The National Motorsports Appeals Panel (NMAP) has ruled against 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Ty Majeski, who appealed a $12,500 fine issued by NASCAR following Championship Weekend.
Majeski, a full-time NASCAR Truck Series competitor for ThorSport Racing, was penalized for missing Championship 4 Media Day with the series’ media broadcast partners.
On Wednesday, the three-person panel — comprised of Hunter Nickell, Cathy Rice, and Lake Speed — determined that Majeski did in fact violate the rule listed in the Penalty Notice from NASCAR, leading them to uphold the original penalty.
In reaching that decision, the panel explained: “Driver failed to meet contractual agreement with NASCAR. One of the most, if not most, important media obligations of the entire season.”
The afternoon before the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, Majeski explained to members of the media that he felt he had a valid reason for missing the engagement and would appeal.
The media engagement took place on Tuesday, November 5 in Charlotte, North Carolina, aligning with Election Day 2024. Majeski, a resident of Wisconsin, stayed at home to cast an in-person vote in the election.
“I felt like I needed to do my duty as a [United States] citizen to vote,” Majeski explained. “My team owners and I, Duke [Thorson], Rhonda [Thorson], Allison, we all made the decision to exercise that right.”
Majeski had support from team owners Duke, Rhonda, and Allison Thorson in the decision. The Seymour, Wisconsin-native was aware of the media engagement happening that afternoon, but felt casting a vote was more important.
“We certainly knew about it,” Majeski said. “I didn’t specifically have much communication with NASCAR prior. I let everybody internally at ThorSport handle those communications prior to not being there on Tuesday. So, yeah, I feel like they knew our position. Kind of unprecedented this has never happened before. Election Day, everyone knew it was Election Day for a long time.”
At the time, a representative from NASCAR said Majeski did inform the sanctioning body that he would not be present, but failed to offer a reason. However, NASCAR says that had they known voting was the reason, they would have made arrangements for Majeski to be able to do both.
Majeski will have the opportunity to have his appeal heard by a Final Appeals Officer, should he so choose.
