30th Annual Snowball Derby: Super Late Model Qualifying Report and Starting Grid
8 December 1997
Pensacola, FL - Today is 'Late Model Day' at the 30th Annual Burger King Snowball Derby. With two qualifying sessions, two races and practice for over 100 Late Models the day was a busy one. The action on the track got underway early with practice and it was Gary Sullivan of Baton Rouge, LA who lost it in turn four and backed into the outside wall. Rebounding across the track, he collected the sliding car of Mark Gerke who was trying hard to get stopped. Sullivan's car was not repairable, but fortunately he had brought a backup and was soon back on the track. Gerke was able to make repairs and he too returned to action. Mike Harmon, who had spun coming off turn four in qualifying the previous night, again spun in turn 4 and this time he hit the outside wall hard. Severe damage to the left front and left rear of the car had the crew working hard to get it ready to race tomorrow. Harmon will benefit from one of four provisionals and will start the race from the 19th row of the grid. "It seemed like something broke in the rear end," said the Birmingport, AL driver afterwards. "We are replacing the rear axle and the left front suspension so that we can race." Following practice the first order of business was qualifying for the Pete Moore Late Model 100. This race features the 'Saturday Night' style of Late Models that race at local tracks on a weekly basis. Tony Walls of Albertville, AL was the quickest in time trials and started the 108 lap race from the pole. This is the 8th Annual Pete Moore 100, and like its big sister, The Snowball, one lap is added each year. Next it was time for second round qualifying for the Snowball Derby competitors and NASCAR All Pro driver Stephen Christian of Sugar Hill, GA was the fastest of the 35 cars that made qualifying attempts. The fastest twelve cars made the field for the Derby. Showing just how hard it is to make this quality field, Gary St Amant, a previous Snowball Winner failed to make it through on time and will be forced to run the Last Chance race. Others who failed to make the field included Wayne Niedeken Jr, son of the man who won the very first Snowball in 1968, 1996 and 1997 Southern All Stars Series Champion Johnny Brazier, and ARCA and Southern All Stars competitor John Wilkinson III. Following the running of the Pete Moore 100 there was a 100 lap 'Last Chance" race for the Snowball cars, from which the first four transferred to the 30th Annual Snowball Derby. Ronnie Couture of Pensacola, FL won the race and took the 33rd starting spot on the Derby grid. Also gaining transfers to the Snowball were John Wilkinson III, Wayne Niedeken Jr, and Mike Arnold. Mike Harmon, Gary St. Amant, Johnny Brazier and Lloyd Ritchie of Southampton, Ontario gained the four provisional starting spots to make up the 40 car Snowball Derby starting field. Tomorrow 30th Annual Burger King Snowball Derby will take the green flag at 1:00 PM (CST). Prerace activities get underway at 11:00 AM. John Kaiser -- The Auto Channel Five Flags Speedway - Qualifying results for the 30th Annual Burger King Snowball Derby, Super Late Models: Ps.No. Driver , Car -- ---- ----------------------------------------------------- Row 1 1 72 Eddie Mercer Eddie Mercer Auto/Fast Eddies Chev 2 54 Scott Carlson Advance Construction/Willie Rest Chev Row 2 3 45 Rich Bickle Terminal Trucking Chev 4 5 Bobby Gill Terminal Trucking Chev Row 3 5 8 Freddie Query W.J. Plemons Ins/Hamner Engines Chev 6 3 Tim Sauter Build-A-Mold/Trimplas Chev Row 4 7 52 Scott Hansen AFCO/Victor Ford Ford 8 42 Brian Ross Ultra Tech/Royal Purple/Wade ConsChev Row 5 9 14 Rick Crawford Hogan Lumber/Circle bar Motel Chev 10 53 Robert Burroughs Burroughs Motorsports Chev Row 6 11 96 Greg Davidson W Side Performance/Davinci Carbs Chev 12 1 Tracy Goodson Lifestyle Vinyl/Southern LightninChev Row 7 13 F97 Red Farmer K.C. Racing/Long Lewis Ford Chev 14 44 Derrick Gilchrist Drinkard Litho/Emerald Coast Chev Row 8 15 84 Dave Mader III Hamner Engines/BRJ Racecars Chev 16 11 David Rogers TM Ranch/RC Dunn Chev Row 9 17 111 Donald Long Group III Asphalt/Sam's Seafood Chev 18 1Y Keith Cahela Y-Mart/Big Ed's/Boaz Tax Serv Chev Row 10 19 25 Scott Wimmer Lee Ceramic Tile/Kipley Perf Chev 20 58 Darrell Brown Gr.American Race Car/Veterans OilChev Row 11 21 0 Steven Christian Bell South/Clements Engines Chev 22 51 Jeff Purvis Victor Ford/Phoenix Construction Ford Row 12 23 40 Mike Garvey Coors Light/AFCO Chev 24 83 Joey Clanton Southern Linc/Racing Radios Chev Row 13 25 77 Tom Hernly Sawyers Pontiac/Miller Racing Chev 26 71 Harold Fair Jr Left Hander/VP Fuel/Lane Auto Chev Row 14 27 98 Jody Ridley El Puente/Pro Line Door Ford 28 24e Keith English Eagle Tire Serv/Matthews Roofing Chev Row 15 29 61 Matt Hagens Eagle Creek Aviation/Port City Chev 30 81 Tony Walls Chandeleur Homes/Walls Accessory Chev Row 16 31 181 Tim Bryant Harrington Elec/P'Cola Auto BrokrChev 32 65 Andy Kirby Bob Williams Auto/S&H Chrome Chev Row 17 33 152 Ronnie Couture Pensacola Tractor/Hicks Ent. Chev 34 59 John Wilkinson III Quality Lube/City Auto/Hamner Chev Row 18 35 99 Wayne Niedeken Jr Norwood marine/Everwood Chev 36 60 Mike Arnold Strickland Tire/AMC Trailers Chev Row 19 37 7 Gary St Amant Wynns/Birk Transfer Chev Provsnl 38 24 Mike Harmon Lonesome PineTimber/S&N Products Pont Provsnl Row 20 39 711 Johnny Brazier Frogg Toggs/Moody Monday's Ford Provsnl 40 62 Lloyd Ritchie Orange Blossom Special Chev Provsnl Track Length : 0.5000 Miles John Kaiser -- The Auto Channel