Miss Snowball Derby Competing in SpeedFest Pro Late Model Event

Along with some of the top Late Model racers in the country, there will be a beauty queen in the field for the SpeedFest Pro Late Model 100.

Maddison Bragg is making her Pro Late Model debut this weekend in the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour portion of the annual event at Crisp Motorsports Park. Just a couple of months ago, Bragg was crowned as Miss Snowball Derby.

READ MORE: Maddison Bragg 'Living the Dream' as Racer, Miss Snowball Derby

Bragg started her racing career at South Alabama Speedway. Now, she'll be making her Pro Late Model debut to kick off the 2022 racing season.

"I started out in a Mini Cup at South Alabama Speedway," Bragg told Racing America. "I moved up into Outlaw Late Models, which I've been racing for two years now.

"This is only the second time I've been in the car, second time I've sat in a Late Model. It's very different, but I'm not slow. I'm getting there. We just need to gain some speed and get comfortable in the car. We're working towards it, and hopefully I'll be able to stay with them come Saturday."

Bragg tested the car last weekend, and her performance was encouraging enough to convince her father that they were ready to take the next step.

"This has been a last-minute thing. I practiced last Sunday, and my times were good enough that dad said, 'You're racing SpeedFest this weekend.' It's a last-minute thing, but moving up from an Outlaw Late Model is not that big of a difference. There's a lot more speed, but the cars handle somewhat the same. I'm not in a complete different car."

Of course, it will be a daunting challenge for Bragg in her debut. The SpeedFest 100 field boasts some of the best Late Model racing has to offer for one of the first marquee events of the season.

"A lot of the big guys are racing with us this weekend. Hopefully, we'll be able to hang with them and hang in there. It's scary in a way. You never know what to expect. I'm the underdog here, so I have to stand my ground in some situations. I just have to stay with them. Finishing on the lead lap is my goal this weekend."

Being a racer and Miss Snowball Derby is a very special feeling for Bragg. It is an avenue for her to prove to other young women that they do not have to fit neatly into one box or the other.

"Being Miss Snowball Derby was just a dream, because I do race. Being an advocate for girls who want to get into racing, they don't think they can do both. They think they can only be a beauty queen or be a race car driver. You can do both. You can be dirty with the guys on the weekends and have your hands on the car, but also dress nice and put a crown on your head and carry your head high.

"I'm being referred to as 'Miss Snowball' already this weekend. It's a big deal. I love the title, and I also love being a race car driver."