Three split-field 20-lap main events at Volusia Speedway Park produced three different winners Wednesday during the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals: Michael Leach, Nick Hoffman and Tyler Erb. At the midpoint of the week, those results reset the leaderboard, kept the championship chase open and set up a high-stakes finish for the final three nights, which were set to be sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.

Leach started on the pole for his split-field feature, retook the lead from outside polesitter Ryan Gustin on lap two and, after a late restart with three laps remaining, pulled away to score the win. Daulton Wilson passed Gustin for second with two laps to go and closed the gap to Leach but ran out of time. It was Leach’s first Super Late Model victory at Volusia and his first Super Late Model win in his second full-time season after relocating from Montana to the Longhorn Chassis headquarters in North Carolina.

Hoffman converted his Wednesday Gator triumph into a World of Outlaws Late Model Series feature victory later in the week, completing back-to-back wins. Driving the NOS Energy Drink No. 9, he took the lead on the opening lap when Bilstein Pole winner Chris Madden slid up exiting Turn 2, survived two cautions and finished more than five seconds ahead of the field. Tim McCreadie recovered from 22nd to finish second, earning FOX Factory Hard Charger honors in his 500th World of Outlaws feature start; Bobby Pierce was third, Tyler Erb fourth and Madden fifth. Hoffman entered the night as the series points leader and left still atop the standings by eight points over McCreadie, while also assuming the Big Gator points lead by 21 markers after Cody Overton recorded a DNF. The World of Outlaws–sanctioned nights were slated to pay $12,000-to-win on Thursday and Friday and $20,000-to-win on Saturday, escalating the purses and competitive stakes for the finale.

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