Five Flags Speedway announced Tuesday that the upcoming Snowball Derby and Snowflake 125 in December will utilize a different tire compound in 2025. This year the Super Late Models and Pro Late Models will run the Hoosier F-45* tire.

The track announced in a press release that the decision to change to the F-45* came following a tire test conducted at the Pensacola, Florida half-mile earlier in September.

“The tire company conducted a formal, multi-team, multi-chassis tire test at Five Flags on Wednesday, September 3, and results from that test led to the decision to utilize the F-45* tires on both left and ride side,” said the press release.

Last year, the Super Late Models and Pro Late Models utilized tires from Hoosiers “ST” line of tires. This year during Five Flags’ regular season, which just concluded this past Saturday, the ST-1* were used on the left sides of both the Super and Pro divisions, and the ST-3* was used on the right sides for both divisions.

“At the end of the day we feel an obligation to not just our competitors, but to our fans, to offer a platform that produces the best racing possible,” said Five Flags Speedway General Manager, Tim Bryant. “While the ST tire program worked well, kudos to Hoosier for continuing their efforts to develop something even better. At the recent test, the 45* tire gave multiple drivers the feel they were looking for in their race cars, while yielding the proper amount of fall-off everyone was looking for. This change should equate to better side-by-side racing, and hopefully more passing to excite race fans.”

The F-45* was developed by Hoosier specifically for Late Model Stock Car racing in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. It has been used by the Late Model Stock Car division in zMAX CARS Tour competition all season, as well as in weekly competition at South Boston Speedway, and most recently at the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, the most prestigious race of the year for the Late Model Stock Cars, at Martinsville Speedway this past weekend.

The F-45* is the same compound as the older F-45 model tire that was used for years before the ST-line was rolled out by Hoosier, though it is meant to have a stronger and more durable construction.

The Hoosier F-45* will be utilized by both the Super Late Models and Pro Late Models at the 58th Annual Snowball Derby on Sunday, December 7, and the 21st Annual Allen Turner Snowflake 125 on Saturday, December 6.

For the second straight year, the 58th Annual Snowball Derby will be broadcast live on FloRacing. The Snowball Derby is available to all FloRacing subscribers with a yearly or monthly subscription. Race fans can subscribe to FloRacing by clicking here.

Festivities at Five Flags Speedway get underway on Wednesday, December 3 with the annual parking of the haulers and pit party. Late Model teams, both Pro and Super Late Model, will draw for qualifying positions at the stage on the front stretch. 

Thursday will see the first on-track action of the busy weekend when the Super Late Models and the Pro Late Models hit the track for a full morning and afternoon of practice. Later that night the Sportsman, Pure Stocks, and Pro Trucks will take to the track for their feature events.  

Fast Friday will see more practice for the Super Late Models and the Pro Late Models leading up to time trials for the 58th Annual Snowball Derby at 6 p.m. CT. The top 30 drivers will lock themselves into the field for Sunday’s main event. The nightcap will feature the Modifieds of Mayhem 75, plus a 25 Lap Crown Stock Invitational.  

Saturday is by far the busiest day at the track with practice in the morning for the Late Models before the Allen Turner Snowflake 100 cars take to the track in the mid-afternoon. Following time trials the last chance races for the Snowflake 100 and the 58th Annual Snowball Derby will occur. The 22nd Annual Allen Turner Snowflake 100 will be followed by a feature race for the Outlaw Division.

It all leads up to Sunday, the 58th running of the Snowball Derby. Green flag will be at 1 p.m. CT for the 300-lap Super Late Model event.  

For more information on the 58th Annual Snowball Derby go to www.snowballderby.com.