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(Cover Photo Credit: Sean Gardner/Getty Images) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 31st Place – Kurt Busch – 485 pts 23XI RACING – TOYOTA (While multiple drivers did drive the 45, we've chosen to focus solely on Kurt Busch!) 20 Starts in 2022 – Unfortunately, Kurt Busch’s 2022 season was cut short due to a concussion. He crashed his car during qualifying at Pocono in July, and was unable to return for the remainder of the year. While he had already qualified for the playoffs by winning at Kansas earlier in the season, this would be the first time he did not compete in the playoffs since 2012. 13th Best Points per Race Average – Finishing 31st on the season really was only because of his inability to return after his concussion. When looking at the average number of points he earned per race – 24.15 points per race – that slots him in 13th of the Cup Series Charters. That puts him ahead of Erik Jones, Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, and others. 77 Stage Points in 2022 – Through his 20 races this year, Kurt Busch earned himself 77 stage points, meaning he finished a stage in the Top-10. This also included 2 stage wins – one at Kansas (where he went on to win), and the other at WWT-Gateway. +237 Pass Differential in 2022 – It’s important to note that this stat is slightly less complete than the drivers who competed in all 36 races. However, that only makes this stat more impressive. Of all the Cup Series Charters, Kurt Busch ranked 7th in this category. If he had stayed at that pace and completed all the races, his pass differential would have been approximately +427 – good enough for 2nd best. 776 Career Cup Series Races – Kurt Busch will finish his (full-time) career with 776 Cup Series races under his belt. Currently that slots him in at 13th all-time. The next current driver who has a chance of passing him is his brother, Kyle, but it will take him another 3.7 full-time seasons to catch him. Also, Kurt Busch did not rule out a part-time schedule once he has completely recovered from his concussion issues. Next year, 23XI Racing brings Tyler Reddick into the fold to drive the #45. Reddick will be featured in our series a little later on down the line. Kurt Busch did announce his retirement from full-time racing, but remains a part of the 23XI team in a consulting role for now. Special side note - Kurt Busch took a couple members of our team for a lap around Sonoma Raceway back in June - check out the video here! Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – Ty Dillon! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @StatChatRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

(Cover Photo Credit: James Gilbert/Getty Images) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 32nd Place – Corey LaJoie – 465 pts SPIRE MOTORSPORTS – CHEVROLET 24.31 Average Finish in 2022 – This was a career year for Corey LaJoie, as he earned his best ever average finish. LaJoie has been a full-time Cup driver since (essentially) 2017, and his average finish has improved every single year. Can he keep up the trend in 2023? 8 DNFs in 2022 – While he may have earned his best average finish this year, he also had the highest number of DNFs in a season in 2022. It was also tied for second-worst in the Cup Series this year. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who had 9 DNFs, was the only Cup driver to have more. However, LaJoie was not alone with 8, he tied with two other drivers. 5th Best Finish of 2022 – The lone Top-10 of LaJoie’s season came at Atlanta. This is surprising, as he has shown to be a contender at the Super Speedways. While after the repave/restructure, Atlanta races like a Super Speedway, it’s more surprising that he only finished in the Top-10 once! It was his first EVER Top-5 in his Cup Series career. 31 Laps Led in 2022 – As has been pointed out in previous Countdown to Daytona articles, many of these numbers are not going to challenge the top championship contenders, but there were still 9 other chartered drivers who led fewer laps than LaJoie in ’22. At the summer Atlanta race, he led 19 laps. 200 Career Cup Series Races – Still searching for his first Cup Series win, he finished 2022 with exactly 200 races under his belt. Earning his first Top-5 this year is a great step in the right direction. It took Michael McDowell until his 358th race to get his first (and only) win, so it’s certainly not out of the question for LaJoie to capture it one day! And at age 31, he still has plenty of time left. Next year, both Corey LaJoie and his crew chief Ryan Sparks will return to the #7 Car for Spire Motorsports. Joined by teammate Ty Dillon in the #77, LaJoie will hope to continue his streak of lowering his average finish each year. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – Kurt Busch! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @StatChatRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

(Cover Photo Credit: spiremotorsportsllc.com) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 33rd Place – #77 Car – 370 pts SPIRE MOTORSPORTS – CHEVROLET Landon Cassill (17 Races) – Josh Bilicki (16 races) – Mike Rockenfeller (2 races) – Justin Allgaier (1 race) +4.49 Average Finish compared to Average Start – Whether this is a product of poor qualifying attempts, or smart in-race adjustments, the #77 Car led all charters in this category. And really, isn’t that what all the drivers are trying to do? Finish ahead of their starting position? For some of the smaller teams, this is a win in itself. 11,311.77 Miles Completed in 2022 – While laps completed does paint a certain picture, sometimes a better metric is miles completed. Finishing 4 laps down at Talladega is a bigger deal than finishing 4 laps down at Bristol or Martinsville, for example. While the #77 Car ranked 30th of the charters in this category, it did finish ahead of Chris Buescher, who won a race in 2022. 12.25 Average Finish at Daytona & Talladega in 2022 – It’s clear that the bread and butter of the #77 car this year was Super Speedways. While obviously a smaller sample size, it’s better than quite a few other chartered drivers, including Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Kevin Harvick. While this year’s Super Speedways certainly saw their share of carnage and unpredictability, there is something to be said for those who can consistently run well at drafting tracks. 10.28 Points Earned per Race – Unfortunately, it’s not a great number of points to be earning each race. While it certainly won’t be earning anyone a championship in the near future (or ever), it is worth noting that it’s nearly 1 whole point better than the #77 Car did in 2021 (when they had 6 different drivers). Some might say it’s not that significant, others say even baby steps are steps in the right direction. 4th Best Finish in 2022 – The crazy Daytona Night Race that saw Austin Dillon win his way into the playoffs at the last possible second also earned the #77 Car its lone Top-5 of the year. After qualifying 35th, and having an average running position of 22nd throughout the race, it clearly paid to be able to keep your car clean and be at the right place at the right time. It was also Spire Motorsports’ best finish of the year. Next year, the #77 Car will be piloted by Ty Dillon full-time. Dillon, who drove the #42 in 2022 for Petty-GMS Motorsports, will be the first driver to stay in the #77 Car for Spire Motorsports for an entire season. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – Corey LaJoie! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @StatChatRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

(cover photo credit: wareracing.com) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 34th Place – #15 Car – 334 pts RICK WARE RACING – FORD JJ Yeley (17 races) – Joey Hand (6 races) – Garrett Smithley (6 races) – David Ragan (4 races) – Ryan Preece – (2 races) – Parker Kligerman (1 race) 14 Stage points in 2022 – Rick Ware Racing, at least in 2022, was not in the sport to try and earn wins. While yes, they’d happily have taken one, their focus would likely just be on finishing races with minimal damage to their cars, and outperforming their equipment. 14 points may not be a massive amount compared to the Championship contenders, but it was better than 4 other charters. 9 Lead Lap Finishes in 2022 – Finishing on the lead lap can be a challenge for some of the lesser-funded teams. When you’re running even just 0.1 seconds slower than the leaders, over the course of a long race you can wind up many laps down. There are ways to make your way back to the lead lap, but cautions are not always a given. -259 Pass Differential – The number of cars you pass, minus the number of cars who pass you = Pass Differential. When you combine all 6 drivers of the #15 Car over the course of the season, they were passed 259 times more than they passed others. Though -259 sounds like a pretty bad number, it actually was better than Chris Buescher and Cole Custer, who were in far better equipment. 8th Finishing position at the Daytona 500 – A Top-10 for either the 15 or the 51 cars for Rick Ware Racing is a highlight of the season. The 15, driven by David Ragan at the 2022 Daytona 500, earned its best finish of the year at the first points race, finishing 8th. Coincidentally, David Ragan also scored the only other Top-10 of the #15 Car’s 2022, placing 9th at Daytona again in the Summer. 6 DNFs – Of the 4 charters with rotating drivers (also including Kaulig’s #16, Spire’s #77 and Live Fast’s #78), the #15 Rick Ware Racing Car had the fewest DNFs. To finish 30 of the 36 races (83.3%) is an accomplishment that must have had the ownership group very happy in 2022. Rick Ware Racing has yet to announce its driver lineup for 2023. As mentioned in the previous article, Rick Ware Racing did announce they were forming a technical partnership with RFK Racing, which could give them some extra speed on the track. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – #77 Car! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @StatChatRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

(cover photo credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 35th Place – Cody Ware – 304 pts RICK WARE RACING – FORD 27.80 Average Finish in 2022, the best of his Cup Series career – This year saw his average finish improve over last year’s (nearly) full-time season by just under 3.5 positions. While an average finish of 27.80 is not going to earn anyone a championship anytime soon, it’s a step in the right direction both for Cody and his team. 1 Lap Led in 2022 – At the Goodyear 400 at Darlington in early May, Cody Ware led one lap, and it would be his only one of the season. It was under the caution that was thrown between Stage 1 and 2, but it still counts. Of note, Ware finished on the lead lap, and it was the only time in his Cup career that he didn’t DNF at Darlington. 1 Missed Race – After an ankle injury from a gnarly crash at Texas Motor Speedway, Cody Ware opted to let JJ Yeley fill in for him at the Charlotte Roval. It was the only race of 2022 that Ware didn’t compete in. Yeley wound up finishing 32nd. 54 Quality passes in 2022 – A quality pass is specifically a green-flag pass made while driving in the Top 15. For a car that spends most of its time running in the rear half of the field, this number certainly isn’t anything to scoff at! However, to compare to some of the favourites, Chase Elliott at the fall Talladega race had 352 quality passes all race! 8,569 Laps Complete in 2022 – Despite missing a race, Cody Ware still managed to complete many laps, putting him 22nd best on the season. Ware bested 2-time champion Kyle Busch (8,479) and 3-time winner in 2022, Tyler Reddick (8,411). Keeping the car clean is a big part of what can earn you consistency and success, and Cody Ware managed that very well in 2022. With Rick Ware Racing being the family business, Cody Ware is not likely going anywhere anytime soon. However, no official driver announcement has been made ahead of next year. Rick Ware Racing did announce they were forming a technical partnership with RFK Racing, which could give them some extra speed on the track. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – The #15 Car! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @StatChatRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

(cover photo credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) By Adam Carabine In case you missed it, StatChat is counting down the days ‘til the 2023 Daytona 500. Every two days, we will have a new article featuring one of the 36 charters of 2022. 36th Place – #78 Car – 270 pts LIVE FAST MOTORSPORTS – FORD (in 2022) BJ McLeod (29 races) – Josh Williams (3 races) – Kyle Tilley (2 races) – Andy Lally & Scott Heckert (1 race each) 6 Lead Lap Finishes – There’s no way to sugar coat it, the #78 Car just didn’t have the speed to keep up with the big guns this year. Some predicted that the introduction of the Next-Gen Car would completely level the playing field, and though it did help bridge the gap between some of the 2nd or 3rd tier teams, Live Fast Motorsports’ funding discrepancies showed up on the track in a big way. +4.31 Average Finish compared to Average Start – Despite the previous stat, the #78 Car certainly outran its own expectations. Whether you chalk this up to underperforming during qualifying, or being able to make up position on the track, the #78 Car had the 2nd best numbers in this category. 0 Stage Points – The #78 Car was the only one of the 36 charters who did not earn a single stage point this year. Understandably, the goals of Live Fast this year were not to contend for victories or stage points, but every other back-marker collected at least one stage point in 2022. 5 Different Drivers in the 78 Car – BJ McLeod was the main driver of the #78, having driven 29 of the 36 races in the 2022 season. Josh Williams drove 3 races – the Bristol Dirt race, Indy Road Course, and Charlotte Roval. Kyle Tilley competed at Road America and Watkins Glen. Andy Lally was at COTA, while Scott Heckert was at Sonoma. 7th – Best Finish in 2022 – The Coke Zero Sugar 400 @ Daytona, which also was the final race of the regular season, was Live Fast Motorsports’ best finish of the year, as BJ McLeod finished 7th. With some major contending names being taken out in crashes, it was a fairly wild Top-10. Austin Dillon went on to win the race and punch his ticket to the playoffs at the last possible moment. Landon Cassill in the 77, Noah Gragson driving Beard Motorsports’ #62, Cody Ware and David Ragan all made appearances in the Top-10. Live Fast Motorsports, owned by BJ McLeod, Matt Tifft, and Joe Falk, will return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023. Recently, the team announced they would be switching to Chevrolet for the upcoming season. At the time of publishing, no driver announcements have been made, but we expect BJ McLeod to make the majority of starts again. Coming up next in the Countdown to Daytona series – Cody Ware! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @StatChatRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all of your Racing Refresh Merch from our online store! Is there an error? Something missing that you’d like to see? Let us know!

(Photo Credit: @Snowball_5Flags) For the past two years, it has seemed that Derek Thorn has left Pensacola snake bitten after dominating both races in the past years. But as the old saying goes, "third time is a charm." That is exactly what happend to Derek Thorn as he took the checkered flag in the 55th Annual Snowball Derby. Over the past two years, Thorn has led over 250 laps in each of the last two years. In 2021, he led 252 laps and Ty Majeski eventually went on to win. In 2021, he led 284 laps and was moved out of the way by the eventual winner of Chandler Smith. This year, Thorn had to outlast a series of late cautions to hold on to him finally capturing short track racing's biggest prize. This year, Thorn started on the outside of the front row right next to polesitter Josh Berry, Thorn made an agressive mode by fighting for position on lap one and by the exit of turn two, Thorn had the lead and never looked back. In the later stages of the race, drivers like Bubba Pollard stayed out on old tires but eventually Thorn took the lead again and set sail for a Snowball Derby record 300 laps led of the 311 run. And with that, became the all-time Snowball Derby lap leader in the history of the event. Another impressive showing by Stephen Nasse, who started 35th due to his Southern Super Series points provesional made his way up to a third place finish. 55th Annual Snowball Derby Results: 1. Derek Thorn 2. Sammy Smith 3. Stephen Nasse 4. Casey Roderick 5. Cole Butcher 6. William Byron 7. Jake Garcia 8. Jace Hansen 9. Jacob Gomes 10. Ty Majeski 11. Preston Peltier 12. Carson Kvapil 13. Bubba Pollard 14. Michael Hinde 15. Daniel Dye 16. Giovanni Ruggiero 17. Ryan Luza 18. Matthew Craig 19. Derek Kraus 20. Noah Gragson 21. Luke Fenhaus 22. Dustin Smith 23. Jeremy Doss 24. Albert Francis 25. Josh Berry 26. Hunter Robbins 27. Jesse Love 28. Corey Heim 29. Blaine Rocha 30. Michael House 31. Tyler Tanner 32. Austin Nason 33. Erik Jones 34. Jake Finch 35. Conner Jones 36. Augie Grill

(Photo Credit: @PNJ on Twitter) For 55 years, the eyes of the short track racing world desend upon Pensacola, Florida. Known for it's beautiful beaches, rich history dating back as America's oldest settlement, and the home of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. The average person would not know that Pensacola is home to Five Flags Speedway which hosts each year "The Daytona 500 of short-track racing"; The Snowball Derby. 56 drivers attempted to qualify for 30 spots which were claimed on Friday. Saturday's LCQ set the field for the star studed, 300 lap showdown. Not only is $30,000 on the line, a spot in racing immortality awaits for one driver at the end of the race. Below is everything you need to know for the Snowball Derby. Grand Marshall: NASCAR Hall of Fame driver, Red Farmer Event History: The first time the Snowball Derby was held was in 1968 as Wayne Nickelson Sr. took the first of what is now the Tom Dawson Trophy. It wasn't until 1975 that the race produced one of the big names that the made the derby famous as Donnie Allison took the victory. Legends like Darrell Waltrip and Gary Balough join him as past legends of the sport, but in current times, drivers like Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Chase Elliott, Noah Gragson, and Ty Majeski have won the event in recent years. Track Preview: Five Flags Speedway was originally widened into its original configuration in the mid 1970s. Other than a repave of new asphalt on the front stretch, the track has the original pavement from that configuration. This is one of the most abrasive half-mile race tracks in the country and even has seashells from the nearby Gulf of Mexico in the pavement. The 14 degree corners are broad and sweeping which produces a racing line that is almost in an oval shape. 2021 Event: If you have been following any of the daily recaps from the Snowball Derby weekend there would be one name that would be very familiar with you and that would be Derek Thorn. Thorn took pole position for the derby and lead every lap until lap 288 when Chandler Smith made a bump-and-run in Turn Three and took the lead. From there, Smith never looked back as he took the the win in the 54th Annual Snowball Derby. Weather: Partly Cloudy with highs in the mid 70s. 10% chance of rain Starting Lineup for the 55th Annual Snowball Derby: (Race starts at 2:00 P.M. CST) 1. Josh Berry - 16.333 2. Derek Thorn - 16.378 3. Conner Jones - 16.388 4. Matt Craig - 16.396 5. Noah Gragson - 16.402 (2018 winner) 6. Carson Kvapil - 16.420 7. Giovanni Ruggiero - 16.429 8. Jacob Gomes - 16.457 9. Austin Nason - 16.458 10. Ryan Luza - 16.458 11. Jace Hansen - 16.465 12. Erik Jones - 16.470 (2012 - 2013 Winner) 13. William Byron - 16.472 14. Bubba Pollard - 16.473 15. Ty Majeski - 16.481 (2020 Winner) 16. Cole Butcher - 16.494 17. Jake Garcia - 16.508 18. Luke Fenhaus - 16.513 19. Corey Heim - 16.529 20. Hunter Robbins - 16.535 21. Jeremy Doss - 16.536 22. Daniel Dye - 16.559 23. Dustin Smith - 16.569 24. Albert Francis - 16.580 25. Casey Roderick - 16.592 26. Blaine Rocha - 16.598 27. Tyler Tanner - 16.603 28. Sammy Smith - 16.606 29. Michael Hinde - 16.611 30. Jake Finch - 16.622 31. Preston Peltier - LCQ 32. Derek Kraus - LCQ 33. Jesse Love - LCQ 34. Michael House - LCQ 35. Augie Grill - Blizzard Series Provisional (2007 - 2008 Winner) 36. Stephen Nasse - Southern Super Series Provisional Failed to Qualify: Brad Keselowski John Bolen Connor Mosack Johnny Clark Harold Crooms Billy Van Meter Zach Telford Boris Jurkovic Haeden Plybon George Gorham, Jr. Derek Griffith Brad May Michael Simko You can watch the 55th Annual Snowball Derby live on pay-per-view on Racing America. Follow me Twitter @TheCollinBest for live updates from the track.

(Photo: @Keselowski) It was a very long and stressful day three here at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida as the final four spots were set for the 55th Annual Snowball Derby. When the weekend began, there were 56 drivers gunning for only 30 spots on qualifying day on Friday. With the top 30 being locked in, the rest of the field was relegated to the last chance qualifying race that was early in the night on Saturday. Racing gives the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. For Preston Peltier, Derek Kraus, Jesse Love, and Michael House they will have the chance to win Sunday's Snowball Derby. For Brad Keselowski, he will have to try again next year as he hopes to make the field in 2023. 55th Annual Snowball Derby Starting Lineup: 1. Josh Berry - 16.333 2. Derek Thorn - 16.378 3. Conner Jones - 16.388 4. Matt Craig - 16.396 5. Noah Gragson - 16.402 6. Carson Kvapil - 16.420 7. Giovanni Ruggiero - 16.429 8. Jacob Gomes - 16.457 9. Austin Nason - 16.458 10. Ryan Luza - 16.458 11. Jace Hansen - 16.465 12. Erik Jones - 16.470 13. William Byron - 16.472 14. Bubba Pollard - 16.473 15. Ty Majeski - 16.481 16. Cole Butcher - 16.494 17. Jake Garcia - 16.508 18. Luke Fenhaus - 16.513 19. Corey Heim - 16.529 20. Hunter Robbins - 16.535 21. Jeremy Doss - 16.536 22. Daniel Dye - 16.559 23. Dustin Smith - 16.569 24. Albert Francis - 16.580 25. Casey Roderick - 16.592 26. Blaine Rocha - 16.598 27. Tyler Tanner - 16.603 28. Sammy Smith - 16.606 29. Michael Hinde - 16.611 30. Jake Finch - 16.622 31. Preston Peltier - LCQ 32. Derek Kraus - LCQ 33. Jesse Love - LCQ 34. Michael House - LCQ 35. Augie Grill - Blizzard Series Provisional 36. Stephen Nasse - Southern Super Series Provisional Casey Roderick went flag-to-flag in a dominate victory in to 2022 Snowflake 100 after a very lengthy weather delay. Snowflake 100 Results: 1. Casey Roderick 2. Jake Garcia 3. Jackson Boone 4. Jeremy Doss 5. Dylan Fetcho 6. Preston Peltier 7. John Bolen 8. Bryson Shaffer 9. Stephen Nasse 10. Conner Jones 11. Jim Wall 12. Jarrett Butcher 13. Brent Crews 14. Leland Honeyman 15. Dylan Cappello 16. Trevor Cristiani 17. Chase Spradlin 18. Alex Guenette 19. Anthony Cataldi 20. Johanna Robbins 21. Jeremy Miller 22. Kyle Steckly 23. Brittney Zamora 24. Jake Bollman 25. Andrew Grady 26. Derek Thorn 27. Dustin Smith 28. Michael Hinde 29. Gavin Graham 30. Augie Grill 31. Mike Hopkins 32. Colin Allman 33. Evan Shotko 34. Wes Griffith, Jr. 35. Connor Okrzesik 36. Ryan Paul

(Photo Credit: @RacingAmerica) One of the most stressful days in motorsport came and went as it was qualifying night for the 55th Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway. Derek Thorn entered today as the odds on favorite for capturing his fourth consecutive pole postion for the biggest race in short track racing. Unfortantely for him, pole postition went to another short track ace in Josh Berry. Berry claimed the pole over Thorn by only .04 seconds for a very strong front row for the Derby. Due to Hunter Robbins and Bubba Pollard qualifying inside the Top 30, the two provesional spots were given to Augie Grill and Stephen Nasse due to points claimed during the Blizzard Series and Southern Super Series 2022 standings. With only 32 spots claimed in qualifying day for the Snowball Derby, Brad Keselowski will be the biggest name heading Saturday night's last chance qualifer race. In the Snowball Derby LCQ, only four drivers of the twenty-two drivers competeing will advance to the 300 lap main event on Sunday. 55th Annual Snowball Derby Qualifying Results: (Gold=Advanced) 1. Josh Berry - 16.333 2. Derek Thorn - 16.378 3. Conner Jones - 16.388 4. Matt Craig - 16.396 5. Noah Gragson - 16.402 6. Carson Kvapil - 16.420 7. Giovanni Ruggiero - 16.429 8. Jacob Gomes - 16.457 9. Austin Nason - 16.458 10. Ryan Luza - 16.458 11. Jace Hansen - 16.465 12. Erik Jones - 16.470 13. William Byron - 16.472 14. Bubba Pollard - 16.473 15. Ty Majeski - 16.481 16. Cole Butcher - 16.494 17. Jake Garcia - 16.508 18. Luke Fenhaus - 16.513 19. Corey Heim - 16.529 20. Hunter Robbins - 16.535 21. Jeremy Doss - 16.536 22. Daniel Dye - 16.559 23. Dustin Smith - 16.569 24. Albert Francis - 16.580 25. Casey Roderick - 16.592 26. Blaine Rocha - 16.598 27. Tyler Tanner - 16.603 28. Sammy Smith - 16.606 29. Michael Hinde - 16.611 30. Jake Finch - 16.622 31. Derek Griffith - 16.639 32. Jesse Love - 16.646 33. Michael House - 16.648 34. John Bolen - 16.653 35. Stephen Nasse - 16.655 36. Derek Kraus - 16.655 37. Preston Peltier - 16.656 38. Casey Johnson - 16.658 39. Augie Grill - 16.664 40. Johnny Clark - 16.668 41. Zach Telford - 16.687 42. Billy Van Meter - 16.694 43. Brad Keselowski - 16.719 44. Brad May - 16.721 45. Michael Simko - 16.744 46. Boris Jurkovic - 16.763 47. Connor Mosack - 16.798 48. George Gorham Jr. - 16.798 49. Haeden Plybon - 16.915 50. Harold Crooms - 16.954 51. Connor Okrzesik - No Time 52. Kyle Plott - No Time 53. Eddie Van Meter - No Time On Saturday, the action keeps coming as the Allen Turner Snowflake 100 takes center stage for both qualifying and the 100 lap feature. It is also another heavy hitter as the Snowball Derby LCQ race will close out the night. Follow along on Twitter @TheCollinBest for all of the news as it happens from Five Flags Speedway. Or watch live on Racing America via PPV.

(Photo Credit: @DerekThorn6 on Twitter) The "Daytona 500 of short-track racing" is upon us as on track activity began in preparation for the 55th Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway. It was a cool and windy day in Pensacola, Florida as all cars in the pro late model Snowflake 100 and super late model Snowball Derby entries each had three rounds of practice on Thursday. Picking up right where he left of from the 2021 Snowball Derby, Derek Thorn was the quickest in all three rounds of Snowball Derby practice today with an average lap time of 16.460 seconds. Rounding out the top five where Ryan Luza, Austin Nason, Erik Jones, and Preston Peltier. For Thorn, this is his fourth year in a row that he led at least two sessions in the opening day of practice. Spirits are high with Thorn as Friday brings about Snowball Derby qualifying. Corey Hiem and William Byron where the only two drivers on the Snowball Derby entry list who did not make laps in Thursday's practice sessions as they had obligations at the NASCAR awards banquet. Notable Results: 7th - Hunter Robbins 8th - Bubba Pollard 12th - Josh Berry 17th - Ty Majeski 22nd - Daniel Dye 28th - Brad Keselowski 29th - Stephen Nasse 30th - Augie Grill 32nd - Derek Kraus 33rd - Carson Kvapil 37th - Noah Gragson Allen Turner Snowflake 100 favorite Casey Roderick had the fastest average lap time through three rounds of practice with an average of 16.780. Rounding out the top five are Bryson Shaffer, Mike Hopkins, Derek Thorn, and Brent Crews. Notable Results: 18th - Augie Grill 21st - Johanna Long-Robbins 25th - Brittney Zamora Tomorrow, both Snowflake and Snowball Derby entries return to the track once again for more rounds of practice. At 6:00 P.M. CST, you can catch Snowball Derby qualifying from Five Flags Speedway. Follow along on Twitter @TheCollinBest, or watch live on Pay-Per-View on Racing America.

Friday, February 17 Daytona FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Friday, March 3 Las Vegas FS1 9:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, March 18 Atlanta FS1 2:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, March 25 COTA FS1 1:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, April 1 Texas FS1 4:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, April 8 Bristol Dirt FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Friday, April 14 Martinsville FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, May 6 Kansas FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Friday, May 12 Darlington FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, May 20 North Wilkesboro FOX 1:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Friday, May 26 Charlotte FS1 8:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, June 3 World Wide Technology Raceway FS1 1:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Friday, June 23 Nashville Superspeedway FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, July 8 Mid-Ohio FS1 1:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, July 22 Pocono FS1 12:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, July 29 Richmond FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Friday, August 11 Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis FS1 9:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, August 27 Milwaukee FS1 4:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Friday, September 8 Kansas FS1 9:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Thursday, September 14 Bristol FS1 9:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, September 30 Talladega FS1 1:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, October 21 Homestead-Miami FS1 12:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Friday, November 3 Phoenix FS1 10:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM

Saturday, February 18 Daytona FS1 5:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, February 25 Auto Club FS1 5:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, March 4 Las Vegas FS1 4:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, March 11 Phoenix FS1 4:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, March 18 Atlanta FS1 5:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, March 25 COTA FS1 5:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, April 1 Richmond FS1 1:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, April 15 Martinsville FS1 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, April 22 T alladega FS1 4:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, April 29 Dover FS1 1:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, May 13 Darlington FOX 1:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, May 27 Charlotte FS1 1:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, June 3 Portland FS1 4:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, June 10 Sonoma FS1 8:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, June 24 Nashville Superspeedway USA 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, July 1 Chicago Street Race USA 5:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, July 8 Atlanta USA 8:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, July 15 New Hampshire USA 3:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, July 22 Pocono USA 5:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, July 29 Road America NBC 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, August 5 Michigan NBC 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, August 12 Indianapolis Road Course USA 5:30 p.m. IMS/SiriusXM Saturday, August 19 Watkins Glen USA 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Friday, August 25 Daytona USA 7:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, September 2 Darlington USA 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, September 9 Kansas NBC 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Friday, September 15 Bristol USA 7:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, September 23 Texas USA 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, October 7 Charlotte Roval USA 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, October 14 Las Vegas USA 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Saturday, October 21 Homestead-Miami NBC 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, October 28 Martinsville USA 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, November 4 Phoenix USA 7:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM

Sunday, February 5 Clash (L.A. Memorial Coliseum) FOX 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Thursday, February 16 Duel at Daytona FS1 7:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, February 19 DAYTONA 500 FOX 2:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, February 26 Auto Club FOX 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, March 5 Las Vegas FOX 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, March 12 Phoenix FOX 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, March 19 Atlanta FOX 3:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, March 26 COTA FOX 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, April 2 Richmond FS1 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, April 9 Bristol Dirt FOX 7:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, April 16 Martinsville FS1 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, April 23 Talladega FOX 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, April 30 Dover FS1 2:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, May 7 Kansas FS1 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, May 14 Darlington FS1 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, May 21 NASCAR All-Star Race (North Wilkesboro) FS1 8:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, May 28 Charlotte FOX 6:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, June 4 World Wide Technology Raceway FS1 3:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, June 11 Sonoma FOX 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, June 25 Nashville Superspeedway NBC 7:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, July 2 Chicago Street Race NBC 5:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, July 9 Atlanta USA 7:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, July 16 New Hampshire USA 2:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, July 23 Pocono USA 2:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, July 30 Richmond USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, August 6 Michigan USA 2:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, August 13 Indianapolis Road Course NBC 2:30 p.m. IMS/SiriusXM Sunday, August 20 Watkins Glen USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, August 26 Daytona NBC 7:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, September 3 Darlington USA 6:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, September 10 Kansas USA 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Saturday, September 16 Bristol USA 7:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, September 24 Texas USA 3:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, October 1 Talladega NBC 2:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, October 8 Charlotte Roval NBC 2:00 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, October 15 Las Vegas NBC 2:30 p.m. PRN/SiriusXM Sunday, October 22 Homestead-Miami NBC 2:30 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, October 29 Martinsville NBC 2:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM Sunday, November 5 Phoenix NBC 3:00 p.m. MRN/SiriusXM

Press Release / Erin Kinsey / NASCAR DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 28, 2022) – Rising country music artist Erin Kinsey will take the stage to help NASCAR celebrate a 2022 season highlighted by breakthrough moments from many young stars of its own. The RECORDS Nashville singer-songwriter will perform her debut hit single, “Just Drive,” which has been featured on SiriusXM The Highway “On The Horizon” and amassed more than 40 million streams and views to date, during the NASCAR Awards and Champion Celebration invite-only event this Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Music City Center in downtown Nashville. "Getting the opportunity to perform at the NASCAR Awards is such an honor, especially with it being in Nashville,” says Kinsey. “As a bit of a speed demon myself, I really admire the amazing drivers who have made incredible careers out of driving fast! This is also my first tv performance, so I am just so excited to get to play a small role in such a huge night for NASCAR. Congratulations to all the winners!” While Kinsey’s first-ever televised performance marks an exciting career milestone, it will not be her first time gracing the stage at a NASCAR event. The 22-year-old Texas native also performed the National Anthem prior to the NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway this past May. Fans can tune in to watch the 2022 NASCAR Awards, including Kinsey’s performance, when it airs Saturday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. ET on Peacock. In addition to two-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano, NASCAR will also honor first-time Xfinity Series champion Ty Gibbs and first-time Camping World Truck Series champion Zane Smith as part of the celebration. For more information on Champion’s Week, please visit www.nascar.com/championsweek .