Majeski Looks to Parlay Short Track Prowess into Truck Series Championship

By David Morgan, Associate Editor

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Is Ty Majeski the early favorite heading into Friday night’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway?

His record on short tracks throughout his career would certainly point that way.

The 30-year-old Wisconsin native counts those types of tracks as his bread and butter and with the title race being held on the 1.0-mile oval in the Arizona desert, that short track prowess could be the advantage he and his No. 98 ThorSport Racing team to be able to hoist the championship trophy when the checkered flag flies on Friday night.

With the exception of a win at the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway, all four of Majeski’s other wins in the Truck Series, including his two wins this season, have come at tracks one mile or less in length with wins at Bristol in 2022, Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2023, and his wins at IRP and Richmond this season.

“I really think we are,” Majeski said of him being considered the favorite. “I think anytime we come to a short track, (crew chief) Joe Shear and I really show up to these types of races, these types of tracks, so I don’t think there’s any reason why we wouldn’t be the favorite.

“But I think you can make arguments that these other three are as well. So, like I said, we’ve all had different parts of the season where we’ve sort of dominated each other and, yeah, I feel good about our chances.”

Majeski added that having a leader on top of the pit box in crew chief Joe Shear, Jr. also gives him added confidence that this will be their weekend.

“There’s no guy I’d rather have in the Truck Series or any series for that matter,” Majeski said. “Joe and I have such a great relationship, really outside of the Truck Series as well, and I think that’s where we might have a step up on a lot of these other driver crew chief relationships. Ours goes beyond that. Joe and I talk a ton, I would say at least once a day when I’m not at the shop. So, a lot of communication going on about and packages and what we need to do at different tracks to be better.

“And this weekend’s no different. We’re coming back with something a little bit different, stepping a little bit outside of our comfort zone and trying to be better. We didn’t think we had what it took to be dominant last year. I think we were good, but needed to make some changes to try and be better.”

ThorSport Racing has also won three of the last five Truck championships, with Ben Rhodes being the last to bring it home at Phoenix, capturing the title in 2021 and again in 2023.

With the team serving as his full-time home since 2022, Majeski explained how grateful he is to team owners Duke and Rhonda Thorson and would love nothing more than to show his appreciation by delivering them another championships and adding his name to the list of drivers to have done so under the ThorSport banner.

“Duke and Rhonda have done so much for me and my career. Kind of gave me my third shot,” said Majeski. “You don’t see that a lot, you don’t see a driver, I’ll call them fail because I don’t know how else to word them, but have had two opportunities that failed. And then to get another one with Duke and Rhonda really revived my career and gave me a great opportunity and great equipment to go out and show what I always thought I could do.

“I’ll forever be grateful for that. It would mean a ton to bring home another championship for them.”