For decades, the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway has been the toughest test in short-track racing. Three hundred laps on a half-mile that eats tires for breakfast and spits out dreams by dinner. One little mistake and the weekend is over.

The field is always loaded with Cup guys, late-model kings, and hungry kids who would sell their truck for a shot at the Tom Dawson Trophy. This year was no different, maybe even deeper, and when the checkered flag finally fell, one name stood taller than the rest.

Ty Majeski proves once again why the Snowball Derby is his playground

Ty Majeski rolled into Pensacola as the two-time defending Snowball Derby champ and left qualifying reminding everyone why nobody wants to see his name on the scoring pylon. He put his car second on the grid, beating almost all his rivals, which he calmly called his fifth career front-row start at the Derby.

“Obviously just the unknown of not quite understanding what the track is gonna have but yea good effort for Menards and iRacing.com, like I said it puts ourselves at a good spot for Sunday, it’s my fifth front row,” he said with the easy confidence of a guy who’s done this before.

He knows the half-mile changes every session. “It’s so hard everybody’s testing the track changes so much,” he explained.

What feels perfect Friday morning can be junk by Sunday afternoon when the rubber is laid down and the tires are screaming. Starting up front just means clean air early, fewer cars to pass, and one less thing to worry about when the long green-flag runs start chewing up equipment.

Majeski had nothing but respect for the guy who beat him to the pole. “Yea, Preston is a great guy. We talk occasionally and we have a lot of respect for him. His cars are beautiful, and he’s got a really fast car, so he’ll be tough to beat on Sunday.”

That’s short-track talk for “I’m coming for you, but good luck.” Two of the best in the business on the front row, both knowing one tiny mistake Sunday and the trophy goes somewhere else.

He wrapped it up simple and clear: “Start at the Snowball so yea it’s nice to have that track position.”

Because at Five Flags, track position early can keep you out of the wrecks and let you control your own destiny when the real racing starts. Majeski has won this race twice in the last four years by being fast when it counts and smart when it counts more. Another front-row start just means he gets to start the hunt from the best seat in the house.

The weekend started with Preston Peltier reminding everyone he’s still one of the fastest men alive on a short track. He ripped off a 16.240-second lap to take the pole, his second career Snowball Derby pole, and looked like the man to beat all Friday night.

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Preston Peltier grabs pole and sets the tone

“I had a perfect car and a good crew,” he said climbing out. “All the puzzle pieces are here.” He knew the hard part was still coming. “I’ve never had a problem going fast for a couple laps, but let’s see how I feel after 300 on Sunday.”

That front row with Majeski told the story before the green flag even dropped: two of the best in the business, both hungry, both knowing one of them would probably lift the trophy. Peltier led early and ran strong, but when the late chaos hit, he couldn’t quite thread the needle the way Majeski did.

The rest of the field was stacked. Cup guys, late-model hammers, everybody chasing the same dream. Some made it, some didn’t. The track stayed brutal and fair in that special Snowball way. When the smoke cleared Sunday night, Ty Majeski was the one holding the trophy again, proving once more that at Five Flags, you don’t have to be fastest every lap, you just have to be fastest on the one that counts.