Timmy Hogan knows every inch of Volusia Speedway Park’s property like it is ingrained on the back of his hand.
His “backyard” racetrack is where he grew up visiting marquee events like the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals before racing in the year-long weekly events at the track.
Since 2022, he and stepson Steven Powers have gotten to share a special relationship as competitors in the 3/4 Modifieds division.
Hogan has also worked in multiple capacities around “The World’s Fastest Half Mile” through his years, including help with Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals and painting the track’s white walls for his business, Advanced Renovations.
“It’s more than just a home track; it’s my backyard and my playground,” Hogan said. “I volunteer there a lot. Steven and I paint the walls every year. Anytime they ask us to come up there and help, we try to break free [from plans] and help anytime we can just because I love the place so much.
“It’s part of my heritage. That’s why I concentrate most of my racing at Volusia. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun to race and see other tracks. But there’s nothing like being home at my track and racing.”
Hogan joined the 3/4 Modifieds in 2020, picking up top-five finishes in all four races to end the season third in points. However, he continued to hunt for his first-career win at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.”
Hogan achieved his dream of being a winner at the Barberville, FL track in the 2021 Dennis North Memorial, then earned two more wins for a career-high second-place points result.
While Hogan went undefeated in non-points Feature races at the Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout and the World of Outlaws Bike Week Jamboree in 2022 and 2023, he did not replicate the pace through the season with fifth and fourth-place points finishes, respectively.
Entering 2024, Hogan had an even bigger itch for the elusive title. The stress of aiming for the track title took a toll, with family coming to his side to help encourage the 3/4 Modified veteran.
“He just kept getting farther and farther down on himself,” Powers said. “Whether he’d have a parts failure or end up getting collected into (a wreck), it was just frustrating him even more.
“You could tell he was kind of growing out of it, and we were like, ‘Dude, just go out there and have fun. The championship will come, and you know you’re getting faster. Stop letting the bad nights get to you, and all the stars have to align.’”
That support reignited Hogan’s mojo towards chasing the championship in 2024 by dominating the division with four Feature wins and top fives in all eight Features to clinch his first track title by 134 points over second-place Dustin Peterson.
Satisfied with his life’s goal, Hogan now sets his sights on helping Steven find his groove and guiding him to the peak of the mountain.
“It means the world to me,” Hogan said. “I can only really relate it to winning the Daytona 500. I grew up with this track, I wanted to race this track, and for the longest time, I wanted to get my first win. We got a couple of those and set my goals for the championship. I can die happy now that I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to do.
“At this point, it’s all about having fun and spending more time with Steven [Powers] trying to get his car set up right. I’m not gonna back down from a race, obviously, but I’m more concentrated on helping Steven get his legs up underneath him and try to get a handle on the car.”
Powers, entering his fourth season of 3/4 Modified racing at Volusia, is still trying to figure out how he likes to tune the No. 27 machine to fit his driving style without straying too far from how Hogan has the car set for race nights.
“Every night you go out there, it’s always a different feeling,” Powers said. “Track changes, car changes, everything in between, but I got lucky. My dad is very smart at what he does, so we’ve set up pretty much based off him, with little tiny changes here and there for my driving style. Cause his works tremendously, so just trying to base my setup more on the way we have.
“We’re running a lot of the same parts, pretty much everywhere. So, when I come in and I go ‘Hey you know it’s doing this,’ so we’ll adjust a little and go out there to see how it feels. Letting (him) know what the car is doing, being so identical, he can pretty much gauge mine versus his slight differences. But for the most part, we can get it pretty close to where I need it.”
The duo have no intentions of switching classes, as they embrace the family-like atmosphere that the drivers and teams of the 3/4 Modifieds bring.
Both Hogan and Powers recalled a moment at the Bike Week Jamboree in March, where Steven’s fuel pump broke and prompted other competitors to give any form of help available to them.
“You’re gonna have your issues here and there on nights,” Hogan said. “But I guarantee if anybody needs something in this class, you can go to any trailer and get help or spare tools from anybody. I mean, it happens every night.
“At [Bike Week Jamboree], Steven’s fuel pump went out, and we had to go to the Hwan brothers. Even those who don’t race with us anymore, I mean anybody who has jumped in this class have become family. You always want to help out family, and that’s what everybody does.”
Hogan is content with not chasing a second track championship in 2025, as he is looking forward to his “most relaxed season” in his racing career. He has no intentions to stop racing, but has his eyes set on his crew’s future success.
“This will probably be my most relaxed season coming up,” Hogan said. “I finally got the championship monkey off my back, so I really don’t care if I never win another championship. I just wanted one. I’ve got that, so I’m happy. So, this is probably gonna be one of my most enjoyable, relaxed, laid-back seasons that I’ve raced in this class or any class for that matter.
“If I miss a race, then it’s not gonna be that big of a deal. Before, I strived to make sure that I was there every night, every race, every chance we had to try to maintain that. I got a little carried away, but it’s just that I wanted it that bad. I wouldn’t let it slip my fingers being that close, and it’s a lot. Now, it’s a lot more relaxed attitude.”
Steven can trace his initial racing memories to Volusia, alongside his family and late brother, Johnathan Powers. Now, he gets to spend time on the track against competitors with whom he’s grown close bonds.
“My earliest childhood memories are from that track,” Powers said. “As early as I can remember, it was playing the dirt with my older brother (Johnathan) before he passed away and watching my dad race. Then, every Sunday morning, we would drag the car out and wash it for him to get it all ready, and he’d go back to work on it.
“As a child, that’s one of my main memories, and now being able to do it full-time with him is a blessing. It’s an understatement on that, and not many people get that luxury. Granted, when we’re racing, we’re not family, but there’s nothing else like it. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Hogan and Powers return to Volusia Speedway Park for the Short Track Showdown on Saturday, April 26, starring the “Fab 5” divisions of 604 Late Models, 602 Late Models, DIRTcar UMP Modifieds, 3/4 Modifieds, and the Factory Stocks. For event information, CLICK HERE.
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.