ESCAMBIA COUNTY - The 41St Annual Snowball Derby will be raced at Five Flags Speedway In Pensacola this weekend.

The race is expected to rev up the local economy.

The race to the finish line returns this week to Five Flags Speedway and LInda Donaldson will to....as a race regular.

She's from Pensacola, saves her money for the derby every year and plans to spend every penny.

Linda Donaldson: "We don't buy for each other at Christmas-this is our Christmas gift to us and the people here at the gift--they know us because this is where I get my grandchildren's gifts and my kid's gifts."

People travel from across the country for the race--packing the parking lot with cars and campers...buying everything from tee-shirts and jackets--to banners and other race memorabilia.

Doris Helton, Sleep Inn Hotel: "Our business has been down at least 25 percent."

The spending spree is good news for Doris Helton.

She works at the Sleep Inn Hotel on Wilde Lake Boulevard. It sees three times the business.

Doris Helton: "This hotel is twelve years old, thirteen years old, and the Snowball Derby has always been good. Brings in the business, meet a lot of nice people and we've got a lot of people that have been staying with us the whole time."

Owners of Coach and Four Steakhouse--across the street from the speedway..expect the crowds from the race to roll in this weekend.

Greg Guilford: "We have some regulars that won't come because of the added congestion..but in all, it's good to see the excitement..it's good every year to look forward to it and I'm sure overall it's very good for the local economy."

A wise assumption, according to organizers, who expect 30-thousand people to watch the racing action.

Racing starts at eight tomorrow night. The big race is on Sunday at two in the afternoon.Annual Snowball Derby