Mother Nature reared her ugly head on Saturday and has forced a complete washout of all scheduled on-track activity at Five Flags Speedway.

Snowball Derby qualifying traditionally produces a smattering of surprise efforts as drivers fight to make the top 30 and lock into the race, but perhaps none were as notable as Perry Patino on Friday night.

Saturday’s Last Chance Showdown for the 51st annual Snowball Derby could easily be a feature at any other short track in America, after multiple stars failed to post fast enough speeds during qualifying on Friday night.

Harrison Burton went out early and sweated out a bunch of heavy-hitters, but ultimately withstood all challengers to earn the pole for the 51st annual Snowball Derby on Friday night.

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.