Hoffman Rules $30,000 Dairyland Showdown Finale

Nick Hoffman celebrates in victory lane at Mississippi Thunder Speedway Saturday night. (Emily Schwanke photo)

FOUNTAIN CITY, Wis. – 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 changed Saturday night at Mississippi Thunder Speedway, when Hoffman laid down a dominant run for his first World of Outlaws Late Model win of the year and second in the Dairyland Showdown.

The triumph, worth $30,000,

“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 re-draw to start the 50-lap feature behind the front row of Brian Shirley and Tim McCreadie.

McCreadie 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.

Hoffman 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 Overton in turns three and four 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 a 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.

“I was glad to see that caution; it got me re-racked and I was able to run my line again.”

Series point 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, and had half a straightaway lead right at the green flag. I 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, but we caught traffic and they were kind of in my lane.”

Shirley and McCreadie rounded out the top five.

The World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision kicks off an Ohio-Pennsylvania swing at Raceway 7 in Conneaut, Ohio, with the Great Lake Showdown on Thursday, May 15.