Nick Hoffman Takes Home $15,000 at Brownstown

Nick Hoffman competing at Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, Indiana (Photo: Emily Schwanke | World Racing Group)

BROWNSTOWN, Ind. — After competing in Kentucky on Friday night, the World of Outlaws late models traveled across the border to Brownstown Speedway for the Hoosier Dirt Classic.

For the third time in series history, the late models started the night off with qualifying. The man who had the fastest lap around the dirt oval was none other than hometown boy, Jason Jameson, who cranked out a 13.196 second lap early on in the session and just could not be beat.

Because of his qualifying position, Jameson got to compete in the Dash beside the Outlaws’ best. Jameson started and ended fifth with Dustin Sorenson and Nick Hoffman taking the top two spots, forming the front row for the 50-lap main event.

As Sorenson and Hoffman led the 25-car field to the starting line in Turn 4, Sorenson kicked it into high gear and jumped ahead into the lead early. Hoffman faded a little bit and Ryan Gustin was able to come up and challenge Sorenson for the lead.

At this time though, top qualifier Jameson went over the cushion in Turns 1 and 2 and sailed off the track after his right rear tire caught the loose dirt, drawing the first caution of the night on Lap 3.

On the restart, Hoffman claimed second back from Gustin and had his sights set on Sorenson. Before Hoffman could make a move to advance his position, Dustin Walker spun in Turn 4, bringing out another caution.

During this caution flag, Tyler Bruening’s crew chief noticed that fellow competitor, Kyle Bronson, had a flat left rear tire and flagged him into the work area to get it fixed. Bronson’s team was able to change the tire in a timely manner and get back out on the track before the green flag flew, thanks to Bruening’s crew chief’s antics.

On restart number three, Hoffman was gaining some serious ground on Sorenson. He slide-jobbed him going into Turn 3, but Cade Dillard, who was riding a little bit behind the leaders, hit Gustin as he had nowhere to go due to the fact that he was directly behind Gustin. Both Dillard and Gustin were able to come back out to catch the tail end of the field after being checked out in the work area.

Friday night’s winner, Brandon Sheppard, decided that he had waited long enough while hanging back with all of these cautions, and charged through the field to challenge the leaders. However, he was not the only one to do so as Chad Stapleton honed his radar in on Bobby Pierce.

Pierce, not too worried about Stapleton, went to the inside of Sheppard and claimed third from him at the line to begin Lap 7.

Meanwhile, Sorenson had put some ground between himself and “The Thrill from Mooresville”, but Hoffman was running the top and gaining on the leader…and then ran over some debris.

The track crew noticed some metal components laying on the front stretch heading into the first turn, so they threw a caution. However, the caution did not come out until Sorenson and Hoffman were well into the corner, and Hoffman drove right over the debris and sent it flying off the track.

Hoffman lost second to Pierce on the restart by going high into Turn 1, but the fifth caution of the night was thrown due to a wreck at the tail-end of the field that involved none other than Bronson. Bronson went into the pits for repairs and was not able to make it back out in time before the green flag waved.

Pierce claimed second off the line this time around, but Hoffman was not letting off. One spot behind those two, Bruening and Sheppard were not letting off either, as they were battling it out for fourth.

Pierce, in his pursuit of the leader, went too high and allowed Sorenson to put a few car lengths between him and the champion. But that was short-lived because Jordan Weaver came to a stop in Turn 4 and drew yet another caution. This caution did allow Bronson to come back out to re-join the field, though.

As everyone mashed their loud pedal coming out of Turn 4, Hoffman took second this time with Pierce trying to get it back with Sheppard right there as well. 

Following the night’s pattern, a caution was thrown before any intense racing could happen. This time, Tristan Chamberlain slowed, causing Dillard to let off to avoid making contact with him. Even though that worked for Dillard, Jameson had nowhere to go and ended up spinning out to avoid making contact with Dillard, but Bronson ended up hitting Jameson. This was Bronson’s third involvement in technicalities in 14 laps.

Jason Jameson competing at Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, Indiana (Photo: Emily Schwanke | World Racing Group)

Once everyone was cleared off the track, the field got to racing again and Hoffman jumped ahead of Pierce again. Pierce knew what he had to do and went low to get around Hoffman, unsuccessfully. Pierce was not going to give up that easily though, and went at it with Hoffman, who eventually passed him on the bottom.

Fourth-place driver, Bruening, was feeling the pressure from Max McLaughlin, who had started 14th and was now up to fifth and looking to finish even higher. 

On Lap 22, Pierce closed the door on the gap between him and Hoffman with each turn. Two laps later, Pierce went high and slid down in front of Hoffman, re-claiming second place. Back in the pack, Gustin and Dale McDowell were fighting for ninth, with the former keeping the position.

Lap 28 saw Sorenson catch up to lapped traffic and Jameson caused another caution as he spun around. Luckily, Jameson was able to keep it together and get back on pace quickly, but the caution flag was waved anyway.

McLaughlin took fourth away from Bruening on the restart and Hoffman surged towards Sorenson. By the time Lap 33 started, Hoffman was the new race leader after a cushion ride going into Turn 4. High-place competitor Bruening slowed at this point in time, drawing the eighth caution of the night, too.

McLaughlin’s run in fourth place was challenged by Gustin again, but this time, Gustin felt the heat from Sheppard, who wanted to be in the top five. 

On Lap 40, McLaughlin got past Pierce for third, and Pierce did not like that at all. He went back up to the top of the track, and raced side-by-side with McLaughlin until he was able to make it past him coming out of Turn 4 on Lap 44, getting third place back to begin Lap 45.

Hoffman was able to hold off Sorenson to win for the fifth time with the Outlaws, with Pierce, McLaughlin and Sheppard rounding out the top five. Both Sorenson and McLaughlin had career-best finishes.

“I knew that the bottom would go away,” Hoffman said about the race. “I was frustrated there for a little bit because of all the cautions and that nothing would go my way. But it did, so this one feels really good. Finally had something go my way.”