The 58th Annual Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway ended in drama on Monday after Ty Majeski received a late black flag for a jumped restart, allowing Stephen Nasse to capture the famed victory in Florida. The Ty Majeski Snowball Derby penalty became the focal point of the night, as Majeski’s commanding performance gave way to a controversial finish and Nasse’s long-awaited celebration.
Late Penalty Shakes Up Snowball Derby Results
Ty Majeski set the pace throughout much of the 300-lap contest, leading over 200 laps and appearing poised for victory. Race officials, however, determined that Majeski jumped consecutive restart attempts with just 11 laps to go. Following the second infraction, the black flag was shown and Stephen Nasse, a Pinellas Park native, was elevated to the lead. Nasse managed to fend off Dawson Sutton, winner of the All American 400, for a significant and emotional win in Super Late Model racing’s main event.
Nasse’s Long Road to the Top
For Stephen Nasse, this marked his first Snowball Derby victory after years of heartbreak and close finishes, including a previous disqualification during post-race inspection in 2019. In 2023, Nasse had led late until an incident with Bubba Pollard ended his run, handing the win to Majeski. This year, with perseverance and resilience, Nasse finally overcame adversity to secure the Tom Dawson Trophy. Perhaps, having faced so many setbacks, Nasse felt a sense of empathy for Majeski, whose own bid for victory was dashed by the black flag.
“This is amazing. I never thought I’d get back here. It just feels damn good.”
– Stephen Nasse, Driver
Nasse’s journey to the top was anything but straightforward. After starting 32nd—secured via a second-place performance in the Last Chance Qualifier—he worked through the field, entering the top 10 within 75 laps. By the midway point, Nasse was in second position, maintaining this rank until the final laps, when the penalty against Majeski put him in command. Nasse’s strong late-race charge and unwavering determination played vital roles in his victory.
“I’ve been saying for the back half of the year that this would make up for my winless season. It damn sure does.”
– Stephen Nasse, Driver
How The Race Unfolded for Majeski
Majeski dominated most of the race, but his fate shifted dramatically after the series of restarts. Even after receiving the black flag, Majeski stayed on track to finish ahead of Nasse on the road, parking his car on the frontstretch beside the podium finishers. Visibly frustrated, Majeski voiced his concerns regarding the late-race call during a FloRacing interview. He acknowledged that the first restart was clearly a jump, but insisted that the rule on restart procedure was not explicit and left room for subjective judgment by race officials.
“The rule is to pick up the pace to the line. I thought I did that. The rule, as written, is not black and white. It leaves a lot of questions, balls-and-strikes calls. I don’t know.”
– Ty Majeski, Driver
Majeski brought his protest to technical inspection post-race, though the officials did not overturn the original ruling. As a result, his entry was not scored for the final five laps due to not serving the black flag, and he ended up credited with 23rd place, five laps down in the final classification.
Race Officials Explain the Crucial Decision
The pivotal call came under the guidance of race director Nicholas Rogers. Rogers clarified that there is no appeals process for in-race calls of this nature, as they cannot be retroactively fixed during competition. He described both restart infractions, noting Majeski’s clear jump on the first, followed by a much closer repeat offense almost immediately after being warned. The final ruling was corroborated by the head tech official, Freddie Query, situated in the critical vantage point at turn three.
“To begin with, there is no appeals process for an in-race call like that, because there’s no way to correct it,”
– Nicholas Rogers, Race Director
“That is one of the hardest calls a race director can make, just because of the angles, you can’t hear the engines, you have to judge off the cars around him a lot of times. Getting confirmation from a senior official sitting down there within eyeshot of it backed up what all of us in the tower already saw, so the penalty was issued for the black flag.”
– Nicholas Rogers, Race Director
Sutton and Garcia Secure Podium Finishes
Dawson Sutton nearly claimed his own major triumph, completing a breakout year with a strong second-place run, only narrowly missing the crown jewel win that would have defined his season. Sutton expressed his heartbreak over the outcome but also pride in his recovery during the race, climbing through the field after falling back at the halfway point of the event.
“It feels terrible, but I just can’t thank my Rackley W.A.R. team enough for giving me such a fast race car all weekend,”
– Dawson Sutton, Driver
“It was just a really up-and-down day. I’m honestly just thankful to finish second. I don’t even know where we were running about halfway through that race, but I fell back really far. I’m super thankful to climb my way back up and second in this race.”
– Dawson Sutton, Driver
Jake Garcia, who earned his spot in the race through the Last Chance Qualifier, finished third—his first top-five result at the Snowball Derby since he was runner-up to Travis Braden in 2019. Garcia’s performance was strong through early parts of the event, advancing quickly toward the front before being hindered by restart positioning.
“I want to thank my guys for giving me a really good race car,”
– Jake Garcia, Driver
“Third isn’t what we’re satisfied with, but overall, it’s a good day for us. Looking forward to the next one, for sure.”
– Jake Garcia, Driver
Completing the top five were Kasey Kleyn and Jake Finch, while Preston Peltier, the pole-sitter for the race, led 58 laps and finished eighth after previously never having led more than half that total in his Snowball Derby career.
Notable Absences and Lasting Effects of the Delay
The event’s postponement due to rain forced two entrants to withdraw: Max Reaves, who was due to start 19th, and NASCAR Cup Series competitor Ryan Preece, who had qualified 27th. Persistent bad weather pushed most of the support races at Five Flags Speedway to Tuesday, continuing a busy week for drivers, teams, and officials.
Looking forward, more grassroots racing remains at Five Flags Speedway, with multiple divisions—including Modifieds of Mayhem Tour, Pro Trucks, Pure Stock, Crown Stock, and Sportsman—taking to the track.
Significance of the Outcome and What Follows
The Ty Majeski Snowball Derby penalty and ensuing victory for Stephen Nasse mark a defining moment in the history of the Snowball Derby, remembered not just for on-track performance but for the intensity and emotion the verdict brought to competitors and fans alike. Nasse’s triumph reinforces the Derby’s reputation for unpredictability and high drama, while questions about restart enforcement and rule consistency may once again prompt discussions regarding procedures at major short-track events. As grassroots racing continues at Five Flags Speedway, the legacy of this year’s Derby—and its controversial ending—will persist as the sport’s participants look ahead to future challenges and opportunities.
Five Flags Speedway race director Nicholas Rogers on the black flag jumped restart on Ty Majeski
This interview also captured the moment Stephen Nasse and Anthony Campi Racing passed inspection.
I chatted with Campi too. pic.twitter.com/5XT5HLT7q2
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) December 8, 2025
