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Widely regarded as the best in Super Late Model racing, Bubba Pollard has yet to secure the Tom Dawson Memorial Trophy.

The 30-year-old has made it to the crown jewel event at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola nine times, beginning in 2008 when he finished 5th. Over the next eight years, he would find the top-5 one more time, in 2015, but never emerging with the Snowball Derby winner’s ring.

Pollard is a short-track racing legend, amassing more than 100 Super Late Model victories, with 14 of them coming at Five Flags. The Snowball Derby though, remains high atop his bucket list, and he’s going into the race week with confidence.

“I really feel good about it, we’ve got fast race cars and I feel like this year, different from other years, I feel like our cars have been really fast the whole season and we’ve been more competitive at each and every race track,” Pollard said.

He claimed his third Blizzard Series Championship this year, but the highlight of his season was further north, in Slinger, Wisconsin where he earned redemption with a win after a poor start there in 2016.

“I really enjoyed going to Slinger Nationals and winning that,” Pollard said.

He added that he’s grateful his sponsorship allows him to travel to races outside of the southeast and delve further into Midwest competition.

Sponsored by Anderson’s Maple Syrup, based out of Wisconsin, Pollard is planning more trips to the CRA Super Series and Midwest Tour in 2018.

“I’m looking forward to racing in the Midwest more and racing against those guys, it’s a different competition and race tracks we aren’t used to,” Pollard said. “That’s really our main focus right now.”

Travel has been different this season for Pollard and his wife Erin after the birth of their daughter Elizabeth “Mac” last year. This marked the first-full season with a baby in tow for the family-focused team. Pollard’s father Sonny helps run the team and his sister Andrea is his spotter.

For Pollard, a third-generation driver, growing up around the racetrack was a rite of passage, and he hopes to share his world with his daughter as she grows up.

“It’s not all easy,” said Pollard. “Her growing up around the racetrack, it’s something I’ve done, and as long as she doesn’t hang around boys at the racetrack we’ll be good,” he said with a laugh.

Besides running a good race, he’s also excited that Mac will experience her second Snowball Derby after celebrating a milestone of her own. “She’ll be walking around!” said Pollard.

He’ll head to Pensacola for the Snowball Derby with his family behind him, and added drive to win the one that always seems to get away.

“We’ve got good notes,” said Pollard. “And we are capable of winning.”

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