Snowball Derby Controversy: Did Ty Majeski Get Robbed of a Win?
If you were watching the 58th Snowball Derby, you probably felt the same collective jaw-drop that the rest of us did when the black flag came out. Ty Majeski, who had arguably the most dominant car of the day, crossed the finish line first—but he wasn’t the winner. Instead, Stephen Nasse took home the trophy and the glory, leaving Majeski with nothing but frustration and a whole lot of questions.
Let’s be real for a second: racing is never just about who has the fastest car. It’s about strategy, luck, and sometimes, the interpretation of a rulebook that feels like it changes with the wind. Majeski found that out the hard way at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida.
The Call That Changed Everything
With just 12 laps to go, Majeski was hit with a penalty for jumping the final restart. Now, if you know anything about late-race restarts, you know things get messy. Drivers are anxious, adrenaline is spiking, and everyone is trying to get that perfect launch. Majeski thought he timed it right. The officials? Not so much.
They black-flagged him.
But here is where it gets interesting—Majeski didn’t just pull over and accept his fate. Nope. He stayed on the track, drove that No. 91 machine as he stole it, and crossed the finish line ahead of the pack. It was a defiant, “prove me wrong” moment that we honestly live for in motorsports. Unfortunately for him, NASCAR officials weren’t swayed by the display. He scored 23rd, five laps down.
“I Feel Like We Won This Race”
After the race, Majeski wasn’t shy about his feelings. And can you blame him? Imagine putting in 300 laps of work, nailing your strategy, and having the best car on the track, only to lose it on a judgment call in the final moments.
“I feel like we won this race,” he said, clearly agitated. His argument hinged on the specific wording of the restart rules. According to Majeski, the rule allows drivers to increase their speed to the line, provided they are in the box. He felt he executed that perfectly.
“With the way the rules are, you know, there’s a little bit more of a gray area with the way the rule’s written,” Majeski explained. He pointed out the inconsistency, noting that his earlier restarts looked exactly the same but drew no penalties. “Why is the last restart of the race any different from the restart on lap 217 if the rule is the rule? Clearly, the rule is not the rule.”
That bit right there? That’s the sarcasm and frustration of a guy who knows he got the short end of the stick. It’s hard to argue with his logic when consistency is the one thing every driver begs for from race control.
The Fallout and the “What Ifs”
While Stephen Nasse celebrated a victory that will forever have an asterisk in the minds of Majeski fans, the rest of the field was left to pick up the scraps. Dawson Sutton finished an impressive second, less than a second behind Nasse, while Jake Garcia rounded out the podium.
Even NASCAR Cup Series heavyweights like Kyle Busch couldn’t escape the chaos, finishing 19th and three laps down. It just goes to show how brutal the Snowball Derby can be, even for the best in the business.
But the story remains fixed on Majeski. He went to a technical inspection to protest, hoping for a miracle that never came. “I’d like to talk to somebody. So, whoever race control is, I’d like to at least have a conversation about it,” he said. It’s a polite way of saying, I want to know why you ruined my day.
Looking Ahead to Daytona
Majeski has to swallow this pill, bitter as it is, and look forward. He’s gearing up for the season-opening Truck Series event at Daytona International Speedway next February. He’ll be back in the No. 98 ThorSport Racing Ford, looking to defend his championship and maybe—just maybe—wash the bad taste of Pensacola out of his mouth.
For now, though, the 58th Snowball Derby will be remembered not just for Nasse’s win, but for the controversial call that sidelined the fastest car on the track. Was it a fair call? Or did the officials get too involved in the outcome? Depends on who you ask, but if you ask Ty Majeski, he won that race. And honestly? It’s hard not to agree with him.
