William Byron leads stout NASCAR contingent at Snowball Derby
Cup Series title contender William Byron leads a stout lineup of NASCAR drivers who have entered this year’s 56th annual Snowball Derby.
Byron, who led the Cup Series in wins this season (six) and made his first appearance in the Championship 4, is among the 53 entries so far for next weekend’s prestigious Super Late Model event.
The 300-lap 56th annual Snowball Derby is scheduled for Dec. 1-3 at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., a half-mile paved oval track.
Byron, who drives the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, was the youngest of the Championship 4 drivers at 25 years old and with his first opportunity to win a title.
He won the pole for the season finale at Phoenix, led 63 laps but ended up fourth in the race and third among the Championship 4 contenders as Ryan Blaney won his first series title.
Byron has competed in the Snowball Derby before, with a best finish of eighth in 2015.
Other drivers with Cup experience who are entered in the event include Erik Jones, who competes for Legacy Motor Club; Carson Hocevar, who will compete in 2024 with Spire Motorsports; Ryan Preece, who drives for Stewart-Haas Racing; and Noah Gragson, who has yet to secure a ride for next season.
Among the other NASCAR regulars who have entered the event are William Sawalich, Derek Kraus, Sammy Smith, Jake Garcia, Ty Majeski and Connor Jones. Treyten Lapcevich, the 2023 NASCAR Canada Series champion, is also entered.
Two-time ARCA West champion Derek Thorn won the event last season, Chandler Smith in 2021, Majeski in 2020, Gragson in 2018 and Jones is a two-time winner (2012 and 2013).
Past Snowball Derby Winners
1968 Wayne Niedecken
1969 Friday Hassler
1970 Wayne Niedecken
1971 Dickie Davis
1972 Ed Howe
1973 Dickie Davis
1974 Pete Hamilton
1975 Donnie Allison
1976 Darrell Waltrip
1977 Ronnie Sanders
1978 Dave Mader III
1979 Freddy Fryar
1980 Gary Balough
1981 Freddy Fryar
1982 Gene Morgan
1983 Mickey Gibbs
1984 Butch Lindley
1985 Jody Ridley
1986 Gary Balough
1987 Butch Miller
1988 Ted Musgrave
1989 Rick Crawford
1990 Rich Bickle Jr
1991 Rich Bickle Jr
1992 Gary St Amant
1993 Bobby Gill
1994 Tammy Jo Kirk
1995 Jeff Purvis
1996 Rich Bickle Jr
1997 Bobby Gill
1998 Rich Bickle Jr
1999 Rich Bickle Jr
2000 Gary St Amant
2001 Wayne Anderson
2002 Ricky Turner
2003 Charlie Bradberry
2004 Steven Wallace
2005 Eddie Mercer
2006 Clay Rogers
2007 Augie Grill
2008 Augie Grill
2009 Kyle Busch
2010 Johanna Long
2011 Chase Elliott
2012 Erik Jones
2013 Erik Jones
2014 John Hunter Nemechek
2015 Chase Elliott
2016 Christian Eckes
2017 Kyle Busch
2018 Noah Gragson
2019 Travis Braden
2020 Ty Majeski
2021 Chandler Smith
2022 Derek Thorn
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