Preston Peltier Triumph: Preston Peltier made a remarkable journey from last place to clinch victory in the Snowball Derby Last Chance Qualifier at Five Flags Speedway. His triumph secured him a coveted spot in the 56th Annual Snowball Derby presented by Hooters and Safe Locator, set to take place later today.
Initially slated to start third in the Snowball Derby, Peltier encountered a setback when his qualification was invalidated during technical inspection. Consequently, he commenced the Last Chance Qualifier from the final starting position.
Undeterred by this setback, Peltier navigated through the field and surged into the lead with a mere 10 laps remaining in the 50-lap race. His stellar performance secured one of the four transfer spots, alongside John Bolen, Timothy Watson, and Ryan Moore, into the high-profile pavement Super Late Model race.
Although Carson Kvapil finished the race in the second position, his vehicle was disqualified post-race due to a tread width violation, negating his qualification.
Several notable figures graced the Last Chance Qualifier but faced disappointment in missing out on this year’s marquee event. Jake Garcia, a competitor in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, encountered an early exit in turn two after an incident placed him against the inside guardrail.
Additionally, Sammy Smith and Carson Hocevar’s battle for position led to a collision, shattering their aspirations of securing a Snowball Derby spot through the LCQ.
Augie Grill, a two-time Snowball Derby victor aiming for his 17th race start, faltered, slipping out of the top four in the latter stages of the Last Chance Qualifier and ultimately finishing in sixth place.