It’s like history is repeating itself. The latest controversy in the Snowball Derby is all about Bubba Pollard’s rear window bracing, which may result in a disqualification during Sunday’s race if the matter is not addressed. The parallels are coincidental for many, as Kevin Harvick was found guilty of an identical infringement at Talladega Superspeedway, which forced him to finish last at the 2023 Yellawood 500 after a post-race inspection.

However, his former crew chief Rodney Childers is refusing to be drawn into the mistakes of the past. The 48-year-old has taken to social media to distance himself from controversy, even though the latest developments at Five Flags Speedway might bring back memories from the infamous Talladega incident.

Rodney Childers refuses to entertain cheating allegations

Bubba Pollard is desperate to win. Having competed in the Snowball Derby 18 times before to no avail, the 37-year-old racing driver is hoping to get lucky this time around, even though the threat of disqualification is looming large. During Friday’s practice session, his No. 26 Super Late Model and Pro Late Model cars featured a windshield that appeared to be caved in from the right side, prompting fans to speculate if it was intentional to generate additional downforce. It’s not the first time an incident such as this has occurred, with Kevin Harvick’s No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing team being the guilty party a year ago.

Distancing himself from the controversy, former crew chief Rodney Childers said, “I know no one will ever believe me, but ours 1000% wasn’t on purpose. We changed from 1/2” board and epoxied on in the RR roof, to 3/16” board and 3M two sided tape for weight. Which made the roof deflect more and broke the window brace. It was over with after that.. 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️” The 48-year-old went on to say, “I wish I was smart enough to make some of the things happen perfectly. 🤣🤣 Like 3 windshield bolts coming out with 7 laps to go. Wizardry had it timed out perfect👌🏼”

Kevin Harvick had shown lightning-fast pace in his No. 4 Ford at Talladega Superspeedway. The California native finished just 0.012 seconds behind Ryan Blaney at the YellaWood 500 but was relegated to last place after the post-race inspection. His team was disqualified after being found guilty of violating section 14.1.e&p of the NASCAR Rulebook, which is related to the vehicle assembly as well as section 14.5.6.2.F (windshield). According to the regulations, the windshield must be fastened at all times, which Harvick’s car failed to do, prompting Harvick to become the first driver to get disqualified at Talladega since 1972. Back then, Marty Robbins admitted to altering his restrictor plate in the Winston 500 at Talladega and was disqualified after 179 laps.

During Kevin Harvick’s infamous race, Chase Elliott and his crew chief, Alan Gustafson, noticed the difference in his windshield. “You see that right rear of that Ford’s glass, is it bowed down?” Gustafson asked Elliott. Elliott concurred with the observation, saying, “Yup, kind of where the jack between the orange jack screw and the black lining it’s bowed from the right jack screw.” This alteration gives a competitive advantage to the driver as the additional downforce allows for the car to reach higher speeds. Gustafson added, “Yeah right by the ‘K’, when he’s up to speed that thing pushes down about I don’t know, 2 inches… 3 inches.”

With the Snowball Derby on the horizon, Bubba Pollard will be wise to learn from Harvick’s mistakes. The veteran racing driver’s windshield issues were not just prevalent in practice, but in qualifying sessions as well, and the Georgia native finished eighth fastest during the time trials. If the 37-year-old does intend to win the 300-lap event this year, he will need to make the necessary changes to his car. Although to win the race you have to be allowed to take part and as it stands, he’s on his last warning.

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Pollard threatened with a black flag at the Snowball Derby

It’s not the first time Bubba Pollard has been found guilty of an infringement ahead of the Snowball Derby. The veteran driver, along with his teammate Sammy Smith had their front windshields corrected after inspection on Wednesday, raising eyebrows from race officials and fans. The caved-in rear windshield dilemma isn’t helping with their reputation either, with rumors circulating that the Georgia native is trying to get an unfair advantage on the racetrack by taking advantage of reduced downforce.

However, Bubba Pollard has been warned ahead of Sunday’s race that any discrepancies in his car must be resolved ahead of the Snowball Derby. Head technical inspector Freddie Query has issued a warning to the veteran driver, saying, “I told them, they need to fix it and if they don’t or I see it again on Sunday, I’m going to have them black flagged. I don’t believe it made a difference but the optics aren’t good and we’re not going to have it.”

Bubba Pollard has been there and done that. He’s one of the most successful active super late-model drivers, winning the All-American 400, Rattler 250, and World Crown 300, but the Snowball Derby has eluded him so far. The veteran racer will be eager to break his 18-time winless streak at Five Flags Speedway, but the controversy surrounding his cars isn’t helping his reputation. The 37-year-old will want to win the iconic event on merit, and not have an asterisk next to his name because of avoidable cheating allegations. Will Pollard prevail this time around? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!