Byron, Preece Headline NASCAR Stars Entered in Snowball Derby

William Byron and Ryan Preece are among the NASCAR Cup Series drivers headlining the entry list for the 56th Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway, which will take place early in December. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

With the NASCAR National Series campaign officially wrapped up, several drivers are now focusing on the 56th Annual Snowball Debry, which will take place on Sunday, December 3rd at Five Flags Speedway.

Fresh off his run at the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship, William Byron is among the notable NASCAR stars in the prestigious short track event, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet with sponsorship with US Radiator.

Joining Byron at the Snowball Derby this season are three of his fellow NASCAR Cup Series competitors; Erik Jones in the No. 4 Erik Jones Foundation Toyota, Noah Gragson in the No. 30 Ford for Rette Jones Racing, and Ryan Preece in the No. 62 Morton Buildings Ford for Kevin Harvick Incorporated.

Both Jones and Gragson are previous winners of the prestigious short track event, with Jones scoring back-to-back wins in 2011 and 2012, and Gragson taking home the victory in 2018. For Preece, his sole run in the Snowball Derby resulted in a fourth-place finish.

After a second-place result in last season’s Snowball Derby, Sammy Smith will return to the event in search of his first victory, driving the No. 22 TMC Transportation Toyota. He’ll be joined by fellow Xfinity Series competitor Derek Kraus, driving the No. 9 Shockwave Marine Seating Chevrolet.

Ty Majeski (No. 91 Ford), Carson Hocevar (No. 14 Premier Security Chevrolet), and Conner Jones (No. 44 Ford) are all entered in the event as well, after competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series throughout the season in 2023.

Jake Garcia, whose status for the 2024 NASCAR campaign is currently unknown after announcing his departure from McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, will also compete in the Late Model event, driving the No. 35 Fr8Auctions Chevrolet.

Joining those drivers from the ranks of NASCAR’s top-three series, are several competitors across the ARCA Menards Series platform, including the top two in ARCA East point standings William Sawalich (No. 2 SoundGear Toyota) and Luke Fenhaus in the No. 26 Rackley WAR Chevrolet.

Among other notables from the ARCA Menards Series platform include Jake Finch (No. 51), winner of this season’s ARCA East event at Dover Motor Speedway, and Kole Raz (No. 63), who ran part-time in the ARCA West Series for Jerry Pitts Racing.

Treyten Lapcevich, the 2023 NASCAR Pinty’s Series champion, will be one of two Canadian drivers attempting to compete in the Snowball Derby, driving the No. 32 Glenn Styres Racing Toyota, traveling from Grimsby, Ontario.

To look at the complete entry list for the 2023 Snowball Derby, as of November 7th, visit Racing America.

56th Snowball Derby – Notable NASCAR + ARCA Entries:

• No. 2 – William Sawalich
• No. 4 – Erik Jones
• No. 9 – Derek Kraus
• No. 14 – Carson Hocevar
• No. 22 – Sammy Smith
• No. 24 – William Byron
• No. 26 – Luke Fenhaus
• No. 30 – Noah Gragson
• No. 32 – Treyten Lapcevich
• No. 35 – Jake Garcia
• No. 44 – Conner Jones
• No. 51 – Jake Finch
• No. 62 – Ryan Preece
• No. 63 – Kole Raz
• No. 91 – Ty Majeski

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