By Joe Chandler
Director, Public Relations
South Boston Speedway
SOUTH BOSTON, VA (January, 13, 2025) – Competitors in South Boston Speedway’s Late Model Stock Car Division and Limited Sportsman Division will race on a new tire during the 2025 season.
South Boston Speedway and Hoosier Racing Tire officials announced that competitors will race on Hoosier’s new F45* (star) tire, a tire developed by Hoosier Racing Tires that will provide competitors a tire offering greater durability and consistency. The new F45* (star) tire will also be used by the CARS Tour in 2025.
“We’re extremely excited about this,” said South Boston Speedway General Manager Brandon Brown. “We’ve worked very hard with Hoosier to get to this point. After the test here in December and the feedback we got, we’re confident this F45* tire will put on great racing for our fans and be a tire our competitors are extremely pleased with. A huge thanks to Hoosier, the CARS Tour, and our friends at all the tracks running Late Model Stock Cars for the collaboration on this effort.”
The new Hoosier F45* tire retains the same compound of Hoosier Racing Tires’ F45 tire that was used in 2024, but the construction of the tire will be stronger and more durable.
According to Hoosier representatives, all F45* tires will be within a half-inch chalk mark. To denote the difference between the two tires teams will begin to see a * (star) on the compound tag of the tire.
It was tested at South Boston Speedway by two-time NASCAR national champion and seven-time South Boston Speedway champion Peyton Sellers of Danville, Virginia, and Blake Stallings of Danville, Virginia, the runner-up to Sellers in the 2024 South Boston Speedway title chase.
Prior to the test at South Boston Speedway the tire was tested at Florence (South Carolina) Motor Speedway with driver Brent Crews who earned three wins, finished fifth in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car standings and earned the CARS Tour’s Rookie of the Year award while competing out of the Kevin Harvick Inc. stable.
“I’m looking for the best drivability, what’s going to put on the best show for the fans, what allows you to be able to go off into the corner and load the right-side tires up and not have the car get out from under you,” Sellers explained.
“You want to have guys being able to race side-by-side, door-to-door, and having good racing knowing the car is not going to be inconsistent in any way. At the end of the day, you want something that is going to be very forgiving, rolling in on the top side, rolling in on the bottom side, something that is not instantly going to lose grip and have a spike in any way where it gets the driver out from under him.”
Stallings notes that having a tire that can be used at a variety of tracks and across multiple series will help Late Model Stock Car Division racing.
“Getting a stable tire that works at a variety of racetracks and drives competitively at all of the racetracks is obviously the ultimate goal,” Stallings pointed out. “We raced at two different tracks last year that were on different tires. Putting everybody on the same playing field is going to be a huge step in the right direction as far as driving costs down in Late Model Stock Car racing.”
Stallings is grateful to Hoosier for taking steps to attempt to help competitors and speedways.
“All of the effort Hoosier is putting in to help grassroots racing helps Late Model Stock Car racing get stronger,” Stallings pointed out. “Helping competitors to be able to go from one track to another and not have to worry about what kind of tires they are on and getting some consistency back into Late Model Stock Car racing with the tire selection is going to help racing.
“It’s very gratifying to see Hoosier invest back into grassroots and Late Model Stock Car racing to keep us at a level where we are extremely competitive but also making it affordable the way grassroots racing should be.”
Hoosier Tire dealer Jimmie Doughton who works with Hoosier Tire South said the company was looking for a safe tire that will be consistent and make the racing better.
What we’re striving for is a tire that will be safe and more consistent,” he said. “We’re looking after the racer, something they like and will make the racing better.”
South Boston Speedway opens its 2025 season on Saturday afternoon, March 22 with the SMART Modified Tour’s King of the Modifieds race featuring Tour-Type Modifieds in a 125-lap race. In addition, the track’s Sentara Health Late Model Stock Car Division competitors will be featured in twin $2,500-to-win 50-lap races. Other divisions will be announced at a later date.
Advance tickets are priced at $20 each. Tickets may be purchased online on South Boston Speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com or by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours.
Tickets at the gate on race day will be $25 each. Seniors ages 65 and older, military, healthcare workers, and students (with ID) can purchase tickets for $20 each at the gate on race day only. Children ages 12 and under are admitted free.
The latest news and updates at South Boston Speedway can be found on the speedway’s website, www.southbostonspeedway.com, by calling the speedway office at 434-572-4947 or toll free at 1-877-440-1540 during regular business hours, and through the track’s social media channels.
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