Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott exchanged differences of opinion Sunday on social media to a rule change the Snowball Derby will have this season.
The 52nd Annual Snowball Derby, which is hosted by Five Flags Speedway, will go with a controlled caution format in an effort to save teams money, according to a report by Speed51.com.
That means drivers pitting will not lose positions to other cars that pit during the same caution. It also means that no car may lose a lap while pitting under caution. The result is that there isn’t as great of a need to hire a specialized pit crew for the Super Late Model showcase event.
Tim Bryant, promoter of the Snowball Derby and Five Flags Speedway, told Speed51.com that the move was made to save teams money.
“We know that the Snowball Derby is a costly event for the teams to participate in,” Bryant told Speed51.com. We are in constant search of ways to make it less expensive for competitors. ... The importance of length of time on pit road has gone to the extreme. The cost of a high-paid pit crew was never intended for this level of racing.”
The decision was discussed on social media and included Kyle Busch, who won the event in 2009 and 2017 as a driver and had Noah Gragson win in 2018 with Kyle Busch Motorsports, and Chase Elliott, who won the Snowball Derby in 2011 and ’15. Elliott also won the 2013 Snowball Derby but was disqualified after his car failed post-race inspection.
Busch didn’t like the decision by Snowball Derby officials to do away with live pit stops. His comments led Elliott, Corey LaJoie, crew chief Chris Gabehart and Andy Houston, spotter for Austin Dillon, to join the discussion.
Very poor decision. It was the last race where we all knew what it took to win, the last true race where every variable mattered. It’s the freaking SNOWBALL man. It’s the Daytona500 of SLM racing. I’m disappointed to say the least. https://t.co/xs2jJ02xU1
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) January 27, 2019
Respectfully disagree. How many W’s would @TyMajeski have down there if he and KBM swapped out pit crews for the final stop of the day only🤔
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) January 27, 2019
Get rid of wide 5’s and u might have a better day on pit road. 😡 https://t.co/wySqzH7u0C
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) January 27, 2019
After losing the first one due to slow stops with wide 5 wheels, I don’t sympathize because it was his own fault for taking the same thing back the next two years.
— Corey LaJoie (@CoreyLaJoie) January 27, 2019
Don’t use the wide five argument as an excuse. pic.twitter.com/07ouN5yLuG
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) January 27, 2019
Is that the year u “won” but @erik_jones took home the trophy? Your right. U won on the track w wide fives. No one could touch u that day. U were GONE! https://t.co/NnknJZbYTT
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) January 27, 2019
if you have a solid crew, the rotating weight saved with wide 5s is worth giving up 2 sec on a stop.
— Corey LaJoie (@CoreyLaJoie) January 27, 2019
Getting the cost down to help the racers is the main goal here. Since you don’t like the controlled cautions for the Derby, what do you believe should be changed to bring the cost down?
— Casey LaJoie (@Casey_LaJoie) January 27, 2019
Dude. NASCAR owners r asking the same questions every week. Guess what… racing is expensive. No one has the right answers. People needing to b down at the derby on Wednesday is one of the dumbest things I know. Cut a day out. https://t.co/rlWDBcjfvH
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) January 27, 2019
Well all the promoters, track owners, series directors all seem to have a voice but u know what’s missing in that group? The drivers, owners, chassis builders, racers. Bubba and I talked. We r sickened that decisions keep getting made and yet our phones never ring. https://t.co/yrvjEynxvg
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) January 27, 2019
One thing is very clear here. There is a direct and upward trendline between expenses in racing and the addition of more rules.
— Chris Gabehart (@CG1751) January 27, 2019
What would it look like without the addition of rules? Noone knows for sure. But I can tell you, FOR SURE, rarely does a rule actually save money.
Yup. By saying that though the next discussion will b about bring spending caps to short track racing. Explain that one to me. 🤦🏻♂️ https://t.co/xLGxKOPrmQ
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) January 27, 2019
Not my problem. Budget for it.
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) January 27, 2019
Those that can’t afford the pit crew prolly aren’t going to b contending for the win anyway. Reality sucks! https://t.co/bZemYv9yms
Wrong. KBM brought truck only pit crew people. We practiced. @JHNemechek hired the 48 cup crew when he ran. Don’t hate on @KBMteam when u don’t know all the facts. https://t.co/qqA7qfQiHp
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) January 27, 2019
The hired pit crew costs $3500 for derby weekend. We know this year after year and budget for it. Teams should know when u want to go race and win the SNOWBALL that there r added expenses. Always are! https://t.co/n6cmwPJPb8
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) January 27, 2019