OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 2-3, 2024) – Most of Dillon Raffurty’s first visit to Ocala Speedway was spent as a spectator.
Saturday night, he was the $4,000 Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite feature winner at the Florida speed plant’s Brick City Nationals.
The Kansas City, Mo., hotshoe began his quest for a fourth consecutive IMCA national championship as runner-up to Tennessee star Ronnie Choate in Friday’s $1,000 to win main event at Ocala.
He flipped the script the next night in topping the big money show, 1.2 seconds ahead of Choate following multiple cautions late in the 30-lapper.
“We went back and forth Friday and I led early but caught lapped traffic at the wrong time and he got by me. I was able to make it close at the end but it was too little, too late,” said Raffurty.
“Ronnie was fast early but I figured it out near midway,” he continued, after IMCA career win number 89 on Saturday. “Ocala is a very unique track. You can get creative there with the way you drive and Ronnie and I were able to do that.”
Raffurty ran the race of champions, then watched most of the on-track action after breaking an axle the following night in his first outing at Ocala three years ago. Any shortage of local seat time was no impediment when he came back for this year’s Brick City Nationals.
“Ocala lets you carry a lot of momentum but this track is very different that any place we race back home,” he continued. “The dirt is gritty and the track is definitely shaped differently than any track we race weekly.”
Cory Sonner, Justin Williams and hard charger Teddy Williams II completed the top five.
Nine states and Canada were represented in the Mod Lite finale.
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