MEDARYVILLE, Ind. — Mike McKinney put a stop to Nick Hoffman’s winning ways in DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals action by beating Hoffman at Shadyhill Speedway Thursday night.
McKinney, from Plainfield, Ill., led all 25 laps around the quarter-mile Shadyhill dirt oval, holding off Hoffman all the way before the checkered flag flew. Hoffman, a four-time modified nationals champion, had won 12 feature races before Thursday night’s race, having won his 69th career victory at Indiana’s Montpelier Speedway Wednesday night.
Starting next to Hoffman on the outside of the front row of the 22-car field, McKinney raced Hoffman hard, using the outside groove to his advantage as the pair ran several of the opening laps side-by-side.
A total of eight caution flags waved with several of the early restarts giving drivers a shot at Hoffman for second place.
Hoffman settled in and seemingly chased McKinney lap after lap with McKinney being up to the challenge. McKinney took the checkered flag for his first Summit Modified Nationals victory of the year.
Hoffman, from Mooresville, N.C., came home second with Jamie Lomax, Kyle Cooper, Curt Spalding and Chad Bauer rounding out the top six.
“I knew the start was going to be big,” said McKinney. “I knew there would be rubber out there (in the second groove). He (Hoffman) has been killing everyone on the starts this year. We got a real good start and was able to hold him off. He (Hoffman) is the best in the country. It took me awhile to get in a rhythm with all the caution flags. I didn’t want to lose focus. I wanted to hit that rubber. We’re super excited.”
Sheldon Oberle was the night’s bomber division feature winner as he bested Travis Wolford and Trevor Bitterling.
The finish:
Mike McKinney, Nick Hoffman, Jamie Lomax, Kyle Cooper, Curt Spalding, Chad Bauer, David Stremme, Frank Marshall, Austin Holcombe, Todd Sherman, Darren Wireman, Dylan Woodling, Garrett Jameson, Brad DeYoung, TJ Larson, Jesse Bitterling, Anthony Carter, Brian Shaw, Beau DeYoung, Dillon Nusbaum, Jake Straka, Bill Griffith.