ROSSBURG, Ohio — Before Saturday’s 56th annual World 100 feature at Eldora Speedway, Nick Hoffman’s 4-year-old son had a request of the 34-year-old driver from Mooresville, N.C.
“Roxzen, right before the race,” Hoffman said, “the drone show's going on, and he's like, ‘Dad, look at that trophy. We need that trophy.’ I said, ‘I'm gonna get it for you, buddy.’ ”
Consider it done.
During what he called a “life-changing week,” Hoffman’s off-the-track news of landing a new deal to drive his Dirt Late Model for NASCAR-affiliated Spire Motorsports was topped by his sparkling on-track performance of leading the final 12 laps of Dirt Late Model racing’s most prestigious event.
"I'm trying to collect all of my emotions here,” Hoffman said in victory lane amid a pair of globe trophies his son coveted.
Starting ninth, Hoffman steadily worked his way forward in the second half of the 100-lapper, positioned in second for a lap-89 restart when race-long leader Ryan Gustin’s lost driveshaft handed Hoffman the lead. Hoffman cruised the final 12 laps for a race-record $100,000 payday at the historic Earl Baltes-founded oval now operated by Tony Stewart.
"It's going to take a while to sink in,” said Hoffman, who will complete his fourth season for Tye Twarog Racing before joining the Mooresville, N.C.-based Spire operation. “My first crown jewel, man, it just feels like it took so long to get here. I had so many slip away, and you know that last lap, you're worried about that happening again, but tonight was our night.”
Hoffman took the checkers 2.295 seconds ahead of last year’s winner Ricky Thornton Jr., the Chandler, Ariz., driver who twice swapped the second spot with Hoffman between laps 84-88. Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, rallied from 17th for his best World 100 finish while Friday’s semifeature winners, 19th-starting Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., and Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., rounded out the top five.
Marshalltown, Iowa’s Gustin, who led the first 88 laps mostly by comfortable margins, ended up 21st in his bid for his first World 100.
Saturday’s finale of the three-day World 100 weekend wasn’t shaping up great for Hoffman. He spent overnight hours with wife Laci in the ER when she had a flareup of pain, and he wasn’t feeling great about starting outside the third row in his heat race, especially when rain hit the track during pre-race ceremonies.
“I felt like it was up against me. Sheppy rolling the 6 (for the heat race inversion) and then it raining,” Hoffman said. “I was like, ‘Man, it's gonna speed the track back up and it's gonna be hard to pass.’ and then everything just fell my way in that feature and that's the way it's got to go for you and it's unbelievable.”
Hoffman started the 100-lapper going the wrong direction, slipping back to 12th before getting back into the top 10 on the 40th lap. Then the driver who won a Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series race at Eldora seven days earlier employed a methodical approach chasing down Gustin and an array of stars in front of him.
"I didn’t know (if I had) what it took there at the beginning of the race because I was just biding my time. I've watched Dale (McDowell) do that a million times, just creep around that infield long enough to just save my tires,” Hoffman said. “And then it was time to go. I just made sure Sheppy stayed like right in front of me because I felt like he was the best car all weekend and as long as I just kept him at bay there just right in front of me, I felt like I had a shot at it.”
He lined up outside Gustin for the lap-89 restart and was ready to make his move.
“The caution came out and I just knew that I could blitz pretty hard into (turn) one and he obviously had issues there, but I felt like we were gonna sneak by him there,” Hoffman said.
Gustin’s powerless car was pushed to his pit stall and he tossed his helmet out of the cockpit in frustration.
“We broke something in the drivetrain there,” Gustin said. “I felt like we did everything right all night. Things were falling our way on the invert, won our heat race to sit on the pole. We led all of them but the last 12 unfortunately.”
The 11th-starting Thornton, who took the second spot from Jonathan Davenport on the 74th lap, later battled Hoffman for the runner-up position behind Gustin, but his run to the front wasn’t enough.
"I was able to get by J.D. and then make a run at Ryan, and I just kind of stalled out,” Thornton said. “I don't know. I didn't feel like I abused my stuff there the first 70 laps or so, but it wasn't good enough. Obviously Nick was really good. He was probably the one I was most worried about.”
With Hoffman running lower on the track, Thornton dabbled with the high side, but it wasn’t the ticket to victory.
“I felt like I made good speed, but I just couldn't do what I needed to, so I'm like, I'll play a smart thing here and get back in line,” Thornton said. “But hats off to Nick. His whole crew, they've been really good and he's been really close to these wins here and to see him finally get it's pretty awesome.”
Erb, who moved into the third spot on the lap-89 restart, wasn’t sure what was going on at the front of the field as he rallied from the eighth row.
"I honestly didn't even realize (Gustin) was leading until we had to restart,” Erb said. “He had a good car and Nick, at one point, we drove by him, and then he passed me and I thought it was Shepp at one point and I was like, ‘Well, there's the race.’ Sure enough it was (Hoffman). We had a really good car. Just I haven't quite got it all the way to where I can run the same lines they do.”
Hoffman, whose Spire Motorsports announcement came on Thursday afternoon in Eldora’s media center, was glad to help Twarog to his biggest career victory. The emotional car owner joined Hoffman in an embrace in victory lane.
“I would’ve never dreamed this,” Twarog said, his voice breaking. “I'm the happiest I've ever been in my life, and this is unbelievable.”
Notes: Nick Hoffman also won the Coltman Elite Double Crown title as the best performing driver between Eldora’s Dream and World 100, receiving a new Rolex watch from sponsor Brett Coltman. … Hoffman, a World of Outlaws Late Model Series regular, scored his second six-figure payday of the season. His first came with a $100,057 triumph May 30 at Mansfield (Ohio) Speedway on the WoO circuit. … The former multitime DIRTcar modified champion, a frequent winner in that division at Eldora, notched his 10th Super Late Model victory of the season. ... Four cautions slowed the race, the first on the 12th lap when fifth-running Tyler Carpenter hit the turn-two wall. ... On the 26th lap, a yellow flag turned into a red flag when Frank Heckenast Jr. slowed with an engine fire, his car clipped by Zack Mitchell and spinning in turn three; he was OK. ... On the 89th lap, fourth-running Jonathan Davenport, who ran second the first 73 laps, slowed and pulled to the hot pit for three fresh tires. … The final caution appeared for Gustin’s departure. … The 44-minute feature concluded at 11:26 p.m. ... Among favorites failing to make the feature lineup: Bobby Pierce (engine failure in heat), Devin Moran (engine issues after heat), Josh Rice (broken fuel line in heat), Chris Madden (consolation race crash) and Dale McDowell (heat race crash). ... Preliminary semifeature winners were Brandon Sheppard, Hudson O'Neal, Ashton Winger and Brandon Overton, who didn't compete Saturday because his wife delivered their second child Friday. … Dustin Sorensen of Rochester, Minn., won the $3,000 Shane Unger Memorial Rookie Award as the top points-earning World 100 rookie. He finished 11th in the feature.
56th annual World 100
Pos. Driver (car no.), hometown, chassis, earnings
1. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., Longhorn, $100,000
2. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., Longhorn, $30,000
3. Tyler Erb (1) New Waverly, Texas, Rocket, $20,000
4. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., Rocket, $15,000
5. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., Longhorn, $12,500
6. Tim McCreadie (9), Watertown, N.Y., Longhorn, $10,000
7. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., Longhorn, $9,000
8. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., Longhorn, $8,500
9. Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., Longhorn, $8,000
10. Adam Stricker (c7), Batavia, Ohio, Longhorn, $7,500
11. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., Longhorn, $7,250
12. Joseph Joiner (10), Milton, Fla., Longhorn, $7,000
13. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., Rocket, $6,800
14. Zack Mitchell (22), Enoree, S.C., Longhorn, $6,600
15. Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., Longhorn, $6,400
16. Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., Rocket, $6,200
17. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., Longhorn, $6,000
18. Jadon Frame (81F), Decherd, Tenn., Longhorn, $5,900
19. Chris Ferguson (22), Mount Holly, N.C., Stinger, $5,800
20. Logan Zarin (1z), Hookstown, Pa., Longhorn, $5,700
21. Ryan Gustin (19r), Marshalltown, Iowa, Infinity, $5,600
22. Ashton Winger (12), Hampton, Ga., Rocket, $5,600
23. Brian Shirley (8s), Chatham, Ill., Longhorn, $5,600
24. Drake Troutman (5), Hyndman, Pa., Longhorn, $5,600
25. Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., Longhorn, $5,600
26. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., Longhorn, $5,600
27. Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., Capital, $5,600
28. Tyler Carpenter (13), Parkersburg, W.Va., DRT, $5,600
Lap leaders: Gustin 1-88; Hoffman 89-100
Fast qualifier (among 103 cars): Sheppard, 14.875 seconds
Heat race winners: Sorensen, Joiner, Carpenter, Stricker, Davenport, Gustin
Consolation winners: Clanton, Zarin
Provisional starters: Sheppard, Chris Ferguson
Preliminary feature winners: Brandon Overton, Winger, Sheppard, O’Neal
Correction: Fixes Bronson's chassis brand.
Pre-feature notes
Jonathan Davenport is starting on the front row of the World 100 for the third time. Previously he led 100 laps from the pole (2022) and finished seventh (from second last year). … Notable after prelims are the contenders who didn’t make the World 100 field including Bobby Pierce (mechanical failure in heat), Josh Rice (broken fuel line in heat), Chris Madden (consolation race wreck), Dale McDowell (heat wreck) and Devin Moran (engine issues). … Eight drivers are first-time World 100 starters, including heat winners Dustin Sorensen, Tyler Carpenter and Adam Stricker. Other first-timers are Zack Mitchell, Jadon Frame, Dan Ebert, Logan Zarin and Dillon McCowan. … Illinois leads the way with four World 100 starters with three drivers apiece for Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. … The 28-car field has 19 Longhorns, five Rockets and one car apiece for chassis builders Capital, DRT, Stinger and Infinity. … Minnesota has two starters (Dustin Sorensen and Dan Ebert) from a state with a single previous starter (Willy Kraft five times, most recently 1991). … Tennessee has a single starter for the first time since no Tennesseans made the 2016 event. … The longest streak of consecutive World 100 starts for Dale McDowell ended at 18 after he was caught up in a heat race wreck that was triggered when Dalton Cook faltered into turn one due to a flat left-front tire. … The worst consolation incident came when Chris Madden got into the backstretch wall, collecting Jerry Bowersock and Dillard Hatchett.
Correction: Corrects chassis brands in feature.
Feature lineup
(100 laps)
Row 1: Ryan Gustin, Jonathan Davenport
Row 2: Adam Stricker, Tyler Carpenter
Row 3: Joseph Joiner, Dustin Sorensen
Row 4: Frank Heckenast Jr., Carson Ferguson
Row 5: Nick Hoffman, Kyle Bronson
Row 6: Ricky Thornton Jr., Jadon Frame
Row 7: Hudson O'Neal, Drake Troutman
Row 8: Ashton Winger, Zack Mitchell
Row 9: Tyler Erb, Tim McCreadie
Row 10: Brandon Sheppard, Chris Ferguson
Row 11: Shane Clanton, Logan Zarin
Row 12: Max Blair, Dillon McCowan
Row 13: Ethan Dotson, Brian Shirley
Row 14: Dan Ebert, Jason Feger
Consolation race results
(15 laps; top four transfer)
First consolation: Shane Clanton, Max Blair, Ethan Dotson, Dan Ebert, Chad Finley, Jason Riggs, Dennis Erb Jr., Austin Smith, Clay Stuckey, Kyle Strickler, Jake Little, Brenden Smith, Mike Benedum, Jake O'Neil, Ches Chester, Rusty Ballenger, Bryant Dickinson, Trey Mills, Dustin Nobbe, Tristan Chamberlain, Ross Robinson. Scratched: Devin Moran, Michael Norris, Gregg Satterlee.
Heat race recap
Brief rain that hit during pre-race ceremonies pushed the start of heats 20 minutes for track-packing. ... In the first heat, race rookie Dustin Sorensen led all 15 laps from outside the front row. Also transferring in the caution-free heat were polesitter Frank Heckenast Jr., and fifth-starting Hudson O'Neal. Brandon Sheppard didn't transfer and will take a provisional. ... The biggest news of the second heat was the mechanical failure for two-time winner Bobby Pierce on the 10th lap as a frontstretch plume of smoke signaled his demise. Polesitter Joseph Joiner cruised to victory in the 15-lapper over Carson Ferguson and Drake Troutman (Tristan Chamberlain veered right and slowed on the initial start to trigger a caution; a lap-10 restart yellow appeared for a turn three scrambling involving Gregg Satterlee, Jason Jameson, Jeffery Erickson Jr., Jake Little and Michael Norris, who appeared to get sideways to start the melee with a flattened left-rear tire). ... Chris Ferguson took the second and last provisional. ... In the third heat, Tyler Carpenter led all the way for his first World 100 start. He transferred with sixth-starting Nick Hoffman and Ashton Winger, who was back to eight after an early scrape with Dan Ebert but stole third on the last lap from Devin Moran, who found engine problems that forced him out of a consolation start (a lap-three caution appeared when Brandon Carpenter hit the turn-one wall; Dennis Erb Jr. drew a lap-eight caution with a flat tire and grazed the turn-four wall). ... In the fourth heat, Adam Stricker became the third heat winner to qualify for his first World 100 to transfer with Kyle Bronson and Zack Mitchell (a lap-three caution appeared for a slowing Josh Rice with a broken fuel line; a lap-14 yellow dropped for Mario Gresham's flat; and on a lap-14 restart Dalton Cook restarted with a flat left-front tire but spun for a turn-one pileup that ended Dale McDowell's streak of 18 consecutive World 100 starts). ... In the fifth heat, Jonathan Davenport raced to a flag-to-flag victory over Ricky Thornton Jr. and Tyler Erb, who stole the spot on the last lap (Tyler Thomason and Wayne Chinn tangled for a first-lap caution). ... In the sixth and final heat, third-starting Ryan Gustin dominated all the way, winning by four seconds to earn the pole for the 100-lapper, transferring with polesitter Jadon Frame and sixth-starting Tim McCreadie (Kirk Phillips stopped for a lap-three yellow; Michael Leach was an early retiree after getting into the wall).
Heat race results
(15 laps; top three transfer)
First heat: Dustin Sorensen, Frank Heckenast Jr., Hudson O'Neal, Shane Clanton, Brandon Sheppard, Max Blair, Jake O'Neil, Clay Stuckey, Brenden Smith, Kyle Strickler, Rusty Ballenger, Dustin Nobbe, Rod Conley, Kale Green, Mike Mataragas, Luke Anstett. Scratched: Shannon Babb, Keith Morris.
Second heat: Joseph Joiner, Carson Ferguson, Drake Troutman, Chris Ferguson, Tristan Chamberlain, Ross Robinson, Austin Smith, Michael Norris, Ches Chester, Gregg Satterlee, Bryant Dickinson, Bobby Pierce, Jake Little, Jeffery Erickson Jr., Jason Jameson. Scratched: Mike Marlar, Evan Harrell.
Third heat: Tyler Carpenter, Nick Hoffman, Ashton Winger, Devin Moran, Trey Mills, Ethan Dotson, Chad Finley, Mike Benedum, Den Ebert, Dennis Erb Jr., Jason Riggs, Cody Bauer, Austin Howes, Rob Sanders, Trevor Collins, Brandon Carpenter. Scratched: Dillon Kohn.
Fourth heat: Adam Stricker, Kyle Bronson, Zack Mitchell, Logan Zarin, Jerry Bowersock, Jimmy Owens, Justin Haley, Bordy Smith, Mario Gresham, Justin Cooper, Andy Clark, Mike Bargo, Dalton Cook, Dale McDowell, Justin Smith, Josh Rice. Scratched: Trevor Landrum.
Fifth heat: Jonathan Davenport, Ricky Thornton Jr., Tyler Erb, Chris Madden Jason Feger, Sam Seawright, Garrett Smith, Freddie Carpenter, Luke Morey, Steven Roberts, Tim Lance, Wayne Chinn, Mike Provenzano, Tyler Thomason, Zach Hawk. Scratched: Brandon Overton, Chris Stotts.
Sixth heat: Ryan Gustin, Jadon Frame, Tim McCreadie, Dillon McCowan, Seth Daniels, Todd Morrow, Brian Shirley, Mike Spatola, Lane Snook, Dillard Hatchett, Dallon Murty, Kody Evans, Mathew Porter, Kirk Phillips, Michael Leach. Scratched: Justin Duty, Curt Schroeder.
Pre-race notes
Loud thunderstorms rolled across Eldora Speedway and the surrounding area early Saturday morning and rain continued to spit periodically into the afternoon, but sun began peaking out around 4:30 p.m. and forecasts appear largely clear of precipitation for the remainder of the evening. Saturday’s high temperature rose into the low 80s, producing a World 100 without an autumn-like chill. … Eldora officials announced that they stopped selling tickets for tonight’s event at 4:04 p.m., marking the second straight year that the World 100 has been declared a sellout before the start of the night’s racing. … Despite the heavy morning rain, the track surface appears on schedule for hot laps to commence at 6:30 p.m. … Frank Heckenast Jr., who will start from the pole in the first of six 15-lap heat races, remarked that the half-mile oval he’s not overly concerned that the racing program will being with extra-heavy conditions. ““I don’t think the track will be any wetter than it normally is for Heat 1,” said Heckenast, who is shooting for his eighth career World 100 feature appearance but first since he made both of 2021’s double Worlds (he didn’t qualify last year in his only attempt since ’21). “Other people might think differently, but that’s just my observation. It looks like everything sealed up and hardened overnight. I hope it’s just like a normal first heat. I don’t want it to be any wetter than usual.” … Joseph Joiner will start from the pole of the second heat race — the third straight year he will lead a heat field to the green flag in a World 100 heat on Saturday night. He’s hoping the third opportunity finally produces his first starting spot in the prestigious 100-lapper since 2021. “Gosh, we race our butts off, and then it comes down to Saturday and it just all falls apart," said Joiner, who missed a heat transfer by one spot in 2024 and ’25 and fell from contention in a B-main both years. “We’re good enough to get in this thing and make some noise. It’s just making it all happen when it needs to happen.” … As the two highest-ranked drivers in the World 100 points after the two preliminary nights, Brandon Sheppard and Chris Ferguson are assured of starting the feature through provisionals if they don’t qualify through the heats. The 19th and 20th starting spots are reserved for the top points drivers who fail to transfer in the heats. … The 36-year-old Ferguson, who starts sixth in Heat 2, is coming off a runner-up finish in a Friday semifeature. He said the way his Stinger Chassis is running is the best he’s felt going into Saturday’s World 100 action in years, giving him his “best shot maybe ever.” Ferguson has made eight career World 100 feature starts, including six in the last seven years, and has a top finish of fifth in the second of 2021’s double Worlds.
Heat race lineups
(15 laps; top three transfer)
First heat
Row 1: Frank Heckenast Jr., Dustin Sorensen
Row 2: Jake O’Neil, Shane Clanton
Row 3: Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Sheppard
Row 4: Clay Stuckey, Brenden Smith
Row 5: Max Blair, Rusty Ballenger
Row 6: Kyle Strickler, Dustin Nobbe
Row 7: Rod Conley, Kale Green
Row 8: Mike Mataragas, Luke Anstett
Row 9: Shannon Babb, Keith Morris
Second heat
Row 1: Joseph Joiner, Drake Troutman
Row 2: Tristan Chamberlain, Bobby Pierce
Row 3: Carson Ferguson, Chris Ferguson
Row 4: Mike Marlar, Jason Jameson
Row 5: Michael Norris, Gregg Satterlee
Row 6: Ches Chester, Austin Smith
Row 7: Ross Robinson, Jake Little
Row 8: Jeffery Erickson Jr., Bryant Dickinson
Row 9: Evan Harrell
Third heat
Row 1: Tyler Carpenter, Devin Moran
Row 2: Trey Mills, Ashton Winger
Row 3: Dan Ebert, Nick Hoffman
Row 4: Mike Benedum, Ethan Dotson
Row 5: Chad Finley, Jason Riggs
Row 6: Dennis Erb Jr., Brandon Carpenter
Row 7: Austin Howes, Trevor Collins
Row 8: Rob Sanders, Cody Bauer
Row 9: Dillon Kohn
Fourth heat
Row 1: Zack Mitchell, Adam Stricker
Row 2: Dalton Cook, Kyle Bronson
Row 3: Josh Rice, Dale McDowell
Row 4: Jimmy Owens, Logan Zarin
Row 5: Justin Haley, Jerry Bowersock
Row 6: Brody Smith, Justin Cooper
Row 7: Mario Gresham, Justin Smith
Row 8: Andy Clark, Mike Bargo
Row 9: Trevor Landrum
Fifth heat
Row 1: Ricky Thornton Jr., Jonathan Davenport
Row 2: Chris Madden, Sam Seawright
Row 3: Jason Feger, Tyler Erb
Row 4: Luke Morey, Steven Roberts
Row 5: Garrett Smith, Tim Lance
Row 6: Freddie Carpenter, Tyler Thomason
Row 7: Zach Hawk, Wayne Chinn
Row 8: Mike Provenzano, Brandon Overton
Row 9: Chris Stotts
Sixth heat
Row 1: Jadon Frame, Michael Leach
Row 2: Ryan Gustin, Dallon Murty
Row 3: Brian Shirley, Tim McCreadie
Row 4: Todd Morrow, Seth Daniels
Row 5: Dillon McCowan, Kody Evans
Row 6: Dillard Hatchett, Mike Spatola
Row 7: Lane Snook, Kirk Phillips
Row 8: Mathew Porter, Justin Duty
Row 9: Curt Schroeder
Saturday’s schedule
(All times local)
8 a.m. - Ballroom opens, breakfast buffet begins
11 a.m. - Ticket office opens (ticket and pit pass sales)
11 a.m. - Grounds closed and cleared
Noon - All gates, suites and concessions open
1-1:30 p.m. - Miss Eldora photo shoot (Busch Light silo)
1-2:30 p.m. - Dave Argabright interview (ballroom)
2 p.m. - Church service (behind main office)
3:30-4:30 p.m. - Driver autograph session (fan zone)
4:30 p.m. - Public drivers’ meeting (fan zone)
6:30 p.m. - Hot laps
7:15 p.m. - Opening ceremonies
8 p.m. - Ballroom closes
Competition
- Late Model heats (15 laps)
- Late Model consolations (20 laps)
- 56th annual World 100 feature (100 laps)
