In sports, it’s easy to romanticize “the good old days.” Celebrating the past matters, of course—but so does appreciating what’s unfolding right in front of us. And right now, the brightest stars in super late model racing converge on Pensacola, Florida each December, all chasing the same prize: a coveted Snowball Derby victory.

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As we honor the past and enjoy the present, it's easy to see comparisons between drivers from each era. Today, we take a look at some of those comparisons. 

Keep in mind, these comparisons are for fun and discussion, and they might not completely fit the mold in everyone’s eyes.  

Bubba Pollard is Eddie Mercer.  

Bubba Pollard has long been a favorite among the Pensacola faithful, a five-time Blizzard Series champion whose résumé at Five Flags Speedway mirrors that of Eddie Mercer in one striking way: he’s won just about everything there is to win—everything, that is, except the 50/50 raffle and the Snowball Derby itself.

Mercer needed 17 years before he finally broke through for his Snowball Derby triumph. Pollard arrives this December preparing for attempt No. 18. Perhaps that extra year will make the moment even sweeter if it finally comes. At 38, Pollard still has time on his side; Mercer was 47 when he captured his elusive win. The window remains open—now it’s just a matter of whether this is the year Pollard steps through it.

Stephen Nasse is Gary Balough.

Perhaps Stephen Nasse is the modern-day Gary Balough of the Snowball Derby. Both are Florida natives, and both have a habit of turning the Derby into a spectacle. Over the last four runnings, Nasse has posted a remarkable +83 in net positions gained—earning two Hard Charger awards in the process. Twice he’s been the final driver to make the field on time, only to claw his way to impressive finishes once the green flag drops.

Balough, of course, delivered his own brand of showmanship, winning the Snowball Derby twice—both times from the pole—and leaving crowds buzzing about the performance. If Nasse can rediscover the qualifying speed he flashed as a teenager, the Derby may yet become the Stephen Nasse Show.

Ty Majeski is Rich Bickle.

Wisconsin racers have a way of looking out for one another, and in many ways Ty Majeski feels like the modern incarnation of Rich Bickle. Both hail from the Badger State, and both have been undeniable forces whenever they roll into Pensacola.

For each of them, the margins between winning and losing at the Snowball Derby have often come down to luck—or the lack of it. Majeski easily could have five Snowball victories by now, just as Bickle realistically could have seven or more.

What truly links the two, though, is their knack for winning races they seemingly had no business winning. Majeski’s two Snowball triumphs came in races where he led just 47 combined laps; oddly enough, the more he’s led, the less often he’s finished in victory lane. Bickle’s path was similarly unpredictable: he had one slip away in 2002, yet he also captured wins in the ’90s that could have gone another direction.

For now, Bickle sits at five Snowball Derby victories—an unmatched mark. But Majeski may be the most likely driver of this era to chase him down, and perhaps become the next to reach three.

Derek Thorn is Jeff Purvis.

Looking back, plenty of people will tell you that both drivers could easily have two—maybe even three—Snowball Derby victories to their names. Their stretches of sheer domination were something to behold. The bottom line: they remain the only two drivers in Derby history to lead more than 100 laps in the event on three separate occasions.

Purvis seized his long-awaited win in 1995, while Thorn captured his in 2022 and continues the pursuit of another. For brief but brilliant windows, each was the driver to beat. And yet, for both, something always seemed to derail at least one of those golden opportunities.

Cole Butcher is Augie Grill.

Butcher and Grill share more than a few similarities behind the wheel. Both have captured major victories across the country, and both arrived on the scene with a reputation for being just a bit “wild” in their early years.

That aggressive streak has served Augie Grill well—twice carrying him all the way to Snowball Derby glory. Butcher hasn’t claimed a Derby win yet, but his edge has produced its own defining moment: an Oxford 250 victory earned just a year after he was sent to the tail for spinning another competitor. Sometimes, that extra bite is exactly what propels a driver to the front.

This Year's Snowball Derby

Festivities at Five Flags Speedway get underway on Wednesday, December 3 with the annual parking of the haulers and pit party. Late Model teams, both Pro and Super Late Model, will draw for qualifying positions at the stage on the front stretch. 

Thursday will see the first on-track action of the busy weekend when the Super Late Models and the Pro Late Models hit the track for a full morning and afternoon of practice. Later that night the Sportsman, Pure Stocks, and Pro Trucks will take to the track for their feature events.  

Fast Friday will see more practice for the Super Late Models and the Pro Late Models leading up to time trials for the 58th Annual Snowball Derby at 6 p.m. CT. The top 30 drivers will lock themselves into the field for Sunday’s main event. The nightcap will feature the Modifieds of Mayhem 75, plus a 25 Lap Crown Stock Invitational.  

Saturday is by far the busiest day at the track with practice in the morning for the Late Models before the Allen Turner Snowflake 100 cars take to the track in the mid-afternoon. Following time trials the last chance races for the Snowflake 125 and the 58th Annual Snowball Derby will occur. The 22nd Annual Allen Turner Snowflake 100 will be followed by a feature race for the Outlaw Division.

It all leads up to Sunday, the 58th running of the Snowball Derby. Green flag will be at 1 p.m. CT for the 300-lap Super Late Model event.  

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