Ty Majeski is eyeing a title repeat after his dominant 2024 NASCAR Truck Series finale at Phoenix, where he secured the pole, led 132 laps, and clinched the win. Though he had just three victories that season, his playoff consistency kept him ahead of Corey Heim and Christian Eckes. Now, as he enters the Round of 8 finale, Majeski is determined to defend his crown.

But as the Truck garage headed out to Martinsville, Majeski entered the race 5 points below the cutline and was determined to extend his lead and secure his spot in the Championship 4. However, amid a very chaotic race, Majeski managed to pull through, though he didn’t win, and now he has dropped the hammer on his chance.

Ty Majeski is ready to defend his Truck Series title in Phoenix

Speaking post-race, the 31-year-old said, ” Not the fashion we wanted to do it in Todd felt like we missed a little bit as a 98 team Joe and I work really closely together… Well getting stage points early and being you know Sort of on you know in a good spot going into stage three and some of the other guys got desperate and paid for it.”

He continued, “So I just stayed the course got shoved in the wall off it, too I thought I had a flat right front. Obviously, a lot happened tonight, but proud of everybody with CURB records so to speak. Yeah, we’re gonna go defend our try and defend our title. ” But the Wisconsin native’s race wasn’t without its own problems.

The final stretch tested both his patience and endurance. With 10 laps to go, Majeski made contact with the wall and immediately radioed his crew, fearing a flat tire. A caution on lap 195 gave him a decision to make: pit for strategy or stay out for points.

Showing veteran calm, staying on track, and trusting his feel for the truck. And that gamble paid off.

The ThorSports Racing driver crossed the finish line in seventh, securing enough points to advance to Phoenix and keep his title defense alive. Though not the flashiest run, it was one of quiet control and determination, the kind of performance that wins championships at tracks like Phoenix.

However, he did have a very steady and mistake-free start. Qualifying third for the race, he showed impressive pace, taking the lead from Layne Riggs on lap 27 after Riggs missed a shift on the restart. He commanded the field for several laps, holding off Corey Heim and Tyler Ankrum in a clean, calculated fashion.

Though Heim managed to edge him out for the stage one win, Majeski’s second-place finish provided crucial stage points that strengthened his playoff footing.

The No. 98 truck stayed consistently inside the top five through the middle stages. During stage two, Majeski once again kept Heim within reach, running second of the segment. His crew executed a small pit stop on lap 106, allowing him to restart the final stage near the front. However, as the long green flag progressed, the 31-year-old began to feel the strain of brake fade, a recurring issue at Martinsville’s heavy-braking short track.

Despite losing a few positions to faster trucks, he kept his composure and focused on preserving his equipment for the closing laps, staying around seventh as chaos unfolded behind him and as Layne Riggs got ousted from contention.

And despite leading 20 laps, it was Corey Heim who took the checkered flag. The 23-year-old has been forced to reckon with this season, and the fight between the two at Phoenix is definitely one to watch. But the young ace is very careful with his title hopes.

Corey Heim adopts a measured approach in his pursuit of the championship

Corey Heim secured his record 11th victory of the season at Martinsville Speedway. Although he was already locked into the championship 4, this win allowed him to collect the maximum 60 points available for the race.

Despite his seasonal consistency, past setbacks, entitled deciding events, including a crash in 2023 and a penalty on a crucial restart in 2024, have lingered in memory. Reflecting on the achievement, Heim shared both his excitement and cautious optimism post-race.

He said, “I don’t want to jump to any conclusions. We still got a big race going into Phoenix. We wanted to have the momentum going into Phoenix and this is the way to do it. Got a big one next week to close it. It’s gonna be tough but I’m confident we can do it.”

Looking ahead, his 2026 plans remain uncertain.

Speculation is growing that he could take over a potential fourth car for 23XI Racing; Denny Hamlin has noted that the ongoing antitrust litigation involving NASCAR could determine whether that opportunity comes to fruition. However, as of now, the TRICON garage driver has only had one thing weighing on his mind: to win the 2025 NASCAR truck series championship.