Dalton Hopke’s year and a half wait to Volusia Speedway Park Victory Lane ended with a backflipping statement in Sunday’s third annual Bike Week Jamboree.
The Jacksonville, FL native charged from a sixth-place starting spot to take the first 3/4 Modified race at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile” in 2025.
Chase Cooke and Colton Lane led the field of 20 competitors to the green flag. Cooke suffered a mechanical issue at the start that prematurely ended his race.
Lane took the early lead, but Dalton Hopke kept pace with the Pierson, FL teenager by using every inch of the high line to go from sixth to second on the opening circuit.
Two-time Bike Week Jamboree winner Timmy Hogan made his way up to third from his seventh-place starting spot when a caution on Lap 9 bunched the hornet’s nest of 3/4 Modifieds for the dash to the finish.
Under the yellow flag period, Lane received damage on his right-rear quarter panel, but remained in the lead for the restart.
Hopke and Hogan took their final shot at overtaking Lane, with the No.26L sandwiched in the middle as Hogan attempted a slide job on the bottom and Hopke ripped around the cushion on the top.
As a result, Hogan slowed down to avoid contact with Lane, and Hopke cleared the top spot around Turn Two with six laps to go.
Hopke kept Lane and Hogan at bay by extending the gap to one second as the No.H1 pilot scored his first Feature win at Volusia Speedway Park since the 2023 Labor Day Classic – his third in the division.
Hopke celebrated with a backflip off the roof of his Modified to the delight of race fans that attended the Barberville, FL racetrack.
“God, it has been so long since we won a race here,” Hopke said. “Last year, we had a hell of a struggle. God is great. I’m glad to be here, thanks for having us, and thank you so much for every single one of you (race fans) that came out tonight to support this local Sunday night racetrack.”
Lane finished second, and Hogan, of Lake Helen, FL rounded out the podium finishers. DeLeon Springs, FL driver Dustin Peterson finished fourth, and Deland, FL driver Chris Olmstead rounded out the top five.
Up Next: The 3/4 Modifieds join the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series for the finale to the third annual Bike Week Jamboree at Volusia Speedway Park on Monday night, March 3.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVIsion – either online or by downloading the DIRTVision App.
Feature (15 Laps): 1. H1-Dalton Hopke[6]; 2. 26L-Colton Lane[2]; 3. 859-Timmy Hogan[7]; 4. 51-Dustin Peterson[3]; 5. 7-Chris Olmstead[8]; 6. 23-Wray Shaffer[12]; 7. 45-James Williams[16]; 8. 7L-Jonathan Layerd[11]; 9. 188-Josh Panetti[17]; 10. 59-Bo Bass[14]; 11. 21-Dakota Cleland[13]; 12. 59H-Jason Stewart[15]; 13. (DNF) 32-Patrick Vareika[5]; 14. (DNF) 17Z-Seth Zacharias[10]; 15. (DNF) 27-Steven Powers[9]; 16. (DNF) 57-Ethyn Hwan[4]; 17. (DNF) 5-Chase Cooke[1]; 18. (DNS) F5-Nathan Rhoades; 19. (DNS) 32P-Jesse Powers; 20. (DNS) 55-Robert Brynteson