The 58th Annual Snowball Derby is nearly here, and teams across the country are gearing up for their shot at one of Super Late Model racing’s crown jewel events. With returning contenders, rising talent, and huge stakes on the line at Five Flags Speedway, this year’s race is packed with compelling angles. 

• Everything You Need To Know About The 2025 Snowball Derby
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• Subscribe To Watch The Snowball Derby Live On FloRacing

Here are the top 10 storylines shaping the 2025 Snowball Derby.

Can Cole Butcher Complete His Dominant Season?

Cole Butcher enters the 2025 Snowball Derby with odds both firmly in his favor—and historically stacked against him. The Canadian driver arrives at Five Flags Speedway as the Deep South Crane Blizzard Series champion, ASA Southern Super Series champion, and ASA STARS National Tour champion, completing one of the most dominant Super Late Model seasons in recent memory.

Yet recent history offers reminders of how difficult winning the Snowball Derby can be. The last Blizzard Series champion to capture the Snowball Derby was Eddie Mercer in 2005. The last ASA National champion to win the Derby was Gary St. Amant in 2000, joining Butch Miller (1987) as the only drivers to win the ASA title and the Derby during the same year. Ty Majeski won the new ASA STARS National championship and the Snowball Derby during the same year in 2023. 

Butcher also closed out the ASA Southern Super Series schedule by winning the Florida Governor’s Cup 200. Only one Governor’s Cup winner has ever gone on to win the Snowball Derby: Ed Howe in 1972.

Despite the historical hurdles, Butcher remains one of the clear favorites. He dominated at Five Flags this season, winning three of four Blizzard Series races and leading laps in all but one ASA STARS National Tour event. He also added the prestigious Redbud 400 to his résumé.

If Butcher is anywhere near the front on Derby Sunday, he will have a legitimate chance at claiming the Tom Dawson Trophy in 2025.

Will Ty Majeski Pounce When It Matters Most?

Anytime Ty Majeski unloads for a Super Late Model race, he immediately becomes a contender—and the Snowball Derby is no exception. The two-time Derby winner came close to adding a third title in 2024, but a lack of long-run speed left him settling for a third-place finish. Majeski’s mastery of Five Flags Speedway is well established, making his 2025 baseline speed one of the early weekend storylines to watch.

Majeski has a reputation for being able to run well at Five Flags in almost anything, but comfort behind the wheel will determine whether he can mount a serious charge for a third Tom Dawson Trophy. One trend to keep in mind: when Majeski dominates races, he often doesn’t win—and when he wins, it’s rarely in runaway fashion. At the Snowball Derby, being in position late is what matters most, and few drivers capitalize better than Majeski when the moment arrives.

VIDEO: Drive to the Derby - Comparing Crown Jewels With Ty Majeski

Can Kaden Honeycutt Go Back To Back? 

One year ago, Kaden Honeycutt was far from a popular pick to win the Snowball Derby. But a remarkable December changed everything. Honeycutt competed in four events at Five Flags Speedway and won two of them: the Snowball Derby itself and the Snowball Derby Pro Truck feature.

His breakthrough victory came through a bold, all-or-nothing approach that showcased his long-run speed. Honeycutt outlasted Ty Majeski to take the lead and then held off Stephen Nasse in the closing laps to secure the most significant win of his career.

The late stages of the 2025 season have carried a familiar tone. Honeycutt recently collected a victory in the Krush 250 Late Model Stock race, just as he did the year before. He also collected fast time honors and some bonus cash during the Snowball Derby Preview in November. Now, he appears poised for another strong run at Five Flags.

If 2024 taught the short-track world anything, it’s this: underestimate Kaden Honeycutt at your own risk.

Is This Finally The Year For Bubba Pollard?

Just a few months ago, Bubba Pollard appeared to be positioning himself for a strong run into December. He held the ASA Southern Super Series points lead through much of the second half of the season until a crash at Toledo Speedway changed the trajectory of his year.

A wrist injury forced Pollard into surgery and sidelined him from several late-season races. Now, as he prepares for his 18th attempt at the Snowball Derby, the storyline could break one of two ways: either Pollard arrives refreshed and ready to contend, or we could see him lack the speed he needs to win on Sunday. 

Weather conditions and tire management are likely to be major factors for the Pollard camp this week. The wrist is expected to be strong enough for the grind around the Pine Forest Road oval. The question that remains is the same one that follows Pollard every December: 

Is this finally the year?

Can Matt Craig Get The Job Done? 

Would it really be a surprise if Matt Craig won the Snowball Derby? When you look at his performance this season—and his history at Five Flags Speedway—it’s clear he has the credentials to be a serious threat for the Tom Dawson trophy.

Craig has been a frontrunner all year, posting four runner-up finishes, three third-place results, and a victory. His record at Pensacola is equally strong: 12 top-five finishes in Super Late Model competition at Five Flags, not including his wins in the Pro Late Model division.

A former Florida Governor’s Cup and All American 400 winner, Craig has consistently delivered in marquee events. Now, with a new partnership alongside Bob Lyon Motorsports for this year’s Derby, he may have the combination needed to finally take the next step.

VIDEO: Drive to the Derby - Who Really Is Matt Craig? 

Stephen Nasse Winless In 2025 Entering The Derby

Had anyone suggested a year ago that Stephen Nasse would enter the 58th Snowball Derby without a victory in 2025, it would have been difficult to believe. Yet as November 30 arrives, that scenario is now reality.

Despite the winless streak, Nasse has performed at a high level throughout the season. His five runner-up finishes and 17 top-five results underscore just how competitive the No. 51 has been. The speed is there—victory lane simply hasn’t been.

Last December closed with momentum: a win in the Snowflake 100 and a remarkable charge from 30th to second in the Snowball Derby. But that late-season surge didn’t derail Nasse in 2025. If anything, it reinforced what has long defined him.

Nasse shows up and drives. Throughout the season he has navigated a variety of combinations, yet remained in contention nearly every weekend. For this year’s Derby, he reunites with Anthony Campi Racing, the pairing that nearly delivered him the Tom Dawson Trophy one year ago.

History may also be on his side. Nine drivers have finished second in the Snowball Derby before eventually breaking through to win it. Nasse could very well be next in line to join that club.

Derek Thorn Looking For More Derby Success 

Derek Thorn has not enjoyed a trademark season in Super Late Models in 2025. Like Stephen Nasse, he remains winless—a rarity for the California veteran and his first winless campaign since 2008. The results are surprising for a driver long regarded as one of the best in the discipline.

Still, Thorn at the Snowball Derby is a familiar and formidable sight. He understands Five Flags Speedway as well as anyone in the field, and his Friday qualifying performances are often masterful. Even in a down year, a strong run in time trials could position him squarely in the fight on Sunday.

Thorn’s Snowball Derby résumé is already rich, built on prolific lap-leading totals and multiple front-row starts. As he returns to Pensacola, he continues adding to that legacy while chasing what would be his second Tom Dawson Trophy.

Can Dawson Sutton Pull Off An 'Underdog' Win?

The last time Dawson Sutton was in Pensacola for a Super Late Model race, he celebrated in victory lane. Sutton has been on a roll here at the end of the season with victories in the Glass City 200 at Toledo Speedway (OH), All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway (TN), and the Blizzard Series finale at Five Flags in September. 

Sutton has speed and has been good at tracks that are all similar to Five Flags. While his name may not be as well known as the Pollards, Nasses and Majeskis of the work, it would not be surprising to see him contend for the win considering what we have seen out of him in the last month or two.    

Stars are often born at the Snowball Derby, and Sutton has the potential to be the next rising star to make a statement in Pensacola. 

Will Jake Garcia Bounce Back From All American Crash? 

The world was pointing at Jake Garcia as a major Snowball Derby threat heading into the All American 400, and then the practice crash on Friday parked him for the weekend. The question is: will they get that car (or another) back to where it needs to be for the Snowball Derby? 

Garcia ran second in the race back in 2019. If he could go back to Five Flags Speedway and win, it would put him in elite company with wins in this year’s World Crown 300 and last year’s All American 400. 

Who Will Be This Year's Cinderella Story? 

One year ago, Colorado native Jace Hansen delivered an improbable run at the Snowball Derby, leading laps and finishing the event in fourth. Very few people had Hansen on their radar entering last year's race, yet there he was battling with the likes of race winner Kaden Honeycutt and eventual runner-up finisher Stephen Nasse. 

As we enter this year's Derby, the door is open for another Cinderella story. Who will that be? 

Be in attendance at Five Flags Speedway or watch all of the action live on FloRacing to find out! 

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.