The 56th running of the Snowball Derby saw multiple NASCAR drivers crash on a late race restart with 25 laps to go.
William Byron, Erik Jones and Noah Gragson were among those drivers collected in the crash on the restart with 25 laps to go. The crash appeared to occur due to Gragson missing a shift trying to go from third gear to fourth gear.
The wreck saw Byron's car get airborne, but none of the drivers were injured.
Byron talked to Matt Weaver of Sportsnaut after the incident.
"I didn't see much. I think the 30 missed a shift and I thought 'Man I'm getting a good restart here,'" Byron said. "As soon as they kinda bottled up heygot turned in front of me and I ramped over the top of him (Gragson)."
What William Byron saw in that big crash pic.twitter.com/vcxBDDJwta
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) December 3, 2023
Two-time Snowball Derby winner Erik Jones also talked to Weaver.
"We got sent to the rear there and I don't know. It looked like somebody missed a shift and everyone stacked up in the back there," Jones said. "I thought we had a good car, a top 5 car. We weren't winning speed today, but we would've liked to come home with a good finish obviously."
"I just messed up and didn't get it in gear. My fault ultimately; I didn't get it in fourth gear," Gragson said. "I really don't like that for anybody involved. I know it happens, but I hold myself to a higher standard. I don't remember the last time I missed a shift."
With the carnage for many of NASCAR's stars in the Snowball Derby, there was still one star that came out on top and left Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., with the victory.
After the wreck was cleaned up, the field went racing again and it was NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver, Ty Majeski, who won his second Snowball Derby. The win came after contact between leaders Stephen Nasse and Bubba Pollard with less than 10 laps to go. The contact took the two leaders out and Majeski slid his way through to the lead and never looked back.
