Erik Jones, a two-time Snowball Derby winner, was determined in 2025. However, rain battered Five Flags Speedway throughout the week, and that potentially derailed Jones’ plans. He could not make it in the Last Chance Qualifier, coming up one position short in 5th place. As it turns out, this is not the only NASCAR star who experienced heartbreak. The 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion will also need to nurse his wounds after the event.

Snowball Derby turns a deaf ear

“Race director Nicholas Rogers says the black flag decision is final and they will look at re-writing the rule for next year. Ty Majeski says he doesn’t care about next year and this is about $50,000 and now there’s a black cloud over the race,” journalist Matt Weaver updated on X.

Ty Majeski had dominated the 300-lap Snowball Derby race until twin controversial restarts popped up with 13 laps to go. Officials issued a warning the first time, but waved the black flag on the second. So although Majeski finished way ahead of Stephen Nasse, the latter bagged the Tom Dawson trophy and $50,000. This unfortunate climax left Majeski so tattered that he desperately protested the race results.

Sadly, however, Snowball Derby director Nicholas Rogers turned down that protest. When the black flag was presented, there were still 8 laps left. And officials would have to stop scoring the No. 91, as Majeski stayed on track and raced Nasse to the finish. That is what made things more complicated, and as Matt Weaver wrote, the race director indirectly admitted to his fault, as he vowed to change the rules for next year.

Stephen Nasse became the first driver without a NASCAR resume since Derek Thorn in 2022 to win the non-NASCAR-sanctioned race. He is also only the second non-NASCAR driver to win the race since 2020. Majeski’s fellow Craftsman Truck Series drivers Dawson Sutton and Jake Garcia would finish second and third behind Nasse. The other trendsetting finishers include David Gilliland in 12th, Derek Kraus in 17th, Kyle Busch in 19th, and Kaden Honeycutt in 26th. Ty Majeski washed up in 23rd place.

“I don’t know. I feel like we won this race. Had the best car all day and yeah, going to try and argue it, of course.” As we all know, Ty Majeski could not succeed in his argument. However, fans are not happy about it.

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Fans bash officials over dramatic finish

The controversy whipped up a storm among fans, who pointed out the arbitrary nature of the Snowball Derby. Although Ty Majeski could not succeed in his protest, the Snowball Derby officials acknowledged a shortcoming. One fan wrote, “So the race director admitted that there is a problem but still upholding the black flag…… please make this make sense.” Somebody else chimed with this sentiment: “We’re gonna re-write the rule” is absolutely not the thing to say right now. That’s practically an admission that they’ve made the wrong call. Yeesh.”

Tim Bryant, the owner of Five Flags Speedway, was also seen listening to Ty Majeski’s qualms. So another fan pleaded with Bryant to do something drastic about the situation. “Tim Bryant needs to dismiss Nicholas Rogers after that embarrassment to short track racing.”

Somebody else compared the 2025 Snowball Derby fallout with the 2021 Abu Dhabi F1 scandal. Race director Michael Masi had allowed only a partial number of lapped cars to unlap themselves before the restart, a highly controversial move. “Welcome to the American version of the Abu Dhabi scandal,” the fan wrote.

What’s more, this is not the first controversy for the Snowball Derby. Back in 2019, Stephen Nasse officially won the race but was disqualified due to a brake issue, handing Ty Majeski the win. This time, the situation has flipped. So a fan wrote, “This race loses it prestige every year. I wouldn’t come back if I was Ty.”

Clearly, the Snowball Derby scandal is making waves in the community. Let’s wait and see how Ty Majeski processes the results and prepares for a good comeback next year.