Jeremy Mayfield Excited for First Start at 5 Flags Speedway in 30 Years

One of the most intriguing stories in the 2023 Snowball Derby companion events is Jeremy Mayfield and his return to 5 Flags Speedway. Mayfield, 54, will be running the No. 92 Faith Chapel Outlaw Late Model for Bubba Winslow's race team.

Mayfield says he is excited to hit the track and feels confident following a recent test at the half-mile short track in Pensacola.

"Oh yeah, can't wait," Mayfield said about racing at 5 Flags Speedway. "Hopefully, we'll get some practice in today and get running and see what happens. We tested here a couple of weeks ago and ran pretty good. Hopefully, we'll be the same or at least faster anyway."

Mayfield has run at 5 Flags Speedway in the past, but it's been 30 years since the five-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner competed at the facility. Despite it being three decades ago, Mayfield remembers his 1993 ARCA start at the track very well.

"I ran an ARCA car here and led a bunch of the laps and I think we ended up third and had a great time," Mayfield recalled. "It's a good racetrack. I love the atmosphere, and all of the fans are so good. It's amazing to be down there, it's so cool."

In that ARCA Race back in 1993, Mayfield started second, led 28 laps, and finished third. That sesson, Mayfield finished fourth in the overall ARCA Racing Series championship standings. The next year, Mayfield was in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Mayfield hopes his return to 5 Flags Speedway on Monday ends up being a triumphant one, but regardless he's excited to take part in the race at the iconic speedway.

"It'll be fun. Hopefully, we'll be up front with the rest of them and put on a good show," Mayfield explained. "But yeah, just to be here and be a part of this, it's great for us."

In the last several years, Mayfield has become a fixture on the local short track racing scene in the southeast. Mayfield says he has found success in the Grand National Series this season.

"It's been fun. We've been doing a lot of different stuff. I've been running the Grand National Series quite a bit. We've won like six races there this year," Mayfield stated. "That's up around the Carolinas, Montgomery, Alabama, places like that. We've had a good time. I haven't run my dirt car much, but we've been running a lot of asphalt stuff. It feels good to be back in a late model here too, this outlaw late model."

Mayfield hopes to have similar success in the Fath Chapel Outlaws 50 on Monday. Another cool wrinkle is that Chad Chaffin, another former NASCAR National Series racer, will be competing alongside Mayfield on Monday. Mayfield says he is good friends with Chaffin, and is excited to battle it out.

"Like, I've raced against Chad Chaffin quite a bit when I was in Nashville. Chad and I are good friends, and Bubba, obviously, that's who's backup car I'm running his car. He runs good. Got a lot of good stuff around me. Got a lot of good people around me. Hopefully, I'll be as good as they are."

Catch the Faith Chapel Outlaw Late Model event on Monday, December 4th on Racing America. The event is included in the Monday Snowball Derby weekend Package as well as the All Access Weekend PPV Pass.