The Snowball Derby is one of the most anticipated short-track events in racing. Sometimes called the Daytona 500 of short tracks, the 300-lap race provides a unique challenge to the drivers. However, this year, the weather around the Five Flags Speedway has become the main challenge for the organizers, as they struggle with harsh rains pouring down the track.

And now, since the rain has no signs to stop, chances are that the entire event could face a major shakeup in its schedule.

Rains postponing the Snowball Derby?

“We don’t run in the wet, unlike Formula One,” Tim Bryant, a general manager at Five Flags Speedway, said earlier. “And when the track gets wet, we have to stop until it dries.”

Safety of the drivers is the main priority for the organizers, hence they have this rule in place. The entire weekend has been a rough one for the track. The sessions scheduled for Thursday were run on Friday. Although the track was still not in perfect shape, organizers were left with no other choice but to let drivers run the trials.

Jumping to Sunday, for the main event, there is a risk of the event getting postponed. While there hasn’t been a clear word from any of the officials, the conditions around the track were seemingly not safe enough for drivers to run. There was continuous pouring, making the track extremely wet.

This isn’t the first time the Snowball Derby has been affected by the weather. Similar events occurred in 2016 and 2019, when harsh weather conditions necessitated the race’s rescheduling. But there is another caveat to consider this time. 

Insider Matt Weaver mentioned on X that this year’s event could not have been pushed back to the next one if they wanted to.

“The Derby has to be this week and no later because of the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show — which means a great deal to a lot of us in the sport,” he said.

“All the major players in racing are present to conduct business and I go there to sell Short Track Scene advertising too.”

But currently, while the track is still being dried for the 300-lap Snowball Derby, there was quite a show of talent during the Snowflake 125 earlier this weekend on the track.

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Veteran NASCAR driver’s son wins the Snowflake 125 at Five Flags

The Five Flags can be a challenging track for many, but it wasn’t that big of a hurdle for the 13-year-old Keelan Harvick, who won the Snowflake 125 on the track. Being Kevin Harvick’s son, he has been walking in the right footsteps, preparing for his mainstream career in motorsports. He has collected many accolades so far, and the Snowflake victory is yet another feather in his cap.

The event is similar to the Snowball Derby, featuring Pro Late Model cars. Keelan had been preparing it for quite some time, right after defeating his father in the Harvick Cup. He also became the youngest driver in history to win the prestigious race.

“This is really cool,” Keelan said. “Me and my dad watched the Snowflake from last year. We saw everybody coming out of (the turns) low and straight. That’s what I did. I’m so glad I get to share this with my team. I wanted to get this win for these guys. They all work so hard.”

While the Snowflake 125 was a success for the young and upcoming driver, many of the veteran NASCAR drivers are preparing for the main event at Five Flags Speedway to take place. There seems to be no confirmation from the organizers of a potential postponement owing to the delay. Currently, it seems that the race will be held as soon as the track is fit enough for the cars to be pushed out.