The Snowball Derby is one of the most iconic short-track races of the calendar year. With more than 50 years of history and an illustrious list of race winners, the Five Flags Speedway delivers some of the best short-track racing action. And the trend will continue this week as some of the best short track races will go toe-to-toe against each other with the hopes of taking home $50,000 prize money.

Well, the driver lineup is stacked for this week’s festivities at the Five Flags Speedway. The likes of Noah Gragson, Chandler Smith, and Ty Majeski are a few notable names from NASCAR looking to conquer the half-mile oval in Pensacola, Florida. NASCAR drivers turning up to compete at the Snowball Derby is nothing new. Star drivers like Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott have won the historic event. Rowdy is in the esteemed list of drivers to have won the race twice in his career, but he won’t be featured in the 57th running of the Derby.

Here’s why Kyle Busch won’t compete at the Snowball Derby

Busch is no stranger to competing in late-model racing events. Well before he became an established name in NASCAR, Rowdy was bettering his short-oval skills on the grassroots level. As he rose in the ranks of NASCAR, getting his breakthrough at Hendrick Motorsports, he was also making waves at the regional level. He finally bagged his first Snowball Derby win in 2009, and then he repeated this feat in 2017.

However, a tight racing schedule this off-season will see him not feature at the historic short-track racing event. For the most part, Kyle Busch has stuck by NASCAR races, but for the first time, he is embarking on a new adventure. Busch is preparing to make his debut at the historic Chili Bowl Nationals, competing in the midget car on the dirt track.

Well, he wasn’t going to dive into the big event without any prior experience or preparations. Which is why he was seen competing in the USAC Nationals races at the Bakersfield Speedway and Ventura Raceway. That is not it; Busch is also scheduled to race at the Tulsa Shootout along with his son Brexton. It’s fair to say that his off-season schedule is pretty much packed with his dirt racing adventures.

“The Cup Season may be over, but the racing season is still in full swing with the biggest events on dirt taking place over the next couple of months. The Chili Bowl is a legendary event and has always been on my wish-list. To be able to compete there, and then alongside my son Brexton at the Tulsa Shootout, is making this year one to remember,” Busch opened up about his off-season racing exploits.

But, given his results at the USAC midget races, it’s fair to say that Rowdy needs a lot of preparation before heading into the Chili Bowl Nationals.

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Tough road ahead for Rowdy

The 2-time Cup Series champion made his USAC midget racing debut competing in the November Classic at Bakersfield Speedway. Busch had been racing on dirt this season alongside his son Brexton, but midget racing was a new challenge for him. In his first-ever attempt, he fell short of qualifying for the main event after qualifying 18th out of the 36 entries.

There was an element of luck that played a role in deciding Rowdy’s fate. His start to the heats races looked promising, but after leading 2 laps, his race car lost power, and he wasn’t able to advance to the next round. He did have a last chance to make it through to the main event in a semi-feature, but he fell short by just one position after working his way up to fifth position. Only 4 drivers would advance to the main event from this feature, and unfortunately, Rowdy didn’t make the cut.

Meanwhile, his second attempt at Ventura Raceway was no different, as another mechanical failure derailed his hopes of a strong finish. With more than 50 entries for the race, only 26 drivers made it to the final race. Rowdy has entered an unfamiliar territory with his dirt midget racing, but he quickly needs to turn a corner for good. With the Chili Bowl Nationals lined up, he will be hoping for a better outcome from his race at the Tulsa Shootout.