Dirt on Dirt - Volusia's fog-shrouded opener goes to Hoffman

February 10

Volusia Speedway Park,

Barberville, FL

Sanction: DIRTcar Supers (Federated DIRTcar Nationals) - $7,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac and DIRTcar reports (last updated February 11, 2:24 pm)

Volusia's fog-shrouded opener goes to Hoffman

Federated DIRTcar Nationals

Nick Hoffman
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Jonathan Davenport
Max Blair
Ryan Gustin
Brandon Overton
Cade Dillard
Brandon Sheppard
Bobby Pierce
Mike Marlar
Devin Moran
Tyler Bruening
Garrett Alberson
Tanner English
Chris Madden
Kyle Bronson
Chase Junghans
Tyler Erb
Blair Nothdurft
Ashton Winger
Jake Timm
Frank Heckenast Jr.
Mark Whitener
Brent Larson

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Nick Hoffman celebrates his $7,000 Volusia victory.

What won the race: Outside front-row starter Nick Hoffman went around polesitter and race-long leader Cade Dillard on the 11th lap Monday at Volusia Speedway Park to capture the opening Super Late Model event of the Federated DIRTcar Nationals. Hoffman earned $7,000 for capturing the caution-free, fog-shrouded 25-lapper by taking the checkers 3.745 seconds ahead of Ricky Thornton Jr. with Jonathan Davenport in third. Dillard slipped back to finish seventh after leading the first 10 laps of the eight-minute affair.

Quotable: "It's a brand new Longhorn car today and I really just wanted to break it out to make sure it was OK to use it as a backup car for the rest of the week, but I might have to keep this girl around a couple of days," Hoffman said. "I mean it's so tough to come down here. It's one of the toughest fields we see all year and just standing on the top step of the podium is pretty damn cool."

Key notes: Hoffman, the winningest modified driver in DIRTcar Nationals history with seven miniseries titles in the division, notched his second Late Model victory in the miniseries (Feb. 15, 2024). ... Ricky Thornton Jr. closed within two-tenths of a second on laps 19 and 21 but a key move past two slower cars gave Hoffman ample breathing room in the final laps. ... Third-finishing Jonathan Davenport improved two positions and briefly held the second spot with four laps remaining. ... Brent Larson was the lone retiree from the 24-car feature. ... The 25-lap feature rolled just before 10 p.m. with fog rolling in and lasted less than eight minutes. ... More DIRTcar action is set for Tuesday and Wednesday with World of Outlaws Late Model Series on Thursday-Saturday. ... The week's top Super Late Models points earner collects the Big Gator trophy.

On the move: Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., started ninth and finished fourth.

Winner's sponsors: Hoffman’s Tye Twarog Racing Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from NOS Energy Drink, C&W Trucking, Petroff Towing, Tye Twarog Performance Parts, Lonewolf Petroleum, Haulin’ Haskells, Tri Valley Equipment Sales, Allgaier Performance Parts, Bilstein Shocks, Eibach Springs, Lincoln Smith Racing and KBC Graphix.

Points chase: After Volusia Monday: 1. Nick Hoffman (80); 2. Ricky Thornton Jr. (75); 3. Jonathan Davenport (70); 4. Max Blair (65); 5. Ryan Gustin (60); 6. Brandon Overton (55); 7. Cade Dillard (53); 8. Brandon Sheppard (51); 9. Bobby Pierce (49); 10. Mike Marlar (47).

Current weather: Broken Clouds Mist, 64°F

Car count: 51

Fast qualifier: Cade Dillard

Time: 15.672 seconds

Polesitter: Cade Dillard

Heat race winners: Cade Dillard, Nick Hoffman, Mike Marlar, Ricky Thornton Jr., Jonathan Davenport, Ryan Gustin

Consolation race winners: Brent Larson, Mark Whitener, Tyler Erb

Next series race: February 11, Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, FL) $7,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

BARBERVILLE, Fla. — Monday's updates from the 54th annual Federated DIRTcar Nationals opener, featuring a 25-lap, $7,000-to-win main event for DIRTcar Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Outside front-row starter Nick Hoffman went past polesitter and race-long leader Cade Dillard on the 11th lap Monday at Volusia Speedway Park to capture the opening Super Late Model event of the Federated DIRTcar Nationals. Hoffman earned $7,000 in the fog-shrouded 25-lapper that ran caution free with Hoffman taking the checkers 3.745 seconds ahead of Ricky Thornton Jr. with Jonathan Davenport in third. Dillard slipped back to finish seventh after leading the first 10 laps.

Feature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Cade Dillard, Nick Hoffman
Row 2: Mike Marlar, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 3: Jonathan Davenport, Ryan Gustin
Row 4: Kyle Bronson, Brandon Sheppard
Row 5: Max Blair, Brandon Overton
Row 6: Bobby Pierce, Tyler Bruening
Row 7: Tanner English, Garrett Alberson
Row 8: Blair Nothdurft, Devin Moran
Row 9: Chase Junghans, Chris Madden
Row 10: Brent Larson, Mark Whitener
Row 11: Tyler Erb, Frank Heckenast Jr.
Row 12: Jake Timm, Ashton Winger

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation: Brent Larson, Frank Heckenast Jr., Cody Overton, Austin Smith, Dustin Sorensen, Seth Zacharias, Dan Ebert, Tyler Wyant, Michael Chilton. Scratched: Drake Troutman, Derrick Stewart, Kyle Bryant.

Second consolation: Mark Whitener, Jake Timm, Tim McCreadie, Tristan Chamberlain, Jordan Koehler, Shane Clanton, Michael Norris, Jack Riggs, Dennis Erb Jr., Daulton Wilson, Reid Millard.

Third consolation: Tyler Erb, Ashton Winger, Ethan Dotson, Michael Leach, Stacy Boles, Trey Mills, Jason Riggs, Daniel Adam, Matt Nailor. Scratched: Brian Shirley.

Heat race recap

Ryan Gustin, who overtook Tyler Bruening on the fourth lap in the final heat, was the only non-polesitter to win a heat. ... Other heat winners Cade Dillard, Nick Hoffman, Mike Marlar, Ricky Thornton Jr. and Jonathan Davenport. ... Derrick Stewart slapped turn turn-two wall early in the first heat. ... Michael Chilton, who didn't get a full-speed qualifying lap after having issues, didn't show up for the opening heat. ... In the second heat, Cody Overton spun trying to take third from Dustin Sorenson on the fourth lap. ... Tim McCreadie led the first lap of the fourth heat, but slipped back to third and then to fifth when he jumped the cushion exiting turn two. ... In the fifth heat, a first-lap caution appeared when tail-starting Stacy Boles spun inside turn four when the green flag dropped. ... Brian Shirley missed hot laps, time trials and his heat race after a faulty wire in his ignition caused all his gauges to burn up, forcing the crew to replace the entire ignition system.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top three transfer)

First heat: Cade Dillard, Kyle Bronson, Tanner English, Brent Larson, Austin Smith, Dan Ebert, Seth Zacharias, Derrick Stewart. Scratched: Michael Chilton.

Second heat: Nick Hoffman, Brandon Sheppard, Garrett Alberson, Frank Heckenast Jr., Dustin Sorensen, Cody Overton, Drake Troutman, Tyler Wyant, Kyle Bryant.

Third heat: Mike Marlar, Max Blair, Blair Nothdurft, Jake Timm, Tristan Chamberlain, Dennis Erb Jr., Jordan Koehler, Daulton Wilson, Jack Riggs.

Fourth heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Brandon Overton, Devin Moran, Mark Whitener, Tim McCreadie, Michael Norris, Shane Clanton, Reid Millard.

Fifth heat: Jonathan Davenport, Bobby Pierce, Chase Junghans, Tyler Erb, Ethan Dotson, Trey Mills, Jason Riggs, Stacy Boles.

Sixth heat: Ryan Gustin, Tyler Bruening, Chris Madden, Ashton Winger, Michael Leach, Daniel Adam, Matt Nailor. Scratched: Brian Shirley.

Pre-race notes

The six-night Dirt Late Model portion of the Federated DIRTcar Nationals kicked off on an absolutely beautiful, sunny day that saw the afternoon high hit 80 degrees. … Monday’s 51-car field is an increase of four from last year’s DIRTcar Nationals opener, which had its feature postponed by rain to Wednesday’s program. … USAC sprint cars are supporting the DIRTcar-sanctioned Late Model action Monday and Tuesday. … Drivers with their haulers in the pits but not entered in Monday’s competition: Hudson O’Neal, Jimmy Owens, Daniel Hilsabeck, Carson Ferguson, Kyle Strickler, Dillon McCowan, Boom Briggs, Brenden Smith and Dustin Walker. … Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., who finished second in both of last month’s WoO-sanctioned Sunshine Nationals features at Volusia, initially had only this week’s three WoO events on his schedule but has decided to run every night. … Cody Overton of Evans, Ga., rolls into Volusia riding as the WoO points leader (he finished third and 11th in last month’s Sunshine Nationals) and hot off a $15,000 victory — the richest of his career — in Saturday’s Winter Freeze at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga., on the Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series. Overton is running the same Tri-Star Motorsports Longhorn car he drove at Screven this evening but plans to pull out the machine he raced in the Sunshine Nationals for this week’s trio of WoO shows. … Michael Chilton of Salvisa, Ky., is driving the Bluegrass State-based Hatcher Motorsports No. 6. … Michael Norris of Sarver, Pa., is behind the wheel of Matt Tifft’s No. 57 with the Ohio racer unavailable to compete after running last week’s Lucas Oil Series Winter Nationals at Ocala (Fla.) Speedway. … Twenty-four cars will start Monday’s feature with no provisional starting spots.

Time trials

First group
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 15.672
Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 15.936
Austin Smith (11), Cedartown, Ga., 15.940
Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 16.005
Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 16.434
Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., 16.442
Derrick Stewart (43), Ainsworth, Iowa, 16.655
Seth Zacharias (17z), Vestal, N.Y., 17.186
Michael Chilton (6), Salvisa, Ky., 20.196
Second group
Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 15.783
Dustin Sorenson (19), Rochester, Minn., 16.262
Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 16.270
Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 16.283
Cody Overton (2), Evans, Ga., 16.355
Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 16.431
Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 16.597
Kyle Bryant (79), Navarre, Fla., 16.730
Tyler Wyant (24), Oil City, Pa., 17.347
Third group
Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 16.084
Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 16.129
Jordan Koehler (114), Mount Airy, N.C., 16.238
Blair Nothdurft (76), Renner, S.D., 16.512
Jake Timm (49), Winona, Minn., 16.558
Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 16.570
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 16.651
Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 16.726
Jack Riggs (81J), Nolensville, Tenn., no time
Fourth group
Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 16.003
Tim McCreadie (9), Watertown, N.Y., 16.099
Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 16.124
Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 16.156
Mark Whitener (5), Middleburg, Fla., 16.269
Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., 17.216
Michael Norris (57), Sarver, Pa., 17.392
Reid Millard (14R), Jefferson City, Mo., 19.468
Fifth group
Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 16.134
Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 16.376
Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., 16.590
Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 16.700
Jason Riggs (81r), College Grove, Tenn., 16.862
Stacy Boles (11B), Clinton, Tenn., 16.872
Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 16.560
Trey Mills (59), St. Augustine, Fla., 17.127
Sixth group
Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 16.067
Ryan Gustin (19r), Marshalltown, Iowa, 16.139
Ashton Winger (12), Hampton, Ga., 16.379
Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 16.550
Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 16.728
Daniel Adam (75), Peru, Ill., 16.793
Matt Nailor (000), Shermansdale, Pa., 17.354
Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., no time

Monday’s schedule

(All times local)
10 a.m. - Hauler and vendor load-in
1 p.m. - Ticket office opens
3 p.m. - All gates open
4:45 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5 p.m. - Sprint car engine heat
5:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Sprint car hot laps
- Sprint car group qualifying
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Sprint car heats (8 laps)
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Sprint car consolations (12 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Feature events
- Sprint cars (25 laps)
- Late Models (25 laps)