Column: Thunderhill Debut & Talladega Bash Make Up Massive Three-Day WoO Late Model Weekend
News Director 
Column By: MATT SKIPPER / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – CONCORD, NC – After a weekend of photo finishes and wild racing, the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models will turn their attention to a massive three-day weekend in Tennessee and Alabama.
The swing begins with the Series’ debut at Thunderhill Raceway for the Summertown Showdown on Thursday, April 18. The night has the Outlaws dueling for a $10,000 payday at the 3/8-mile track – the first of 16 new venues the Series will compete at in 2024.
Then, it’s a three-hour drive toward the Talladega Short Track – just outside the Talladega Superspeedway, which will be hosting its NASCAR weekend. For the second straight year, the World of Outlaws will bring the party to Eastaboga for two nights of the Alabama Gang 100, Friday-Saturday, April 19-20.
Friday opens the competition with twin $4,000-to-win Feature races. That leads to Saturday’s finale – a 75 lap Feature with $35,000 on the line.
The World of Outlaws will be joined by the United Sprint Car Series both nights, which will feature drivers like 2023 Daytona 500 champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Stewart-Haas Racing driver Chase Briscoe.
Here are the top storylines to look out for this weekend:
Smooth Momentum – Similar to his 2023 performance, Oakwood, IL’s Bobby Pierce put on a clinic in the two days at Farmer City Raceway, finishing second to Nick Hoffman in a finish for the ages on Friday night before commanding the 60-lap finale on Saturday night to claim his second consecutive Illini 100.
“The Smooth Operator” climbed his way up to eighth in the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models points standings after a points penalty from Volusia Speedway Park dropped him to 16th entering the Illinois weekend.
He’ll look to keep climbing this weekend. Thunderhill will be a new track for him, but Pierce was on track for a potential win at Talladega last year before one of his wheels broke.
Breaking The Ice -– At the start of 2024, Marshalltown, IA driver Ryan Gustin began his new tenure with Todd Cooney Motorsports on the right foot by winning the Ice Bowl at the Talladega Short Track on January 7.
The pilot of the #19R has been experimental with his car through the first four months, driving a Longhorn Chassis before currently switching to an Infinity Chassis by Wells Motorsports under the sheet metal of his #19R dirt Late Model.
He’s yet to score a top-10 finish with the World of Outlaws, so far, this year, but his success at Talladega could change that this weekend. In addition to his win there this year, he finished third in the Alabama Gang 100 last year.
Race To Thrill – Mooresville, NC driver Nick Hoffman continued to show his growth as a dirt Late Model driver last weekend by making himself the winningest World of Outlaws driver, so far.
On Friday night, he had a tight battle with Bobby Pierce through the final turn at Farmer City Raceway, jumping over the banking and onto the horse track to take the win by 0.072 seconds over Pierce. He followed that up with a second-place result on Saturday night to Pierce.
Hoffman now sits third in points, only 34 points behind leader Brandon Sheppard, with two wins – bringing him to three career Outlaw wins overall. He’ll try to keep that momentum going this weekend and improve upon his sixth-place run in the Alabama Gang 100 last year.
Shepp’s Challenging Beginning – Four-time Series champion Brandon Sheppard enters the weekend with the momentum of having increased his points lead over Chris Madden to 24-points after Farmer City. Getting there, though, wasn’t easy. Sheppard had to use an emergency provisional to start the Feature, but then proceeded to charge from 23rd to fifth in the 60-lap Feature.
He’s yet to finish outside the top-10 this season – a stat he currently shares with Cade Dillard – and will have three more chances to continue that trend, while still looking for his first win this weekend. A win at Thunderhill or Talladega would be a first for the New Berlin, IL driver.
