The World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision wraps up its three-week tour of the Midwest this weekend with three nights of action on Independence Day weekend.
The NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 at Deer Creek Speedway marks the next crown jewel event on the 2025 calendar, paying out $50,000 to the winner at the end of three nights of racing (Thursday-Saturday, July 3-5). The big money won’t be limited to Saturday though, as drivers will be competing for an event-high $10,000 on both Thursday and Friday night.
If the racing wasn’t enough, fans can also look forward to live music before and after the races all weekend long, a massive fireworks show following Saturday’s Feature, an autograph session with the World of Outlaws field on Saturday afternoon, a fan zone filled with games and activities and much more.
The USRA Northern Lights Modified Series will also be competing on all three nights, bringing together the top Modified talent from across the region to round out the racing program.
Here are the top storylines entering the weekend:
TOP OF HIS GAME: Two and a half years into his career as a full-time Late Model racer, Nick Hoffman added a new line to his resume last week – back-to-back World of Outlaws winner.
With wins at River Cities Speedway and Norman County Raceway and a podium to close out the weekend at Nodak Speedway, Hoffman has never felt better behind the wheel of a Late Model than he does right now. He doesn’t plan on letting that feeling fade this weekend.
The Mooresville, NC driver will go for his first crown jewel trophy at Deer Creek, a place he’s shown speed at in his limited starts. Hoffman finished sixth or better in all three programs at last year’s Gopher 50, including a second in the Thursday Feature.
DRIVING THE WHEELS OFF: Tim McCreadie might be 51 years old, but Sunday’s Feature at Nodak proved that “T-Mac” still knows how to drive with the no-holds-barred attitude of a 21-year-old.
The Feature included several instances of McCreadie diving into the corner and clearing multiple cars like it was nothing, and as quickly as he entered the picture at the front of the field, he was already out front and cruising away to the checkers.
After struggling to find their footing early in the season, the Briggs Transport team has gone from the bottom of the top 10 up to fifth in points, 10 markers shy of Drake Troutman in fourth. While Troutman has been on a hot streak of his own lately, the statistics show McCreadie could have the upper hand in that battle this weekend. The 2006 World of Outlaws champion won the 2010 edition of the Gopher 50 and has finished top five in the main event on four other occasions, while Troutman will make his first laps around Deer Creek in a Late Model this weekend.
KING OF THE CREEK: For the first time since the season-opening events at Volusia Speedway Park, Bobby Pierce has gone four races since his latest World of Outlaws win.
Winning 32 Series races since the start of the 2023 season leads to higher expectations than anyone in the field, and finishes of sixth, seventh and second over the weekend weren’t quite what the “Smooth Operator” had in mind.
Fortunately for Pierce, there’s no better place for him to get back to Victory Lane and rebuild his points lead than Deer Creek. He’s competed in two Gopher 50s (2023 and 2024) and won both of them. He also topped a World of Outlaws show at the track on Labor Day weekend in 2023. The only time Pierce made his way to Spring Valley and didn’t leave with a trophy was the 2018 North Star Nationals – he finished second.
FINDING HIS GROOVE: Since the last time Dennis Erb Jr. won a World of Outlaws race at 81 Speedway in 2023, he and crew chief Heather Lyne have been working around the clock trying to get back on top.
The past two years have been filled with chassis changes, setup overhauls and plenty of late nights in the shop, but last weekend showed that the tide could be turning back in Erb’s favor. Friday night at River Cities, the Carpentersville, IL native earned his first Series podium since August of 2023 at Davenport Speedway. Erb didn’t have to wait almost two years for the next one though, as he backed it up with a third at Norman County the following night.
A 10th-place result at Nodak was Erb’s eighth top 10 of the season, leaving him sixth in the standings headed to Deer Creek. The Minnesota 3/8-mile is one of Erb’s most consistent tracks on tour, as he’s finished top 10 in four of his five World of Outlaws starts there with a best of fourth in 2024.
HEADING HOME: The past two weeks have seen Jake Timm go from a Late Model rookie finding his footing on the national stage to a legitimate contender against the best.
Things got rolling for the No. 49 team at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park where Timm won his first Heat Race of the year, which translated into a front-row starting spot and a season-best ninth-place finish.
Timm proved it wasn’t a fluke in Grand Forks – another Heat Race win, another top 10 in the Feature. He wasn’t as strong early in the night at Norman County, but that didn’t matter come Feature time, as Timm drove from 13th to fifth for his first World of Outlaws top five. Nodak nearly brought another one, as he ran as high as sixth before fading late to 14th.
With confidence on the rise, the Winona, MN driver is set to challenge for the big money this weekend an hour from home. Timm is a former regular in the weekly Modified division at Deer Creek and has two United States Modified Touring Series wins at the track to his name. On the Late Model side, Timm has competed in the Gopher 50 four times with a best finish of 11th in the first preliminary Feature last year.
THE INVADERS: The full-time Outlaws will have plenty of competition for the $50,000 check this weekend, with drivers from across the country planning to descend on Deer Creek.
They’ll be led by the winningest driver in Gopher 50 history, Billy Moyer. “Mr. Smooth” is a five-time event winner, but they all came at the race’s former home at Owatonna Raceway. However, Moyer hasn’t forgotten how to win at 67 years old, as his latest victory came in this year’s DIRTcar Summer Nationals opener at the Brownstown Bullring.
After making his first Gopher 50 start since 2008 last year, Shannon Babb is back in 2025 looking for his first top five in the event. The Moweaqua, IL pilot has one win this season with the MARS Late Model Championship at Highland Speedway, but he’s still looking for a top 10 with the World of Outlaws.
Kyle Bronson has been one to watch in his past few trips to Deer Creek with two top fives in his last four starts at the track. While “Killer” is still searching for his first win of the year, he’s racked up six top fives, including two on the Hell Tour.
Other drivers who have announced their plans to race this weekend include Tyler Bruening, Boom Briggs, Ryan Unzicker, Chad Simpson, Chris Simpson, Blair Nothdurft and many more.
WHEN AND WHERE:
Thursday-Saturday, July 3-5 at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, MN
CURRENT POINT STANDINGS:
1. Bobby Pierce (2994 points)
2. Nick Hoffman (-78)
3. Ryan Gustin (-144)
4. Drake Troutman (-230)
5. Tim McCreadie (-240)
6. Dennis Erb Jr. (-296)
7. Ethan Dotson (-314)
8. Brian Shirley (-326)
9. Cody Overton (-330)
10. Tanner English (-380)
FEATURE WINNERS (10):
Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 5
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 3
Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 3
Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 2
Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 1
Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 1
Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 1
Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 1
Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 1
Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 1
HEAT RACE WINNERS (29):
Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 16
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 9
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 9
Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 8
Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 6
Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 4
Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 4
Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 4
Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 4
Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 3
Ricky Thornton Jr. – Chandler, AZ – 3
Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 3
Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – 3
Ashton Winger – Hampton, GA – 3
Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 3
Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 2
Jason Feger – Bloomington, IL – 2
Jake Timm – Winona, MN – 2
Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 1
Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – 1
Chris Madden – Gray Court, SC – 1
Garrett Smith – Madison, GA – 1
Zack Mitchell – Enoree, SC – 1
Cory Hedgecock – Loudon, TN – 1
Dustin Sorensen – Rochester, MN – 1
Cade Dillard – Robeline, LA – 1
Aaron Marrant – Richmond, MO – 1
Mike Harrison – Highland, IL – 1
Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – 1
LANDA PRESSURE WASHERS LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (25):
Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – 4
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 3
Dustin Sorensen – Rochester, MN – 3
Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 3
Ashton Winger – Hampton, GA – 3
Michael Leach – Sun River, MT – 2
Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 2
Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 2
Shannon Babb – Moweaqua, IL – 2
Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 2
Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 2
Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – 1
Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – 1
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 1
Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 1
Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 1
Jackson Hise – Ocala, FL – 1
Trey Mills – St. Augustine, FL – 1
Austin Smith – Cedartown, GA – 1
Mckay Wenger – Fairbury, IL – 1
Jake Timm – Winona, MN – 1
Cade Dillard – Robeline, LA – 1
Gregg Satterlee – Indiana, PA – 1
Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 1
Kayden Clatt – Edina, MO – 1
PODIUM FINISHERS (22):
Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 12
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 8
Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 5
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 5
Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 4
Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 4
Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 3
Ashton Winger – Hampton, GA – 3
Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 2
Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 2
Ricky Thornton Jr. – Chandler, AZ – 2
Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 2
Dennis Erb Jr. – Carpentersville, IL – 2
Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – 1
Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 1
Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 1
Zack Mitchell – Enoree, SC – 1
Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 1
Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 1
Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 1
Dustin Sorensen – Rochester, MN – 1
Mike Harrison – Highland, IL – 1
FOX FACTORY HARD CHARGERS (15):
Dennis Erb Jr. – Carpentersville, IL – 3
Ashton Winger – Hampton, GA – 3
Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – 2
Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 2
Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 1
Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 1
Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 1
Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 1
Dustin Sorensen – Rochester, MN – 1
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 1
Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 1
Jake Timm – Winona, MN – 1
Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 1
Brent Larson – Lake Elmo, MN – 1
Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 1
SIMPSON RACING PRODUCTS QUICK TIMES (12):
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 4
Ricky Thornton Jr. – Chandler, AZ – 3
Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 3
Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 3
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 1
Chris Madden – Gray Court, SC – 1
Tanner English – Benton, KY – 1
Tyler Millwood – Kingston, GA – 1
Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 1
Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 1
Cade Dillard – Robeline, LA – 1
Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – 1
BILSTEIN POLE AWARD (15):
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 4
Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 2
Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 2
Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 2
Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 1
Jason Feger – Bloomington, IL – 1
Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – 1
Cory Hedgecock – Loudon, TN – 1
Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 1
Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 1
Ashton Winger – Hampton, GA – 1
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 1
Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 1
Cade Dillard – Robeline, LA – 1
Mike Harrison – Highland, IL – 1
FEATURE LAP LEADERS (18):
Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 257
Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – 113
Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 95
Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 81
Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 69
Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 67
Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 50
Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 44
Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 41
Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 30
Ashton Winger – Hampton, GA – 27
Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 25
Mike Harrison – Highland, IL – 21
Ricky Thornton Jr. – Chandler, AZ – 18
Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 15
Cory Hedgecock – Loudon, TN – 13
Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 11
Brian Shirley – Chatham IL – 1
2025 WORLD OF OUTLAWS REAL AMERICAN BEER LATE MODEL SERIES PRESENTED BY DIRTVISION SCHEDULE & WINNERS
Friday, Jan. 24 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Ryan Gustin (1)
Saturday, Jan. 25 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Garrett Alberson (1)
Thursday, Feb. 13 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Garrett Alberson (2)
Friday, Feb. 14 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Devin Moran (1)
Saturday, Feb. 15 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Jonathan Davenport (1)
Friday, Mar. 14 / Smoky Mountain Speedway / Maryville, TN / Bobby Pierce (1)
Friday, Mar. 21 / Swainsboro Raceway / Swainsboro, GA / Bobby Pierce (2)
Saturday, Mar. 22 / Swainsboro Raceway / Swainsboro, GA / Ryan Gustin (2)
Thursday, Apr. 10 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL (Practice)
Friday, Apr. 11 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL / Ethan Dotson (1)
Saturday, Apr. 12 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL / Brandon Sheppard (1)
Saturday, Apr. 26 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Bobby Pierce (3)
Friday, May 2 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI / Tyler Erb (1)
Saturday, May 3 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI / Nick Hoffman (1)
Thursday, May 15 / Raceway 7 / Conneaut, OH / Tim McCreadie (1)
Saturday, May 17 / Marion Center Raceway / Marion Center, PA / Bobby Pierce (4)
Sunday, May 18 / Bedford Speedway / Bedford, PA / Tim McCreadie (2)
Friday, June 20 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Bobby Pierce (5)
Saturday, June 21 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Drake Troutman (1)
Friday, June 27 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Nick Hoffman (2)
Saturday, June 28 / Norman County Raceway / Ada, MN / Nick Hoffman (3)
Sunday, June 29 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND / Tim McCreadie (3)
Thursday, July 3 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Friday, July 4 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Saturday, July 5 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Friday, July 11 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Saturday, July 12 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Friday, July 25 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL
Saturday, July 26 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL
Monday, July 28 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI
Thursday, July 31 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Friday, Aug. 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Saturday, Aug. 2 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Wednesday, Aug. 13 / Highland Speedway / Highland, IL
Thursday, Aug. 14 / Spoon River Speedway / Lewistown, IL
Friday, Aug. 15 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA
Saturday, Aug. 16 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA
Friday, Aug. 22 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK
Saturday, Aug. 23 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK
Friday, Sept. 12 / Needmore Speedway / Norman Park, GA
Saturday, Sept. 13 / Senoia Raceway / Senoia, GA
Friday, Sept. 26 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL
Saturday, Sept. 27 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL
Friday, Oct. 3 / Humboldt Speedway / Humboldt, KS
Saturday, Oct. 4 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS
Friday, Oct. 10 / Boothill Speedway / Greenwood, LA
Saturday, Oct. 11 / Boothill Speedway / Greenwood, LA
Wednesday, Nov. 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Thursday, Nov. 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Friday, Nov. 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Saturday, Nov. 8 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC