“It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Pensacola, but I haven’t forgotten how to get around Five Flags,” Busch said as he rolled back into Pensacola. Even on a half-mile bullring, ‘Rowdy’ is never just “another driver,” as seen by his most recent Snowball Derby run in 2020, where he finished seventh after starting ninth. His reappearance immediately alters the atmosphere in the pits, as he has made five Derby starts since 2002 and won two of them. And now, when the two-time Cup winner returns to the Derby spotlight this year, a Ford driver (who is also a two-time champion himself) is being brutally honest about the threat Busch poses.

Ty Majeski opens up on the pressure at Snowball Derby

“The Snowball Derby that the crowd gets into qualifying. I was obviously in the car, but when you sat in the pole last year, the crowd stood up for a while, and to me that’s cool,” said Ty Majeski ahead of the Snowball Derby weekend. “The fans are what make the events, and at the Snowball Derby, qualifying is no different. So, hopefully it will be a packed show. Hopefully, we have good weather for Friday night qualifying. It’s one of my favorite nights of the year.”

For Ty Majeski, survival is more important than speed when it comes to those Friday-night lights. The two-time Derby winner is aware of what awaits him at the other side of qualifying this year: Kyle Busch. ‘Rowdy’ has already etched his name into Derby lore with wins in 2009 and 2017.

Furthermore, his overall statistics don’t lie. Except for his 2002 rookie performance, Busch has never placed worse than 10th in a Snowball Derby. That’s the kind of consistency that makes a qualifying night from exhilarating to downright stressful. And Busch isn’t returning casually.

He will drive the No. 51 Lucas Oil-backed vehicle for Bryson Lopez Racing, under the direction of championship-winning crew chief Danny Stockman, who also assisted Jesse Love and RCR’s No. 2 team in winning the 2025 Xfinity Series. When that combination comes at the Snowball Derby, every contender, including Majeski, takes note.

However, that being said, Majeski has an impressive resume for himself at the Five Flags. Like Busch, he has won twice – in 2020 and 2023. Plus, he has multiple poles and top finishes, making him one of the event’s modern masters. But even he knows this year’s field has a sharper edge, and qualifying might set the tone for the entire weekend.

The field of firepower beyond Busch

While the majority of the media attention is focused on Kyle Busch’s comeback, Ty Majeski faces numerous obstacles on his way to winning another Snowball Derby. And some of those threats have already demonstrated they know just how to prevail on the half-mile battleground at Pensacola.

Despite being the least noticeable threat on the field, Erik Jones is undoubtedly one of the deadliest. The Michigan native became one of the event’s all-time best debut performers when he won the Derby on his first two attempts in 2012 and 2013. After missing last year’s race, Jones returns revitalized, experienced, and completely capable of jumping straight back into the spotlight with a win.

Then there’s Kaden Honeycutt. He is the reigning Derby champion and a very different person than he was a year ago. What was previously considered an underdog victory now seems like the emergence of a genuine superstar. Honeycutt demonstrated in the field in 2024 that he wasn’t scared of the situation. In 2025, he enters as the hunted, carrying both pressure and confidence into the weekend.

Noah Gragson, the 2018 champion, also returns with unfinished business. Gragson’s aggressive racecraft and innate speed make him a contender in any Super Late Model event he enters. But a prior winner always commands respect. If he gets rhythm early, he’s right back in the mix for a win.

Consistency, however, has a name, and it’s Stephen Nasse. Over the last four years, Nasse has climbed from eighth to third, to sixth, to second, often slicing through the field from deep starting slots. Majeski knows Nasse becomes twice as dangerous if he makes it into the top 20.

For Majeski, they aren’t just names; they’re barriers standing between him and another Snowball Derby Trophy. For sure, the field of 2025 is more unexpected, sharper, and deeper than ever.