There’s something to be said for how difficult the Snowball Derby is to make when two of racing’s rising young stars barely found themselves among the top 30 qualifiers for Sunday’s race.

A year ago, if you’d asked Kaden Honeycutt whether he’d be racing in the Snowball Derby, he might have laughed at you and told you that’s a dream he hoped to accomplish someday.

Pro late model young gun Christopher Tullis may have been knocked down during Thursday’s opening practice session for the Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100, but he surely isn’t backing out of the ring at Five Flags Speedway.

For as much as it’s worth, Ty Majeski paced the opening round of practice for the 51st annual Snowball Derby on Thursday at Five Flags Speedway.

Canadian Patrick Laperle led the Snowball Derby Qualifying Draw on Wednesday night at Five Flags Speedway, pulling the No. 1 pill and placing himself at the head of the line for Friday’s two-lap time trial session.

Chase Purdy isn’t certain this weekend’s 51st annual Snowball Derby will be his final sendoff behind the wheel of a race car, but he’s at peace with the notion if it turns out to be the case.

Derek Kraus is hoping this year’s Snowball Derby will go more like his debut in the event, instead of how the crown-jewel super late model race has gone for him the last two years.

Snowball Derby week officially kicked off Tuesday night in downtown Pensacola with the annual Kickoff Party at Beef O’Brady’s on South Palafox Street, with a host of contenders for the Tom Dawson Memorial Trophy in attendance.