It’s finally here. Finally, after months of waiting, we get our first look at the entry lists for December’s 57th Annual Snowball Derby presented by FloSports and the Snowflake 100. Even though we’re still a month away, the entry lists for both races are impressive with 50 Super Late Models and 42 Pro Late Models already filing entries. 

With that in mind, let’s take a quick look at some of the heavy-hitters that will be doing battle in the legendary arena that is Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, December 4-8. The full entry list for both divisions can be viewed at the bottom of this story. 

We’ll start with the entry list for the 57th Annual Snowball Derby, which is closing in on 50 entries already. And it should come as no surprise to anyone that the biggest name in Super Late Model racing, the name we’re all waiting to see etched onto the Tom Dawson Trophy, is the first name on the entry list. That name, of course, is Bubba Pollard of Senoia, Georgia. Pollard was the first driver to officially file an entry for this year’s Snowball Derby, as he seemingly is every single year. Pollard has done everything one could possibly do at Five Flags in December except win the Snowball Derby. This year marks his 19th attempt to win the biggest race in Late Model racing.

The second driver to file an entry is one of four drivers on the entry list who have already won the Snowball Derby, and that is NASCAR Cup Series driver and winner of the 51st Snowball Derby, Noah Gragson. Gragson confirmed to FloRacing last week that he would be returning to Five Flags with Rette-Jones Racing in search of his second Tom Dawson Trophy.

Gragson is not the only NASCAR Cup Series driver to have filed an entry already. His Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, Berlin, Connecticut’s Ryan Preece, will be piloting one of two entries out of the Kevin Harvick Incorporated stable. Minnesota’s William Sawalich will be driving the other KHI machine. Preece will be making his fourth Snowball Derby attempt. He finished fourth in 2021, but was caught up in a crash and finished 31st one year ago.

Two-time and defending Snowball Derby champion Ty Majeski will be back once again. The driver out of Seymour, Wisconsin has a chance to become just the second driver to score three or more Tom Dawson Trophies. The only other driver to accomplish that feat also hails from Wisconsin, and that is Rich Bickle, who has a staggering five Snowball Derby triumphs. Majeski also has a chance to be known as a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion come Derby week as he is one of the final four drivers vying for that title at Phoenix Raceway this week.

The only remaining Snowball Derby champions to have already filed an entry are Bakersfield, California’s Derek Thorn, and Talking Rock, Georgia's Chandler Smith. Thorn will be piloting a No. 07 owned by Paul Shafer as he looks to take home his second Tom Dawson Trophy to California, and first since 2022. Smith took the Snowball Derby victory in 2021 after moving Thorn out of the lead with just 13 laps to go. Smith will be racing for his second Derby victory in a Wilson Motorsports entry.

The last driver we’re going to spotlight is one that lifted the Tom Dawson Trophy, but didn’t get to take it home, and that is Stephen Nasse out of Pinellas Park, Florida. Nasse, much like Pollard, has accomplished just about everything one can accomplish in pavement Late Model racing except get his name etched onto the trophy and printed on the tee-shirts as an official winner of the Snowball Derby. Nasse will be making his 14th Snowball Derby attempt this year.

Nasse will also be doing double-duty once again this year as he continues to look for his first victory in the Snowflake 100. Nasse has only finished outside the top 10 one time in seven starts in the nation’s biggest Pro Late Model race of the year. He finished third in last year’s race.

One driver to watch for in Saturday’s Snowflake 100 will be Kaden Honeycutt, from Aledo, Texas. Honeycutt, who will be a full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor in 2025, is fresh off a Pro Late Model championship with the CARS Tour. He will be competing for his first Snowflake 100 victory with the same Bryson-Lopez Racing team that propelled him to the CARS Tour title. Honeycutt is also entered for Sunday’s Snowball Derby. 

As of now, the entry list for the Allen Turner Snowflake is nearing 45 entries with more entries expected prior to race week. 

Race fans can see the entire entry lists for both the 57th Snowball Derby and the Snowflake 100 below.

Fans unable to attend the 57th Annual Snowball Derby in person will be able to watch the entire week of racing live on FloRacing. If you're not already a FloRacing subscriber, click here to sign up today. 

2024 Snowball Derby Entry List

2024 Snowflake 100 Entry List