Story By: BEN SHELTON / NICK HOFFMAN RACING – MOORESVILLE, NC – Nick Hoffman won Thursday’s World of Outlaws (WoO) Case Late Model Series feature in thrilling fashion aboard his Tye Twarog Racing / NOS Energy Drink No. 9 C&W Trucking / Longhorn Chassis / Clements Racing Engine Super Late Model.
The North Carolina racer surged past Chris Madden on the final circuit to claim the $12,000 triumph.
“(I found) a lot of grip on (corner) entry where I could run off in there without lifting and really close on (Chris) Madden,” Hoffman said in Victory Lane. “I just wanted to make sure I left Bobby (Pierce) a lane because I knew he was running the top pretty hard and I didn’t want to pinch him into the fence. When I got to (turn) three, I had a decent run and I was like ‘I’m coming across whether it was clear or not’ and I felt like I got plenty across (his nose) there. Man it’s just unreal, I’ve won a ton of these gator (trophies) in a Modified, but this one is so special and to win it on a last-lap pass is unbelievable. This is definitely the biggest win of my career.”
After a week of turning wrenches for his client’s Elite Chassis in Modified competition, Nick Hoffman returned to the driver’s seat of the Tye Twarog Racing No. 9 Super Late Model at Volusia Speedway Park (De Leon Springs, Fla.) last Tuesday for the second round of the 53rd annual Federated DIRTcar Nationals.
After a rain shower washed out Monday’s program midway through the event, Hoffman raced into Tuesday’s preliminary with a second-place finish in his heat. Starting in eighth, Nick was one of six cars eliminated after a slowing car caused a pile-up following a lap-17 restart.
With the field split into three groups on Wednesday, Nick’s second-fastest lap in his time trial group positioned him on the front row of his prelim. Losing one spot in the 20-lap affair, Hoffman posted a third-place finish.
For Monday’s rescheduled preliminary that was also ran on Wednesday, Hoffman recorded a 12th-place finish.
In a field of 48 cars on Thursday as the remainder of the 53rd annual DIRTcar Nationals turned World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series sanctioned, Nick soared into the redraw with a flag-to-flag victory in his heat race. Overtaking late leader Chris Madden on the final lap coming out of three, Hoffman rolled to his second-career World of Outlaws victory ahead of Madden and Bobby Pierce.
His first win of the 2024 season was worth $12,000.
Friday night’s program came to an early end for Hoffman after he got stuck behind a slowing car with a blown motor while running fifth in the feature.
Saturday’s DIRTcar Nationals finale was a wash after persistent rain forced officials to cancel the $16,000-to-win main event.
Nick is currently sixth in the latest World of Outlaws point standings.
This Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23-24 will find Nick competing with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) at Golden Isles Speedway (Brunswick, Ga.).