Johanna Long on pole for derby!!!

[cake]

POS

CAR #

DRIVER

BEST LAP





1

10

Johanna Long

16.463
2

25

Ross Kenseth

16.488
3

51

Kyle Busch

16.513
4

112

Augie Grill

16.521

5

99

Casey Smith

16.552
6

20

Brian Campbell

16.553
7

1

Eddie Mercer

16.562
8

14

Cale Gale

16.563
9

39

Ryan Sieg

16.573
10

9

Chase Elliott

16.575
11

16

Brian Scott

16.579
12

42

Dennis Prunty

16.598
13

72

Scott Hantz

16.603
14

31

Tyler Millwood

16.628
15

38

Josh Hamner

16.640
16

1

Stephan McCurley

16.650
17

15

Brian Ickler

16.654
18

66

Steve Wallace

16.658
19

33

Jeff Choquette

16.665
20

48

Cecil Chunn

16.681
21

09

Randy Gentry

16.685
22

35

David Stremme

16.686
23

2

John Bolen

16.695
24

82

Grant Enfinger

16.720
25

10

Danny Bagwell

16.723
26

11

David Rogers

16.733
27

93

Shane Sieg

16.736
28

21

Scott Carlson

16.738
29

99

Wayne Niedecken Jr

16.740
30

12

Justin Drawdy

16.742
31

26

Bubba Pollard

16.752
32

67

Jeff Fultz

16.758

33
43

Dennis Schoenfeld

16.759
34

27

Jason Young

16.777
35

02

Matt Smith

16.786
36

05

Jeremy Colangelo

16.808
37

91

Heath Hindman

16.813
38

11

John Boy Wilkenson III

16.818
39

711

Max Gresham

16.820
40
16

Tom Thomas

16.828
41

6

Hunter Robbins

16.834
42

49

Ryan Lawler

16.851
43

10

Ryan Crane

16.890
44

5

Jerry Artuso

16.899
45

51

Bobby Gill

16.900
46

41

Chris Davidson

16.902
47

45

Dwayne Buggay

16.909
48

14

Ken McFarland

16.958
49

97

Jimmy Garmon

16.965
50

1

Tim Martin

16.965
51

31

James Buescher

16.966
52

44

Gary Helton

16.984
53

167

Tim George Jr

17.025
54

88

Roger Reuse

17.055

55

82

Donnie Wilson

17.130
56

17

Josh Brock

17.244
57

25

Rocky Boyd Sr

17.546

[cake]

could change

still waiting on tech

[Jane]

Cool, Jerry is there. Haven't seen him for ages. Wish I could be there but with dad back in the hospital, that would not be right to go off so far. But it would be really, really nice to be there.

[ams311]

wow!!!!!!!!!

THE BIG GUNS THAT DID NOT MAKE THE SNOWBALL DERBY.

Did not qualify

26 Bubba Pollard 16.752 WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
67 Jeff Fultz 16.758
43 Dennis Schoenfeld 16.759
27 Jason Young 16.777
02 Matt Smith 16.786
05 Jeremy Colangelo 16.808
91 Heath Hindman 16.813
11 John Wilkinson III 16.818
711 Max Gresham 16.820
16 Tom Thomas 16.828
6 Hunter Robbins 16.834
49 Ryan Lawler 16.851
10 Ryan Crane 16.890
5 Jerry Artuso 16.899
51 Bobby Gill 16.900 WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
41 Chris Davidson 16.902
45 Dwayne Buggay 16.909
14 Ken McFarland 16.958
97 Jimmy Garmon 16.965
1 Tim Martin 16.965
31 James Buexcher 16.966
44 Gary Helton 16.984
167 Tim George Jr. 17.025
88 Roger Reuse 17.055
82 Donnie Wilson 17.130
17 Josh Brock 17.244
25 Rocky Boyd Sr. 17.546
61 Johnny VanDoorn NT

[MW68SS]

16.463 is fast time. Bobby Gill turns a 16.9 and is 45th quick. Insane competition when you have 45 cars qualify within 1/2 a second.

[flraceguy]

Now that is what I call racing.... A damn good thing to see the competition stiff and make the drivers and teams work to get in and stay in....

I know no one wants to hear this, but it reminds me of up north....


LOL...

Have a great day all...

[Frasson118]

As much as I don't like the "rich kids" getting handed everything, I do have to say I'm very impressed by Ross Kenseth. He has had a fantastic year, running in multiple classes, traveling all around the midwest, and has been a top-3 car everywhere he goes. This kid is the real deal, and he just proved it once again.

Most times, your talent won't get you to Cup racing, but the right last name might do it. This kid the name AND the talent, and I'll bet he's in Cup racing within 3-4 years.

Same story applies to Chase Elliott (Bill's son). I hate the fact that he's out there at 13 years old, but he's proved his talent all year long also. Luckily, the top series won't touch him for another 5 years.

As a darkhorse in this race, keep an eye on Casey Smith.

[Frasson118]

P.S. - The Derby has a provisional for the fastest former winner that doesn't make it in on time, and didn't make it in the Consolation race. This will probably ensure Bobby Gill's placed in the starting field.

Bubba Pollard on the other hand, has had an amazing season, and if he doesn't get in, would be a huge disappointment. He has 3 cars this weekend (2 SLM and 1 Snowflake car), and has been working his ass off. Maybe spread he and the crew TOO thin?

[Frasson118]

Update: Bubba Pollard and Hunter Robbins each have a "Blizzard" series provisional, and Bobby Gill WILL get the former winners provisional.

All 3 will skip the Last Chance Qualifier today.

Speed51's minute-by minute updates are way too cool. They give you ALL the info, and even answer questions sent in by fans across the country. Closest thing to being there!

[bubba]

I agree about Ross Kenseth, he is all over that wheel around this place. If he can go easy enough on the tires, he will be in it at the end tommorrow.

As for chase elliott, man - if you stack him and ryan blaney on top of each other and add another 50 lbs, you might have a full size driver. He looks even younger in person...That said, he is fast, real fast - better be with the $$ and name behind you.

brian campbell's car looks awesome up close and to the naked eye seems real fast. choquette is the only car on the rev limiter and man he is killing it at the end of the striaghts - it just doesnt sound good for the motor. i'd be surprised if he can do that for 300 laps.

glad to see van doorn get it together, they were thrashing big time to get it running for the race tonight.

I am sure i will catch hell for it, but i am not sold on Johanna Long. She seems nice enough but her major accomplishments so far are centered around outspending her competition and having Query on the payroll. I may end up being wrong, but I dont see her winning tomorrow.

Now the ultimate in great race experience is walking around the pits watching speed51 trackside updates on phone and getting all the dirt in person. Supposed to be in the low 30's tonight- yikes.

[Snowball]

I've been watching Johanna progress for a couple years now, and the fact that she won both the Blizzard chanpionship with two wins and the Gulfcoast championship(Mobile/Pensacola) is a major surprise to me only because I never in a million years thought she would progress that fast! She went to Speedeeks as almost a complete Super Latemodel rookie last year and had almost all top 5's. She went to Winchester which most consider the most intimidating track in the country and led for like 20-40 laps before being taken out by Brian Ickler. She also ran very well at O.R.P in Indy. She still has more to learn, but she is an amazing talent. Yes she has alot of money behind her, but don't all of the current Super Latemodel drivers her age? Freddie is just like a Chad Knaus of short track racing. You can give someone all the best equipment that there is and tell them what to do, but they still have to be able to wheel a race car and she can really do that!

[bubba]

Time will tell, as a visitor to the track, my advice would be to avoid over selling her there is an absolutely sick field here and all we hear about is the local girl who made a fast lap on the track she grew up on. It is getting really old. If she wins, i will come back on here tomorrow and sing her praises, but for now, she had a good lap.

[Snowball]

Had a good lap and won two Blizzard races ,Blizzard championship,Mobile and Five Flags track record holder and the Gulf coast championship against the stiffest competition in the country. It is true that she is very popular at Five Flags which is understandable. She's very humble and yet very talented. Would I bet on her to win tomorrow? No, but she does have a pretty good chance. I would pick her in my top 10. I really believe she's going places. It is true that she will probaly get a few extra doors opened for her because she is a female, but I guess she can't help that.

[bubba]

You said it all right there...on her two home tracks - against good competition, but she needs to win elsewhere. Just like Tim Russell, he has NSS wired and even OSW, but he isnt venturing out enough. I know she has gone othe places, but when the wins start coming in, i will be a beleiver. Ross Kenseth went all over the midwest won a ton and is down here and is fast. All I am saying is taking money out of the equation - i am more impressed with him - yet Jo-Mania is starting to give me a friggin headache - if she farts there is a press release and two t-shirts made about it.

She really seems like a nice kid and someone her parents should be proud of, but i havent seen the light yet as far as her driving.