Bubba Pollard Wins Pole for 44th Annual Snowball Derby
Pensacola, Fla. - Bubba Pollard is one step closer to completing his lifelong dream of winning the Snowball Derby.
Pollard won the pole for the Snowball Derby on Friday with a time of 16.290 seconds around the high-banked half-mile Pensacola oval. Pollard’s lap not only secured the pole for Sunday’s Snowball Derby but also set a new track record.
Pollard took the pole late in the session from Andy Loden who went out third and qualified second with a 16.375. Pollard went out 50th of 56 Super Late Model drivers. Josh Hamner, Jeremy Pate, and D.J. VanderLey round out the top 5.
Jeff Cheoquette, Landon Cassill, Augie Grill, Chase Elliott and Grant Enfinger close out the top 10 starting spots.
Track conditions wreaked havoc on the session as times were well below what was anticipated in practice. The average trial times were roughly 16.700 seconds.
Equally surprising was the struggles of some of the race’s top contenders, including Ross Kenseth and Steven Wallace, who failed to make the preliminary field and will have to race their way into the Derby via Saturday’s last chance race. Wallace cited a faulty engine as the reason for his 17.023 but may rely on a past champion’s provisional. Wallace won the Derby in 2004.
Even defending race winner Johanna Long qualified out of the top 10.
One team member said the warmer track conditions contributed to the slower speeds and an overall lack of grip. If nothing else, qualifying set up a dramatic prerace atmosphere for tonight’s Snowball Derby Last Chance Race.
Stay tuned.
A full Snowball Derby Qualifying rundown can be found after the jump.
The Snowball Derby is a 300-lap super late model stock car automobile race held annually at the half-mile Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla. The race has been contested every year since 1968 and is always run on the first weekend in December. NASCAR Ranting and Raving has provided live coverage every year since 2009. Check back to the blog in the coming days as we will provide daily up-to-the-minute news and results from the Speedway.
Ranting and Raving Content Editor Matt Weaver is on-site in Pensacola and providing additional content on Twitter @MattWeaverSBN. Check it out!
Time Trial Results - Drivers in Green Locked In for Sunday’s race
Five Flags Speedway
44th Annual Snowball Derby
Provided by Five Flags Speedway - Sat, December 3, 2011 @ 08:06 PM Eastern
Track Qualifying Record: Bubba Pollard 12/3/11 16.290
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