Kyle Busch Makes Exciting Return to Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway

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Highlights

Kyle Busch returns to Five Flags Speedway for Snowball Derby
Busch drives No. 51 Lucas Oil car for Bryson Lopez Racing
Snowball Derby runs December 4-7 with over 50 drivers competing
Race features NASCAR stars including Erik Jones and Noah Gragson
Qualifying Dec 5; race begins at 1 p.m. CT, December 7
Snowball Derby known as key short-track race since 1968

Kyle Busch returns to Five Flags Speedway from December 4 to 7, targeting a third Snowball Derby win at the Pensacola short track.

The two-time Cup champion drives the No. 51 Lucas Oil entry for Bryson Lopez Racing, with Danny Stockman leading the effort.

Stockman’s recent title-winning momentum with Jesse Love at RCR underpins a focused, trophy-first approach for the Pensacola showpiece.

Kyle Busch returns to the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway — Image Credit: Toby Christie

Busch frames the Derby as a bucket-list race and says his familiarity with Five Flags remains intact after a four-year absence.

His Pensacola record shows five starts. He debuted in 2002, finishing 33rd, then won in 2009 after leading 91 laps.

He added a third place in 2012, followed by a second win in 2017 from 15th on the grid, leading 28 laps.

His most recent start came in 2020, when he qualified ninth and finished seventh in a competitive field.

Busch targets a third Tom Dawson Trophy, having won in 2009 and 2017 at Five Flags Speedway.

The Snowball Derby, established in 1968, remains a benchmark event for elite short-track racers and ambitious NASCAR talents.

Its prestige lies in depth of entry and execution, with minimal margin for error across practice, qualifying, and race management.

Early winners like Pete Hamilton, Donnie Allison, and Darrell Waltrip underpin its legacy. Recent victors include Chase Elliott and Erik Jones.

Other notable winners are John Hunter Nemechek, Christian Eckes, Noah Gragson, Ty Majeski, Chandler Smith, and Kaden Honeycutt.

More than 50 drivers are set to fight for limited grid spots, intensifying qualifying pressure.

This year’s entry list strengthens competition. Erik Jones, Noah Gragson, and Ryan Preece headline a group of Cup regulars.

Xfinity and Truck contenders deepen the field, with Honeycutt, Majeski, Jake Garcia, Dawson Sutton, and Bayley Currey among the entrants.

Veteran experience features too, including former Truck champion Johnny Sauter and Daytona polesitter David Gilliland.

Qualifying on December 5 locks in the top 30, leaving the rest to battle through a last-chance race.

Track activity begins Thursday, December 4, with practice. Qualifying on Friday secures the top 30 starting spots.

Saturday settles remaining places via last-chance procedures and provisionals, finalizing the grid.

The 58th Snowball Derby starts at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, December 7, with live coverage across the weekend.

Green flag for the 58th Snowball Derby is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on Sunday, December 7.

Visual Summary

Kyle Returns!

2002
33rd

2009 🏆
1st

2017 🏆

Kyle Busch Climbs Back to the Snowball Derby!

Two-time NASCAR Champ returns to Five Flags Speedway aiming for his third 🏆

📅
Dec 4–72024

🚗
No. 51 Lucas Oil / Bryson Lopez Racing

👑
2-Time
NASCAR Cup Champ

Snowball Derby: The Ultimate Short Track Showdown

– Since 1968, the most coveted trophy in U.S. short track racing

– Attracts 50+ racers, including NASCAR stars each year

– Launchpad for legends like Elliott, Jones, Gragson, Majeski

Qualifying locks in top 30; last chance race fills the grid. The chase for the Tom Dawson Trophy starts Dec 7th, 1p.m. CT

Lanie Buice

Lanie Buice covers Late Model Dirt Cars, Sprint Car, and USAC Silver Crown events with trackside reporting and exclusive driver interviews. His feature-race recaps keep fans in the dirt-racing community informed on qualifying results, heat-race action, and main-event outcomes.