The history of the Chase Elliott Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway is legendary for its unpredictability and raw intensity, where reputations are made and dashed in just a few laps. In 2010, chaos reigned and a teenager from Pensacola, Johanna Long, delivered one of the most extraordinary upsets, forging her place in one of short track racing‘s wildest nights.
2010’s Unforgiving Derby: Elliott Leads, But Chaos Takes Center Stage
The Snowball Derby is notorious for breaking even the most skilled and well-funded competitors, and the 2010 edition was a clear testament to that legacy. On that December evening, 37 entries lined up on the Five Flags Speedway’s half-mile, including an impressive lineup of short track regulars and emerging names destined for NASCAR greatness. Fifteen-year-old Chase Elliott took an early lead, making his presence felt among experienced veterans and established teams aiming for glory.
The early laps were relentless, with competitors instantly caught in a series of wrecks and caution periods. The race’s first half saw drivers battling just to avoid trouble, as more than half the field was eliminated before the midway point. Ultimately, of the 37 cars that started, only a dozen crossed the finish line, with merely eight still on the lead lap—a testament to the night’s unforgiving pace and frequent crashes.
Johanna Long’s Breakthrough Amid Wreckage
As the chaos reached its peak, local racer Johanna Long, just eighteen at the time, quietly advanced through the turmoil. Her recollection of that night captures the race’s wild spirit:
“We go green and then they wreck in front of me,”
she remembered. – Johanna Long, Driver
Even as restarts continued and accidents unfolded right before her, Long maintained a resilient perspective:
“We start again and they wreck in front of me again. I’m like, oh goodness.”
– Johanna Long, Driver
Sixteen cautions were scattered across the 300-lap contest, turning every restart into a nerve-wracking gamble. As she approached the closing stages, Long’s strategic use of a timely tire stop gave her an advantage over rival Landon Cassill, who was struggling with worn tires. Her decisive move came with just 15 laps to go, as she chased down Cassill and made contact, triggering an incident with dramatic consequences:
“When I got to Landon, I got to the gas just a little too early, and he was really free,”
she said. – Johanna Long, Driver
The aftermath saw Cassill spin and a major pileup ensue, leading Long to worry that she would be penalized out of contention. Consumed with anxiety, she radioed her team:
“Oh they’re going to put me to the back. They don’t want to see me win. They’re just going to kill me. I didn’t mean to do that.”
– Johanna Long, Driver
Ultimately, officials determined the contact was a product of hard racing, and Long was allowed to keep her position. Composed and focused, she went on to pass Donnie Wilson cleanly for the lead on lap 315 and held it to the finish, displaying maturity and composure rarely seen in drivers her age.
Reflecting on her feelings as she took the checkered flag, Long conveyed a deep sense of emotion linked to her family’s racing journey:
“Just excitement. I was excited to see my dad. Just because they tried so long and so hard to win it, so it was cool to win it for them.”
– Johanna Long, Driver
Johanna credited her father, Donald Long—himself a former Late Model Stock car driver—for both mentoring her from childhood and inspiring her love of competition. Her ability to avoid trouble and harness her car’s strengths in the final miles set her apart from a field stacked with heavy favorites, including Chase Elliott, who had controlled much of the race before becoming yet another casualty of the night’s relentless carnage.
Her win stood as a landmark moment: a young woman with a family-owned car defeating million-dollar teams and storied veterans in one of short tracking racing’s most prestigious events. In that dramatic finish, survival proved every bit as valuable as speed.
Youthful Talent Challenging Snowball Derby Traditions
The narrative of underdog success—long synonymous with the Snowball Derby—continues to unfold as the event looks ahead to a new generation of teenage contenders. Today, thirteen-year-old Keelan Harvick steps onto the Pensacola scene with enormous expectations, piloting the No. 62 Rackley WAR Chevrolet. Already with a season of stock car experience and victories in late model competition stretching from coast to coast, Harvick has rapidly caught the attention of teams and fans alike for his composure and speed.
This December, Harvick will challenge in the Snowflake 125 Pro Late Model race, building momentum in hopes of advancing to the main Snowball Derby. Should he succeed in making the field, he would chase a feat not matched since Chase Elliott’s win as a sixteen-year-old in 2011—becoming a teenaged Derby victor. Harvick himself won’t turn fourteen until February, placing the record for the event’s youngest-ever winner within his reach.
The team behind Harvick, Rackley WAR, has a reputation for assembling top-tier Derby contenders, ensuring his car will be competitive from the outset. Still, as history demonstrates, it’s the driver’s ability to stay out of trouble, preserve equipment, and adapt strategically that determines success at Five Flags Speedway.
Keelan Harvick arrives with a famous last name and impressive statistics but faces the same daunting test that confronted Chase Elliott and Johanna Long before him—a race that rewards patience, quick reflexes, and unshakeable focus as much as outright speed.
Legacy and Significance: The Snowball Derby’s Defiance of Expectation
The past and present of the Snowball Derby are deeply intertwined, brought to life by stories like Johanna Long’s improbable 2010 victory and Chase Elliott’s earlier dominance. Both incidents highlight the race’s willingness to crown unexpected heroes and its disregard for predictions based solely on résumés, financial backing, or even racing lineage. Key figures such as Donald Long, Landon Cassill, Donnie Wilson, and modern faces like Keelan Harvick, embody the Derby’s mixture of established legacy and emergent youth.
As the next generation, represented by names like Harvick, readies to face the traditional chaos and unpredictability of Five Flags Speedway, each young driver follows a well-worn yet ever-surprising path. The world of short track racing—and the NASCAR fandom that thrives on these stories—remains both captivated and uncertain about who will next add their name to Snowball Derby history. Every winter in Pensacola, hopes and dreams compete alongside talent and experience, and the only certainty is that another unforgettable chapter awaits.
With history showing that age and pedigree can be both burden and blessing, the Snowball Derby maintains its status as a proving ground where the race itself, not the resume, decides the true winner.
The unpredictable, chaotic, and fiercely contested event continues to inspire drivers and fans, ensuring that legendary upsets are always possible whenever the green flag waves at Five Flags Speedway.
