CHARLOTTE, NC :: Second generation racer Kyle Grissom has new reason to be optimistic entering the 47th Snowball Derby after missing the field last year.

Grissom, 25, is racing for Danny Harrison in a Great American Racing Chassis (GARC) car.  GARC is the chassis built by Augie and Frankie Grill.  Having that chassis, which is the chassis most of the competitors in the Deep South region race gives Grissom confidence in his car being good enough to make the field for Sunday’s Snowball Derby.

“A lot of guys down there have had a lot of success with the Grill cars so it’s nice to have one and talk to guys like Bubba and Augie that have those cars and, hopefully if you struggle, you can lean on them for information,” Grissom said.  “It’s a good feeling having lots of competition going down there.”

Grissom enters the Derby having recorded some strong performances in the Southern Super Series, the Super Late Model tour which runs in four states in the Deep South region, in spite of going winless on the season.  He qualified on the pole and recorded a second place finish in the World Crown 300 at Gresham Motorsports Park and a fourth place finish in the Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway.

“We struggled a little bit outside of that,” Grissom remarked.  “We had some decent runs.”

Grissom knows the disappointment of missing the field for the Snowball Derby and has no plans of reliving those emotions this year.

“I feel like we can make the field,” Grissom explained.  “We’ve got Grill cars this year.  I mean, we’ve worked hard to get prepared, tested and all that so I feel pretty good going down there.  It’s just a matter of doing everything right once you get there and staying up on what’s going on, keeping the car adjusted as the track changes, staying on top of the tire game and being relaxed and smart.  It’s not an easy task as I know from last year it’s not a fun feeling missing the race.  Hopefully we can at least get in it this year.”

Grissom plans to compete again in the Southern Super Series in 2015.  He said he is also working on other plans for next season as well.