When Ty Majeski said, “You come down here with a clean slate,” he was setting the stage for a pressure-free run at his third Snowball Derby victory, a feat that would make him only the second driver in history to win the race three times. However, things didn’t go as planned.
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Majeski acknowledged the unpredictable nature of racing, noting, “We’ve had stretches of years where… we had the best car in some races and we didn’t win. the last two we won, we probably weren’t the best car in one, so you can’t ever be fast enough to win this race, and I think that’s what I love most about.”
This time, however, it wasn’t a lack of speed that hindered his performance; instead, his car suffered damage that affected his chances.
The track at Five Flags Speedway is known for its cracks, but sometimes, it seems to have a bit too much character. That was evident when a piece of the track broke away, causing damage to Majeski’s car. A chunk of asphalt dislodged from the track and wreaked havoc on the nose and ductwork of his vehicle.
Matt Weaver detailed the incident, noting, “During the last practice session, a piece of the track came up in Turn 3 and damaged the nose and ductwork on the Ty Majeski car They’ve been fixing it this whole time. Chad Bryant, who is working with the Lapcevich Bros, has come over to help his fried.”
During the last practice session, a piece of the track came up in Turn 3 and damaged the nose and ductwork on the Ty Majeski car
They've been fixing it this whole time. Chad Bryant, who is working with the Lapcevich Bros, has come over to help his fried. pic.twitter.com/bh9KtWuvPx
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) December 5, 2024
What happened during the first two practices?
During Thursday’s first one-hour practice session at the Snowball Derby, Derek Thorn in his #07 entry set the pace, clocking a lap time of 16.508 seconds, topping the charts.
Close on his heels was NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Chandler Smith, eyeing his second Derby victory. He was a hair’s breadth away, just 0.013 seconds slower than Thorn, claiming the second fastest time.
Majeski, meanwhile, found himself further back in the pack, securing the P12 spot with a lap time of 16.63 seconds.
The dynamics shifted in the second hour of practice. Smith took the lead this time, recording a lap at 16.498 seconds. Majeski, the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, improved, finishing just 0.018 seconds behind Smith, marking him as the second-quickest. Derek Thorn, the leader of the earlier session, slipped to third place.
