Five Flags Speedway

12/3/2016

Five Flags Speedway

Byron on Top: NASCAR, KBM Driver Takes Pole for 49th Annual Snowball Derby

By Chuck Corder

The bright lights of the Five Flags Speedway technical inspection shed can make mincemeat of any driverâ€™s spirit.

The tiny confines, sitting just inside the Turn No. 3 guard rail at Pensacolaâ€™s high banks, has been home to many heartbreaks in recent years.

Drivers, big and local divisions, have endured the nightmares of crossing the finish line first, only to have a disqualification be their demise after being initially declared the winner.

Drivers for the Kyle Busch Motorsports late model team know that pain all too well. Just ask Christopher Bell, a KBM driver, about the torture chamber he was put through last year â€” first in qualifying and then during the Derby when his apparent victory was tossed out.

Thankfully, William Byron avoided that misery.

The full-time NASCAR driver, Byron was given a clean bill of health and he successfully headed to his pits as the official polesitter for the 49th annual Snowball Derby on Sunday. Byron, a seven-time winner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this year, stood head and shoulders above a group of 56 other cars in short-track racingâ€™s most exciting two laps.

â€œItâ€™s a good feeling. I was just hoping we could get through â€˜techâ€™ and celebrate,â€? Byron said with a smile on his face. â€œThis was just a great job done by this team and Iâ€™m looking forward to the rest of the weekend.â€?

Bell, Byronâ€™s teammate, is back this year and qualified sixth for Sundayâ€™s 300-lap Super Late Model race that is regarded as short-trackâ€™s most prestigious event.

Byron, a Charlotte, N.C., area driver, posted a fast lap of 16.201 seconds, which was less than a tenth off the track record that was set by Ty Majeski at last yearâ€™s Snowball Derby.

The last driver to win the Derby from the pole came in 2005 when local hero Eddie Mercer ended his long quest and finally hoisted the Tom Dawson trophy.

Majeski backed up his performance in 2015 with another great run to finish second in qualifying. He will started on the outside of Byron on Row 1 for the Derby on Sunday.

â€œYou always want a fast time,â€? Majeski said, â€œand I definitely wanted to back up what we were able to do last year. We just came a little short.

â€œWeâ€™ve had good runs all year long. We wanted to travel down south more this year. We struggled at first, but I think weâ€™ve figured out some things. I hope it continues.â€?

Bubba Pollard is another driver hoping his weekend continues to blossom. Pollard, a heavy favorite to end his winless drought at the Derby, qualified fourth (16.257 seconds) and will start on the outside of Spencer Davis (16.247) in Row 2.

â€œWeâ€™re happy with it,â€? Pollard said near the tech shed. â€œI didnâ€™t know where weâ€™d be able to qualify with this car, and Iâ€™m really surprised by it.

â€œWe struggled when we came to test, but it feels like weâ€™ve fixed it.â€?

49th Annual Snowball Derby

Qualifying Results for the Top 30

Friday at Five Flags Speedway

Track Recordâ€”16.120 (Ty Majeski, Derby 2015)

9B William Byron, Charlotte, NC, 16.201

91 Ty Majeski, Seymour, WI, 16.241

29 Spencer Davis, Dawsonville, GA, 16.247

26 Bubba Pollard, Senoia, GA, 16.257

4 Kyle Plott, Marietta, GA, 16.282

51 Christopher Bell, Norman, OK, 16.308

5G Noah Gragson, Las Vegas, 16.318