski is feeling Nasse in for the lead. #SnowballDerby
Leader Stephen Nasse had fits laps Jacob Gomes Now a lap down, he isn't conceding to Bubba Pollard Pollard is furious about it A lot of cursing
Majeski gets by Pollard for P2. They’re still trying to get around Gomes. #SnowballDerby
.@RyanPreece_ on pit road and done at #SnowballDerby
173/300 Stephen Nasse Bubba Pollard Ty Majeski Noah Gragson Derek Thorn Cole Butcher William Byron Luke Fenhaus Erk Jones Gio Ruggiero Hunter Robbins Jake Finch
It took Nasse a few laps to lap past Gomes, which has brought Pollard back into the mix. Majeski is there as well. #SnowballDerby
As we’ve passed the halfway mark, Nasse has held off the challenge from Pollard for now. Pollard now trying to hang onto second with Majeski in his mirror. #SnowballDerby
152/300 Noah Gragson and William Byron have passed Michael Hinde They're coming Stephen Nasse Bubba Pollard Ty Majeski Derek Thorn Noah Gragson William Byron Michael Hinde Luke Fenhaus Erik Jones Gio Ruggiero
"Be smart, don't let him make you burn them up," Leader Stephen Nasse is told of Bubba Pollard 150/300 Ty Majeski around Derek Thorn "Coming back to halfway. Good pace." Nasse leads ".96 to a .91"
145/300 Stephen Nasse and Bubba Pollard nose to tail for the Snowball Derby lead ".70 to his .72." Derek Thorn and Ty Majeski closing Noah Gragson working on Michael Hinde still Good racing everywhere
New leader @StephenNasse at #SnowballDerby
Bubba Pollard all over Stephen Nasse for the lead. Man, that 26 car looks REALLY good. #SnowballDerby
140/300 "You see him in the mirror. It's five to Thorn." Stephen Nasse told Bubba Pollard is starting to pressure him for the lead "He's going to time it. Tight to your bumper."
Restart Stephen Nasse to the lead around Bubba Pollard Third leader of the race Derek Thorn looks under Ty Majeski Very competitive race early Noah Gragson peeking under Michael Hinde for P5
Nasse and Pollard make contact for the lead on the restart, Nasse to the lead! #SnowballDerby
123/300 Comp yello Bubba Pollard Stephen Nasse Ty Majeski Michael Hinde Derek Thorn Matt Craig Luke Fenhaus Noah Gragson Cole Butcher William Byron Erik Jones Jace Hansen Jacob Gomes Hunter Robbins Jake Finch Gio Ruggiero Trey Lapcevich Travis Braden Johnny Sauter John Bolen
Caution is out with 177 laps remaining. #SnowballDerby
Bubba Pollard laps Ryan Preece 121/300
Bubba Pollard is in his own zip code. He has gapped P2 by about a whole straightaway. Incredible performance for the 26 team so far. #SnowballDerby
100/300 Bubba Pollard driving away, 20 laps or so until the break Stephen Nasse under Derek Thorn for the lead
Thorn, working lapped traffic, is under fire from Stephen Nasse for P2. #SnowballDerby
90/300 Bubba Pollard leading the Snowball Derby, padding Derek Thorn in traffic and pulling away Stephen Nasse starting to pressure Thorn for second
New leader @bubbapollard26 at #SnowballDerby
Derek Thorn is not the leader — something that hasn’t happened much the last few years in the #SnowballDerby. Bubba Pollard is your new leader.
70/300 Derek Thorn has reached lapped traffic and Bubba Pollard is tucked in right behind him "Two back to Makeski," Andrea Pollard tells Bubba
58/300 Three car breakaway up front Derek Thorn, Bubba Pollard and Ty Majeski A little bit to Stephen Nasse and same distance back to Michael Hinde
48/300 Back to green Derek Thorn continues to lead over Ty Majeski, Bubba Pollard and Stephen Nasse Hunter Roobbibs is in a hornets nest Johanna is trying to get him through it and Lots of 'still there.' "Clear clear clear"
"Tell them Andrea, if they let him get away with it, we're going to do it too ... that shit ain't right." Bubba Pollard isn't pleased with Derek Thorn's restart He tells his sister to let race control know
Stephen Nasse takes fourth from Hinde, and we’re under caution after an incident. No. 7, Jackson Boone has crashed.
Majeski moved to second behind Thorn. Pollard back to P3, and he had to hold off a challenge from Michael Hinde for that spot. #SnowballDerby
28/300 Back to green Derek Thorn continues to lead Ty Majeski to second Michael Hinde to third ... actually Bubba Pollard holds him off for now "He's got pressure from Nasse," Andrea tells Bubba
Derek Thorn leads in the early going of this event. Bubba Pollard, still searching for his first #SnowballDerby win, is second and Ty Majeski sits 3rd. 283 laps to go.
Thorn immediately leads. Do I bring back the 'I will be here all day' counter? Bubba Pollard to second around Ty Majeski
GREEN FLAG for the 56th annual #SnowballDerby at @5FlagsSpeedway
ENGINES FIRED at 56th annual #SnowballDerby at @5FlagsSpeedway
Engines are fired!! For the 56th time, they’ll contest the #SnowballDerby at @5FlagsSpeedway! Let’s go!!
The pre-race festivities are in full swing here prior to the #SnowballDerby. This is a really, really amazing event. If you’ve never been to @5FlagsSpeedway, be like me and change that!
.@Carson_Kvapil disqualified from #SnowballDerby last chance qualifying race and will not run main event
Preston Peltier wins #SnowballDerby last chance qualifying race. He, @CarsonKvapil , John Boles and Timothy Watson all transfer to main event
Less than 20 to go in #SnowballDerby last chance race, @derek9kraus leading the way