ASA STARS National Tour
STARS National Series Announces 2023 Season Opener
Nov 30, 2022
Five Flags Speedway has unveiled its 2023 schedule, including dates for the Deep South Crane Blizzard Series and Allen Turner Pro Late Models as well as a new class of local racing at the Pensacola, Florida half-mile.
The Blizzard Series will once again hold four races at Five Flags in 2023 for Super Late Model competitors, including the ASA Stars National Tour series opener on March 10-11. Super Late Models will also take the track on July 21-22 during a summer doubleheader, before wrapping up the Road to the Snowball Derby on September 23.
The Allen Turner Pro Late Models will start their season on April 7. The Pro Late Models will also compete on June 16, August 25 and on the Night of Champions on September 23 alongside the Blizzard Series.
The ARCA Menards Series East will open its season at Five Flags Speedway on March 25. ARCA Menards Series East has visited Five Flags each of the past three seasons, with Sammy Smith winning the last two editions of the event.
The 2023 season at Five Flags Speedway will also feature a new entry-level division, the Story & Bleich Roofing Crown Stock division. The formation of the division started as the track searched for cars to use for special events with local personalities, but took on a life of its own as racing featuring Ford Crown Victorias has soared in popularity in recent years.
"Some years back, we used to have celebrity races, Faster Pastor races, that sort of thing with people from around the community for a lot of fun," said Five Flags Speedway's Tim Bryant on the track's podcast 'In The Groove.' "We were in search of some cars that we could maybe restart that with, some track cars. We came up with some old police cars, and before we could even get a plan together, we had them parked in front of the track and we started getting calls about a Crown Vic class.
"There's plenty of those cars, ex-police cars, 4.6 liter Ford engines in them. We refocused our direction on what we were doing there. We will have a couple of track cars and getting people to drive those cars, but there are cars under construction and rules we are putting the finishing touches on."
Of course, the season all builds to the biggest event of the season, the 56th Annual Snowball Derby. This year, the Snowball Derby will take place starting on November 30 and concluding on December 3. Teams will also get one last chance to prepare for the Derby at the Snowball Derby Preview on November 17.
The full schedule for all of Five Flags Speedway's divisions can be viewed below.
2023 Five Flags Speedway Schedule
January 14 - Awards Banquet
February 4 - Monster Truck Show/Racer’s Swap Meet
February 25 - Sweat Hogg Enduro
March 10 - Blizzard Practice, Sportsman, Pure Stocks
March 11* - STARS National Tour Opener/Blizzard Series #1, Outlaw
March 24 - Pro Trucks, Pure Stocks, Crown Stocks
March 25* - ARCA East Opener, Mods of Mayhem
April 7 - Allen Turner Pro Late Models #1, Sportsman, Pure Stocks, Crown Stocks
April 21 - Outlaws, Pro Trucks, Pure Stocks, Crown Stocks
May 19 - Outlaws, Pro Trucks, Sportsman, Crown Stocks
June 2 - Outlaw, Sportsman, Pure Stocks, Crown Stocks
June 16 - Allen Turner Pro Late Models #2, Pro Trucks, Sportsman, Crown Stocks
July 7 - Outlaw, Sportsman, Pure Stocks, Crown Stocks
July 21 - Blizzard Series #2, Outlaws, Pure Stocks
July 22 - Blizzard Series #3, Modifieds of Mayhem, Crown Stocks
August 4 - Outlaw, Sportsman, Pure Stocks, Demolition Derby
August 25 - Allen Turner Pro Late Models #3, Pro Trucks, Pure Stocks, Crown Stocks
Sept 9* - Night of Champions #1 - Outlaw, Pro Trucks, Sportsman, Pure Stocks
Sept 23 - Night of Champions #2 - Blizzard Series #4, Allen Turner Pro Late Models #4, Crown Stocks
Nov 17 - Snowball Derby Preview
Nov 30-Dec 3 - 56th Annual Snowball Derby