DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, FL -- Brandon Odom has not taken a green flag in a race car since The Alabama 200 on October 18 at South Alabama Speedway. Fortunately for himself and his fans, he will end that streak this weekend at Five Flags (FL) Speedway. The 17 year-old Florida driver will attempt to qualify for The Annual Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 - A major support event for The 42nd Annual Snowball Derby.
Over 70 cars are expected to battle for 36 time trial-earned starting spots, and Odom is a favorite to grab one of those spots. Although he missed one race, he was a regular competitor in the speedway's Tom Thumb Pro Late Model Series this year. Adding to the advantage of seat time at the fast half-mile speed plant, Odom also racked up two wins for the season at Five Flags.
Brandon has yet a third weapon in his arsenal: A car that he absolutely loves to drive. He will be driving for Royce Johnston Motorsports this weekend - as he has many times before. The team has entered the same car that Brandon drove to an 18th-place finish in The Alabama 200. While an 18th-place finish is nothing for one of South Alabama Speedway's most competitive drivers to brag about, the finish was not indicative of his performance; rather, it was brought on by mechanical failure. Despite his disappointing finish, Odom was ecstatic when he climbed from his car, and couldn't wait to drive it again.
"It's fast," said Odom. "It's really fast and handles too. This car is going to be awesome."
That's exactly what it will take to get into The Snowflake 100 field - a really fast car that handles perfectly. Drivers from all over the country will be looking to steal a starting spot from Brandon, but he says he's ready for the challenge.
"I do think that we have a good enough car to make the field," commented Odom. "I'm not sure if we'll be the fastest thing out there and get the pole. I'd much rather have a good race car than a qualifying car and I think we have that."
Although it may sound cliche, Odom knows that surviving attrition and being around at the end of the race is the first step to stepping into victory lane.
"The key to surviving the distance is to be aware and not put yourself in a position where it could end your night [in a crash]," he warned. "You know who you can race with and who you can't. My plans are to just stay out of trouble and get to the front and be there at the end. We actually went to test at Five Flags during open practice a few weeks ago. The car was really good. I was very happy with it. I think we have a good chance of winning [The Snowflake 100]"
Snowball Derby weekend and all of it's events are widely considered the crown jewel of stock car racing, and it has it's own special meaning to Odom as well.
"Winning The Snowflake 100 at age 17 would be awesome," exclaimed Odom. "There are a lot drivers who have been trying to win this race for years and to just win it on my second try would be great."
The Brandon Odom Racing / Royce Johnston Motorsports Team is not only pursuing a win for their fans; they are also hoping to take a brand new sponsor to victory lane. GetMoreVacations.com has signed on to sponsor their Snowflake 100 effort.
"We are so excited they came on board with our team and we look forward to working with them in the future," stated Odom.
The race teams have already arrived at Five Flags Speedway, and will spend all day Thursday and Friday practicing and testing. Qualifying for The Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 gets underway Saturday, December 05 at 2:00PM CT, and the race goes green that night at 7:00PM CT.
More information on The Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100 or The Snowball Derby may be obtained online at www.snowballderby.com
Fans may learn more about Brandon Odom and stay abreast of his exciting career online at www.brandonodomracing.com.
To contact Brandon Odom or Brandon Odom Racing, or for more information, please contact Michael Hughes with Z3 Sports by telephone at (334) 382-4488, or by email at michael@brandonodomracing.com.
