World of Outlaws Dairyland Showdown

With 10 top 10s through the first 12 races of the year, Nick Hoffman has been one of the most consistent members of the World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision.

But Hoffman knows it takes more than consistency to win a championship against the best Late Model drivers in the country. It takes wins, something he had been lacking in the early portion of the season.

That was until Saturday night at Mississippi Thunder Speedway, when Hoffman laid down a dominant run for his second win in the Dairyland Showdown.

“This place is just awesome,” Hoffman said. “I’ve been fortunate to win here last year and run really solid. Just my style – momentum, slick and slow, just doing everything you can to make grip and make momentum speed.”

Hoffman drew the four in the Redraw to start the Feature behind the front row of Brian Shirley and Tim McCreadie. “T-Mac” rode the cushion around the opening set of corners to lead his first laps of the season, but Brandon Overton quickly moved up from third to take over the top spot four laps in.

A handful of early yellows kept the front of the pack bunched up and the leaders in Hoffman’s range. “The Thrill From Mooresville” got by McCreadie for third 10 laps in, immediately got by Shirley on the next restart and snuck to the inside of Overton for the lead down the backstretch. The No. 76 cleared him in Turns 3 and 4 to stay on top, but Hoffman didn’t let him go far.

Hoffman tried the cushion for himself four laps later and sailed around Overton down the frontstretch to take command of the race. A flat tire on Tyler Bruening’s car gave the field one more chance at the No. 9 with 13 to go, but the gap was already up to half a straightaway a lap after the restart.

Even after catching traffic before the checkers, Hoffman was able to maintain a blazing pace and crossed the line 1.7 seconds ahead of his closest challenger.

Hoffman’s runner-up effort on Friday night proved he was only a few minor adjustments away from Victory Lane, and the No. 9 team turned the right knobs to accommodate for the drier track surface and pick up the win.

“If I could get myself tightened up just a little bit where I could drive straighter, I’d be better, and that was what I was able to do tonight,” Hoffman said. “I was worried those first couple laps when it was dirty that I would end up hurting tires, so I was kind of conservative those first 10 laps, and then after that I pushed pretty hard once the track started to slow down. So I was glad to see that caution, it got me reracked and I was able to run my line again.”

Series points leader Bobby Pierce snuck by Overton just past halfway for the second spot to claim his second podium of the weekend, but conceded that Hoffman was on another level in the closing stages.

“I really wanted that caution and it came out, I thought that was my chance,” Pierce said. “When we took the green, [Hoffman] just blasted out, half a straightaway lead right at the green flag. Knew he was pretty good. All in all, a pretty good weekend for us. A third and a second, we’ll take it.”

Overton brought the No. 76 home third in his first visit to Mississippi Thunder, although a deflating tire put that result in jeopardy in the final laps.

“I’m glad it wasn’t any more laps, we just had a flat so that was plenty enough,” Overton said. “On the podium, we made a long trip, we had to make it worth it. We’re fast, I don’t know if I was a little too aggressive early and hurt my tire or what. I just wanted to get out front, my car felt really good early. There’s just a couple little tweaks we should have done. Nick was really good, he drove right by me and got gone. I kind of started reeling Bobby back in there at the end, we caught traffic and they were kind of in my lane.”

Shirley and McCreadie rounded out the top five.

RACE NOTES:

Nick Hoffman set the Dirt King Simulators Fastest Hot Lap.

Tyler Erb won the Simpson Quick Time Award.

Tyler Erb won Real American Beer Heat 1.

Brandon Overton won STAKT Products Heat 2.

Tim McCreadie won Keyser Manufacturing Heat 3.

Bobby Pierce won Jarrett Rifles Heat 4.

Brian Shirley won Real American Beer Heat 5.

Nick Hoffman won Real American Beer Heat 6.

Dustin Sorensen and Max Blair won the Landa Pressure Washers Last Chance Showdowns.

Brian Shirley won the Bilstein Pole Award.

Ashton Winger won the FOX Factory Hard Charger Award.

Drake Troutman was the MD3 Rookie of the Race.

Bobby Pierce won the WELD Racing Secind-Place Finisher Award.

Brian Shirley was the ARP Fourth-Place Finisher.

Tim McCreadie was the MSD Fifth-Place Finisher.

Tyler Erb was the Swift Springs Sixth-Place Finisher.

Drake Troutman was the VP Racing Fuels Eighth-Place Finisher.

Jonathan Davenport was the Lifeline USA Ninth-Place Finisher.

Chris Simpson was the COMP Cams 10th-Place Finisher.

Ashton Winger was the Cometic Gaskets 12th-Place Finisher.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision kicks off the OH-PA swing at Raceway 7 with the Great Lake Showdown on Thursday, May 15. Tickets will be available at the gate.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

Feature (50 Laps): 1. 9-Nick Hoffman[4]; 2. 32-Bobby Pierce[5]; 3. 76-Brandon Overton[3]; 4. 3S-Brian Shirley[1]; 5. 9M-Tim McCreadie[2]; 6. 1-Tyler Erb[6]; 7. 19R-Ryan Gustin[9]; 8. 22*-Drake Troutman[7]; 9. 49D-Jonathan Davenport[13]; 10. 32S-Chris Simpson[11]; 11. 96-Tanner English[8]; 12. 12-Ashton Winger[25]; 13. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[12]; 14. 2-Cody Overton[24]; 15. 16-Tyler Bruening[10]; 16. 25-Shane Clanton[15]; 17. 19-Dustin Sorensen[19]; 18. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[14]; 19. 111-Max Blair[20]; 20. 49-Jake Timm[18]; 21. 25S-Chad Simpson[21]; 22. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[26]; 23. 38T-Dylan Thornton[16]; 24. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[22]; 25. 21-Billy Moyer Sr[17]; 26. 74X-Ethan Dotson[23]