Five Flags hosted a Grand National (now
NASCAR Cup Series) race the year that the track opened (1953). The race was won by
Herb Thomas driving his
Fabulous Hudson Hornet. The
Superstar Racing Experience visited Five Flags in
2022. The track's signature event is the
Snowball Derby, run every December since 1968.
ESPN said that the "Snowball Derby is one of the premier late-model stock-car races in the country, attracting some of the top drivers." Due to the track lay-out and the highly banked turns, Five Flags is an extremely fast track. The current track record for Super Late Models is 16.120 seconds, set by
Ty Majeski in qualifying for the 2015 Snowball Derby. Five Flags is also well known for having an abrasive surface that quickly wears tires. This characteristic rewards drivers who do not abuse their tires and is considered by many to be part of the appeal of the track. ==References==