For much of this week, the build-up to the Snowball Derby felt like pure magic. Five Flags Speedway, the crown jewel of short-track racing, is packed with Super Late Models, Cup guys, regional killers, and kids trying to make a name. But this year, the weather had different plans.

Ryan Preece, fresh off a full NASCAR Cup season, had his car ready, his helmet packed, and a real shot at finally checking the Derby off his bucket list. Fans were pumped to see a current Cup driver mix it up with the late-model sharks. The entry list looked unbeatable. But the weather app, not so much.

Rain kept threatening, sessions got moved, practice got cut short, and suddenly the whole week started feeling like a coin flip. Everyone kept checking the radar, hoping the storms would hold off just long enoug

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