Pensacola, Fla. - My Snowball Derby recap is long overdue. And I'll wrap that up fairly soon. But first, please allow for a little Gonzo Journalism. I've got to explain why there was a delay in the first place.
Logistical Issues Plague 2010 Snowball Derby
My stay at Five Flags Speedway was not entirely a pleasant one.
Pensacola Police failed to capture a mysterious tire slasher who cut over 50 fans’ tires over the weekend. My Chevy Silverado’s tires were amongst 15 gashed on Saturday. According to tailgaters, several fans were angry over parking conditions at the speedway and punctured tires in response.
On Sunday, Marines who assisted race officials would not allow select media, including yours truly, trackside to conduct post-race interviews. All of this despite my pretty green credentials and blue wrist band, citing the marine not being notified of my being allowed in victory lane.
What’s past is past. Nothing more can be done nor do I want anything. But changes have to be made before next season’s Snowball Derby. Fans will remember this sort of thing when their ticket renewals come around.
If the Snowball experiences criminal activity next year, it would be like taking one step forward and two steps back. Before the Bryant family purchased the speedway, Five Flags was at risk of being shut down and the Snowball discontinued.
Several seasons saw only the Snowball ran in Pensacola; No regular season racing for any division. The speedway was considered a sub-par facility before the Bryant purchase.
The Speedway is one of the top short track destinations in the Southeast. Let’s band together and keep it that way.
Matt Weaver is the Sports Editor for The Vanguard (USA) and can be reached at jmatthewweaver(at)aol.com
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