(KINSTON, Ala.) — Ty Majeski did something on Sunday that no Badger State driver had ever accomplished: find victory at South Alabama Speedway.
Majeski grabbed the lead from Stephen Nasse on lap eight and led the rest of the race en route to a dominant win in the Hardee’s Rattler 250, the first event of the 2016 Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco season.
After quickly rocketing to the lead from his seventh starting position, Majeski was never seriously challenged through the remainder of the event.
“It’s not too often that you get a racecar like this,” Majeski said. “I just did my best to do my job. I just needed to hit my restarts and my marks on the first couple of corners to get a little bit of breathing room. I wanted to stay out front because track position is so important.”
As a result of his performance, the Wisconsin native earned himself a date with an Alabama rattlesnake in victory lane, a long-standing tradition at the prestigious Super Late Model event.
The win continues a surge over the last two seasons for the 21-year-old Wisconsin wheelman. In the last 13 months, Majeski has scored wins in the Florida Governor’s Cup and Dick Trickle 99, captured an ARCA Midwest Tour Title and World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing Super Late Model Championship, and set a new qualifying record at the Snowball Derby. Now, he can also add “winner of the 40th annual Rattler 250” to his resume.
Even Majeski himself has a hard time putting the last few months in to words.
“The last year or so has been amazing,” Majeski said. “We have done a great job getting the car where we want it. I am learning so much about what makes these things fast and that helps me as a driver. It’s just been a really great couple of years.”
Majeski’s No. 91 machine was on rails throughout the 40th annual Rattler 250 Sunday afternoon. Following a competition caution at lap 100, Christian Eckes took four tires compared to Majeski’s two.
Eckes was able to keep up with Majeski for the majority of the next 100-lap-run, but never got close enough to make a move to unseat Majeski. Towards the end of the race, Christopher Bell got around Eckes to finish second.
“It was a gutsy call to put the tires on at lap 100,” Eckes said. “We were able to get up to Majeski, but never could get by him. We probably could’ve used some tires there at the end, but we used it early. I wanted a top 10 out of this week, so third is great.”
Bell, the defending winner of the race, agreed with Eckes that no one had anything for Majeski.
“We just didn’t have enough this year,” Bell said. “My hat’s off to Majeski. He’s been fast everywhere. If second place is a bad day for us, then that’s pretty good.”
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series rookie William Byron and Quin Hoff, a member of the LFR Driver Development Program, completed the top-five.
The Southern Super Series presented by Sunoco will return to the track April 8-9 at historic Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information on the Southern Super Series, visit SouthernSuperSeries.com, follow the series on Twitter at @SoSuperSeries and like “Southern Super Series” on Facebook.
40th Rattler 250 Official Results
Southern Super Series Presented by Sunoco
South Alabama Speedway
March 20, 2016
1 91 Ty Majeski
2 51B Christopher Bell
3 15 Christian Eckes
3 9B William Byron
5 17 Quin Houff
6 12 Harrison Burton
7 2W Donnie Wilson
8 31 Kyle Grissom
9 14 Chris Davidson
10 99 Casey Smith
11 9K Derek Kraus
12 3 Kaz Grala
13 97 Cole Anderson
14 96 Augie Grill
15 H2 Bret Holmes
16 98 Kenzie Ruston
17 01 Derek Scott Jr.
18 55 Dalton Sargeant
19 51N Stephen Nasse
20 9S Travis Sauter
21 47 Allen Karnes
22 71 Johnny Braizer
23 51A Michael Atwell
24 X2 Dennis Reno Jr.
25 66 Korey Ruble
26 4 Kyle Plott
27 26 Bubba Pollard
28 10 Steve Dorer
29 88 Garrett Jones
30 1 Cody Coughlin
31 77 Zane Smith
32 16 Brandon Odom
33 11 Logan Boyett