Ty Majeski fighting for third in the 2026 Chase race at Martinsville

Ty Majeski came agonizingly close to securing his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory of the 2026 season Friday, finishing fourth in the Love's RV Stop 225 at Talladega Superspeedway. The ThorSport Racing driver started from the pole and led seven laps during an afternoon filled with aggressive drafting and championship implications.Majeski showed speed throughout the event, finishing eighth in Stage 1 and fifth in Stage 2. His No. 88 Ford remained among the strongest trucks during the final stage, giving him an excellent opportunity to challenge for the victory. Majeski restarted third in overtime, directly behind Sammy Smith, and provided a strong push that helped the eventual winner establish momentum.However, Majeski later moved to the outside lane as Kaden Honeycutt challenged beneath him, slowing both trucks and allowing Smith to escape. Majeski crossed the finish line fourth, just 0.108 seconds behind the winner. The result earned him 42 points and helped him climb to third in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chase standings.Majeski now has 2,230 points, trailing championship leader Honeycutt by 141 overall. Although the points deficit leaves him with extremely limited championship opportunities, Majeski will attempt to secure his first victory of the season during the remaining races.This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Ty Majeski fighting for third in the 2026 Chase race at Martinsville