11/28/2011
Five Flags Speedway
It All Comes Down to the 44th Annual Snowball Derby Weekend for Andy Loden
Tex Motorsports Marketing
www.texmotorsports.com
Contact: Chris Ragle
Fresh off his podium finish in the PASS South series final points standings, Andy Loden and his Monroe Roadways race team will make their way south to the 44th Annual Snowball Derby weekend at the Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida to close out their 2011 racing season.
Loden will compete for the first time both in the pro late model Snowflake 100 event Saturday night as well as the 44th Snowball Derby for the super late model machines. This year’s race marks the third consecutive year the former late model stock driver to compete in the country’s biggest short track racing event held every year the first weekend of December.
The event will be a week long for the #29 team as they will hit the abrasive Five Flags Speedway Monday (11/28) for the first time all season to test both their pro and super late model machines all day in preparation for the weekend’s races. The following night Andy will partake in the Speed51.com Snowball Derby kickoff party and radio show. Fans are encouraged to tune in to their computers at speed51.com beginning at 8pm eastern standard time to hear Andy talking about his week ahead for him and his team.
After Wednesday’s technical inspection competitors will get to hit the track for the first time on Thursday (12/1) as an all day practice scheduled from 10AM-4PM will allow teams to get their first feel of the race track, something Loden is really looking forward to after not having raced at the half mile track all year.
“Testing Monday and Thursday’s practice will be big for my team because we didn’t get to run a Blizzard race like a lot of these guys did this year to see what we need to do to make our car race well. Plus this will be just the second time I’ve raced a crate motor after running one at Concord last week, so I really could use as many laps as I can get behind the wheel of a pro late model to learn a little more on how to drive them,� noted Loden.
Several more practices Friday (12/2) morning before Andy will have to get down to business for the first time behind the wheel of the #29 Monroe Roadways/Red Mango Yogurt Chevy Impala super late model machine, as qualifying for Sunday’s main event takes place at 6PM. The top thirty fastest drivers will lock into the race while all other drivers will be forced to race their way in through last chance races. The first of two race days come on Saturday (12/3) as Andy will make his bid for his first career pro late model victory in one of the toughest races when the green flag drops on the Allen Turner Snowflake 100.
“I’m really looking forward to running the Snowflake race. We have one of the new crate motors Jeff Hamner has developed so I know there will be a lot of eyes on us for that one,� said Andy. “I really hope we can give it a good run and show everyone out there that Hamner Racing Engines is where it’s at even for your pro late model motor choice.�
Finally Sunday December 4th the 44th edition of the greatest spectacle in short track asphalt racing takes place with running at the Snowball Derby at 2pm. Loden hopes to add his name to the list of winners in the history books that include Darrell Waltrip, Charlie Bradberry, and Kyle Busch just to name a few.
“It’s been a long season already racing in probably the toughest racing series in the country in the PASS South series, but you always get that extra motivation and goose bumps when everyone starts talking about the Snowball Derby. My goal this year is to just finish the race. I’ve noticed if you can just finish the Snowball Derby you’re going to finish inside the top 10. Every year we’ve had really fast racecars and got caught up in a wreck. If we can improve a little bit on our qualifying and get a top ten starting position I think we may be in a better position to be there at the end.�
To keep up with Andy Loden’s Snowball Derby weekend be sure to like the Andy Loden Racing fan page on Facebook where daily updates starting Monday November 28th will be provided.
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