Longtime Racer’s Memory Honored with Snowball Derby Bonuses
Pensacola, FL – The Snowball Derby and Five Flags Speedway family lost a valued member earlier this year when Sherman Chunn, father of Cecil Chunn, passed away on August 28. To honor Chunn’s memory, Jeff Hamner, owner of Hamner Racing Engines, is putting up money for the leaders of laps 48, 148 and 248 during the 48th Annual Snowball Derby on Sunday, December 3.
“I remember Sherman at the Derby from when I was a kid,” said Hamner. “He was a truly great person. We are hoping that this honors him in the right way being that this is the 48th Derby and all of his cars were always number-48.”
Sherman’s real name was Jerry, but everybody called him Sherman because he was “as big as a tank,” according to Bryant. Chunn was a fixture at race tracks all over the country, including Five Flags Speedway. Chunn was a fan, a car owner for his son as he chased his Late Model dreams, and a fabricator for three-time NASCAR champion and Snowball Derby winner Darrell Waltrip.
Hamner is putting up $200 to the leader of each of those three laps. However, if the same driver leads all three laps then the money is upped to $1,000.
“It’s an honor to have Hamner Racing Engines put up this money in memory of the great man that Sherman was,” said Snowball Derby promoter Tim Bryant. “He was a mainstay at the race track and at the Snowball Derby. He is someone that is truly missed, but he will not be forgotten.”
Chunn had been battling a form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) known as progressive bulbar palsy, which attacks the central nervous system, for more than a year. He passed away on August 28 at the age of 64 years old.
The 48th Annual Snowball Derby weekend kicks off with the Cat Country/WEAR-TV3 Green Flag Party on Wednesday, December 2. On-track activities start Thursday, December 3, for the opening practice rounds for the Snowball Derby Super Late Models and Snowflake 100 Pro Late Models. The Five Flags Butler U-Pull-It Bombers and Beef ‘O’Brady’s Sportsman divisions will also have feature events on Snowball Derby Thursday.
The top Snowball Derby starting spots will be set on Friday, December 4 during WXBM 102.7 Pole Night at Five Flags. The Five Flags Faith Chapel Super Stocks and Modifieds will also battle in their Snowball Derby features after Super Late Model qualifying.
The Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 takes center stage on Saturday, December 5 as the top Pro Late Model racers in the country qualify and battle for 100 laps at Five Flags. In addition, Saturday’s action features the final 50-lap qualifying event for Snowball Derby drivers to make one last effort to qualify for the 300-lap Super Late Model race. The Better Built Tool Box Pro Trucks will also have a 50-lap feature on Snowball Derby Saturday.
Then on Sunday, December 6, the green flag will drop on the 48th Annual Snowball Derby at 2 p.m. CT at Pensacola, Florida’s Five Flags Speedway.
Fans unable to make it to Pensacola, Florida for the Snowball Derby can watch all of the action through a live online TV style pay-per-view broadcast on Speed51 TV. A four-day video ticket can be purchased now for $59.99 allowing fans to watch all of the action from Five Flags Speedway. Single-day video tickets are also available. Visit Speed51.com for more information.
For more information on the 48th Annual Snowball Derby weekend at Five Flags Speedway, visit www.snowballderby.com.
For more information on Speed51.com and the rest of the 51 Companies, contact Jana Wimmer (Director of Business) at 51 Sports via email through jana@speed51.com and visit Speed51.com. Speed51.com is on Twitter at @speed51dotcom and on Facebook by searching Speed51.com.
Sources: 51 Sports/Snowball Derby PR