This is called the tennis ball drop.  No, not because she dropped it at the end of the tube.  The rider drives past the tube and the passenger drops the the tennis ball in the top end.  As the ball rolls down the tube the rider synchronizes their speed with the ball by watching it roll past small cut outs in the tube.  When the ball rolls out the bottom end of the tube the passenger reaches down and catches it.  It is not easy.  Nobody caught the ball on the first pass this day.

Note Ted's bright orange official shirt?  While not the sexiest outfit, it adds greatly to the safety and efficiency of the games by making it easy to see and identify the oficials on the track.