PENSACOLA, Fla. — The 2025 Snowball Derby is off to a delayed start. Practice on the racetrack was supposed to start on Thursday.
Those trials were moved to Friday because of the rain. Conditions were still not ideal on Friday, but trials were held.
The Snowball Derby is the biggest event every year at the racetrack. Staff members say the plan is to get through all of the scheduled races this week, even if that means taking a rain check.
Several days of downpour canceled the first day of events on the track and postponed others.
“We don’t run in the wet, unlike Formula One,” said Tim Bryant, general manager at Five Flags Speedway. “…And when the track gets wet, we have to stop until it dries.”
Bryant says even five minutes of rain is enough to cancel a race. He says the derby attracts about 10,000 fans to the track for the main race. People are traveling in from all four corners of the country.
“We feel a huge responsibility, I’ll use that word, you know, to accommodate these folks,” Bryant said.
Folks, like Tommy Hall, drove in from Panama City and set up camp on Wednesday. Coming to the Snowball Derby with his buddies is an annual tradition, rain or shine.
“We knew what we were getting into before we got here,” Hall said. “The guys that flew in knew what they were getting into before they got here. Doesn’t matter. We still show up.”
Others say the rains make an impact beyond the drivers and the fans.
“I hate it for the track owners, because this is their big money-making for the year,” attendee Tommy Underwood said. “I hate it for them, but hey, we’re gonna be here whether we race or not.”
Saturday is expected to bring the biggest chance of rainfall. The trend will likely continue through the weekend, including the main event on Sunday.
Below is a revised schedule for Saturday.
“We know that sometimes when you have rain predicted, it doesn’t happen,” Bryant said. “So we’re going to press on as long as we can and do the best that we can.”
Bryant says Five Flags has a “Next Clear Day” policy. He says the goal is to get all the races done by Tuesday.
- WEAR: How long are you willing to stay?
- Underwood: until the end. First one’s here, last one to leave.”
You can find the latest updates about race times on the Five Flags Speedway website and social media pages.
