Majeski claims super late model feature

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: July 12, 2018

Majeski claims super late model feature

39TH SUPERSEAL SLINGER NATIONALS

By Nicholas Dettmann

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

SLINGER — It’s hard to fathom that Ty Majeski has a race on his bucket list he hasn’t won.

It’s easy to believe that because the 23-year-old Seymour native has been so successful in several disciplines of racing.

One of those races he hadn’t won was the Slinger Nationals. That changed late Tuesday night.

Majeski led the final 131 laps to pick up his first career Nationals title, doing so in his fifth try.

Majeski, a part-time NASCAR Xfinity Series driver with Roush Fenway Racing, beat Dennis Prunty to the finish line of the 200-lap main event by 2.8 seconds.

“It feels good,” Majeski said. “This is one we’ve wanted for a long time.”

Brad Mueller, who led the first 69 laps, placed third, his best finish at Nationals since 2007

(third). Austin Nason and Steve Apel completed the top five.

Zack Riddle won his second race in three days at Slinger, winning the 40-lap limited late model feature.

Mueller was amazed with how fast Majeski was.

“He drove by me like I was tied to a flag pole,” Mueller said. “He was fast.”

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Erik Jones, who won Saturday’s race at Daytona for his first career victory, pulled off the track after 66 laps because of a motor problem and finished 23rd.

Last year’s winner, Bubba Pollard, battled for a top-three position with less than 15 laps to go but was spun by Gary LaMonte, and both drivers were sent to the rear of the lead lap. Pollard, trying to become the Nationals’ first repeat winner since Matt Kenseth in 2009, placed ninth.

With the victory, Majeski won the $10,000 top prize and more than $3,000 for laps led. He was also the first driver to win Nationals while also setting fast time in qualifying since Kyle Busch in 2011.

The Slinger Nationals, Majeski said, is the toughest race in the U.S. to qualify for on time. The top 12 from qualifying advance to the main event. On Tuesday, the remaining 22 cars had to race their way into the show.

Among those 22 were Jones and 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Sauter.

Both needed a provisional to compete in the feature.

“It’s an amazing group of guys,” Prunty said. “Just look at the lap times in qualifying and how close we were, 11.35 (seconds) I believe didn’t make the show. It’s unbelievable what it took to get into this race.”

Majeski began racing go-karts in 2005 and quickly enjoyed success, winning three races in eight starts. Between 2006-2009, he won 73 races in 161 starts.

In 2010, he started his transition into late models. In 2011, he was the Big 8 Late Model Series Rookie of the Year. Since then he has added the ARCA Midwest Tour Series championship in each of the last four years.

His success has also drifted beyond the borders of Wisconsin, winning races in Alabama and Florida.

“This one is up there just because it’s home, it’s my home turf,” Majeski said. “These guys come from the south and we’re able to defend the home turf. Obviously, it feels good to go down south and win on those guys’ turf.

“To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best all around the country. That’s what we’ve been able to do pretty consistently the last couple of years. It’s just a testament to our race team.”

In his late model career, Majeski has won more than 100 races. In 2016, he won 28 races in 53 starts, which included 46 top-10 finishes.

“I hate to be the guy that says it — I knew when Ty Majeski came here, unless something breaks or goes wrong, he was going to be the guy to beat,” Prunty said. “Not much I can do. … Every track he goes to he’s fast.”

It was in 2011 when Majeski said the Slinger Nationals was a race he wanted to win.

“It’s an honor for sure,” he said. “The Slinger Nationals has always been a prestigious race. I grew up watching this race.”

Mueller, a three-time super late model track champion at Slinger, has yet to win the Slinger Nationals in more than 20 attempts.

“I’ve been licking my chops to win this race forever,” Mueller said. He later added, “Someday we’ll get it figured out.” Majeski went into Slinger having won his previous two starts. At La Crosse, he won fast time and a heat race.

Up next for Majeski is the Xfinity Series race Friday at Kentucky Speedway. He is coming off a seventhplace finish in his last start June 17 at Iowa Speedway.

“We’ve got a lot of momentum going,” Majeski said. “Hope we can keep it going.”

Majeski revealed the next super late model races he hopes to cross off his bucket list.

“Now we got the Dixieland (250 in Kaukauna) and the (Snowball) Derby (in Florida) to go win,” Majeski said. “Man, my resume would be pretty well complete. I’d be satisfied with my super late model career.”