IceBreaker 2023: Entry list, schedule, TV channel, more for Florence Motor Speedway's season-opener

For Late Model Stock Car competitors in the Southeast, the traditional start to the racing season is officially here with the annual running of the IceBreaker at Florence Motor Speedway.

Constructed in 1982 as a dirt track before being paved in 1988, Florence is one of the Southeast’s most historic and beloved short tracks. Following the closure of Myrtle Beach Speedway in 2020, many of Myrtle Beach’s traditional events were transitioned to Florence.

That includes the IceBreaker, which was first held in 2016 and quickly became a popular event for fans and competitors alike.

RELATED: Watch the IceBreaker from Florence live on FloRacing

The IceBreaker presents competitors with an opportunity to hit the track early in the year to test out new cars or new team pairings before the summer stretch of the season. It also gives Late Model Stock Car competitors the chance to race for a $5,000 prize early in the year, something that would serve as a huge momentum boost for any driver this early in the season.

Below is everything you need to know about the 2023 IceBreaker at Florence Motor Speedway.

What TV Channel is the 2023 IceBreaker on?

All the on-track action for the IceBreaker can be viewed live on FloRacing, the official streaming home for all NASCAR Roots properties.

The event will not be shown on a television network.

Below is the complete schedule for FloRacing‘s coverage of the IceBreaker.

Practice, qualifying and race schedule

The headlining Late Model Stock Car class is one of five divisions that will be on track at Florence this weekend beginning with a rotating practice from noon to 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 11 that will also include Mini Stocks, Super Trucks, Legend Cars and Bandoleros.

The action picks up on Saturday, February 11 with more practice, followed closely by qualifying. The Late Model Stock Car, Mini Stock and Super Truck divisions will all utilize a group qualifying format that will see groups of three take to the track for three laps each.

Pre-race ceremonies are set to begin at 2:15 p.m. ET, with the first laps of the 2023 season scheduled to take place shortly after 2:30 p.m. ET.

Below is the complete schedule for all of the weekend action at Florence Motor Speedway (all times ET).

• Friday, Feb. 10

• Saturday, Feb. 11

Entry list

A whopping 40 drivers are entered to compete in Saturday’s IceBreaker, headlined by the return of NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Earnhardt, who will drive a car that will look similar to cars he drove in his youth that sported the Mom ‘N’ Pops colors, is making his second start at Florence in the last few months. He most recently competed at Florence during the South Carolina 400 in November, finishing ninth.

RELATED: More on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s entry

Also entered is NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jeb Burton, who will pilot a Late Model Stock Car out of the Sellers Racing stable. Carson Kvapil, who captured the 2022 CARS Late Model Stock Tour championship driving for JR Motorsports, will also be in the field.

Brenden Queen, who triumphed in the South Carolina 400 in November in his first start for Lee Pulliam Performance, returns to Florence in search of another marquee win. Defending Florence Motor Speedway track champion Kade Brown is also entered, but he’ll be driving for Matt Piercy Racing instead of the AK Performance team he won the track championship with last year.

Other notable entrants include Kaden Honeycutt, Ryan Millington, Mason Diaz, Mark Wertz, Jaiden Reyna, Doug Barnes Jr., Connor Hall and Sam Yarbrough.

Below is the current entry list for the IceBreaker.

IceBreaker list of winners

The IceBreaker is a relatively new tradition that began at Myrtle Beach Speedway in 2016 as a way for drivers to get an early start to the racing season in the Carolinas.

Held five times at Myrtle Beach Speedway before the track’s demise, Tommy Lemons Jr. emerged as the winner of the inaugural event in 2016. Four-time NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National champion Lee Pulliam claimed the IceBreaker victory in 2017, with NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series veteran Timothy Peters scoring the win in 2018.

Ty Gibbs, who is set to begin his maiden NASCAR Cup Series campaign later this month, took home the IceBreaker trophy in 2019. Regional star Sam Yarbrough was the winner of the final IceBreaker held at Myrtle Beach in 2020.

With Myrtle Beach’s closure, the IceBreaker was moved to Florence Motor Speedway beginning in 2021. Chad McCumbee took home the checkered flag that season, with NASCAR Xfinity Series star and 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series National champion Josh Berry winning the race in 2022.

Below is the complete list of winners of the IceBreaker.