$53,000 To Bobby Pierce; Scores Biggest Career Win In Lucas Oil LM Dirt Series Silver Dollar Nationals
Story By: JAMES ESSEX / LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES – GREENWOOD, NE – Bobby Pierce got his redemption at I-80 Speedway – scoring the biggest win of his career on Saturday night in the Imperial Tile 9th annual Silver Dollar Nationals.
Pierce’s first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season came exactly one year after he suffered the heartbreak of losing the race lead with three laps to go due to mechanical issues.
Pierce took the lead from Chris Madden for the final time on lap 66 and cruised on for the victory to become the twelfth different winner this year on the tour. Madden wound up in second. Brandon Sheppard got around Scott Bloomquist late in the race to take third ahead of Bloomquist and hard-charging Dale McDowell in fifth.
The event continued the tradition of exciting racing at I-80 Speedway with nine lead changes during the 80-lap affair. Tim McCreadie led the first 30 laps until Pierce took over the point for one circuit. Pierce who started sixth then yielded the lead back to McCreadie on lap 32.
Madden was on the move early on reaching third on lap 32 after starting fourteenth on the grid. Madden then went for the lead, taking it away from McCreadie on lap 33. Madden held the top spot until lap 39 when Pierce regained control. Pierce was on top of the scoring pylon for six laps until once again Madden flexed his muscles and wrestled away the lead. Madden started to pull away from Pierce momentarily, but Pierce regrouped and tracked Madden down, finally overhauling him on lap 59.
A caution with 20 laps to go allowed Madden to once again pick up the lead over Pierce. Pierce picked up his speed and momentum for the final time using the outside to pass Madden with fourteen laps remaining in the race and sailed on to the win.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the tenth time in his career, the 22-year-old Pierce was ecstatic. “Thanks to all the fans for coming out and thanks to Joe Kosiski for all he does for the fans and the racers. It is awesome what he is doing. Jeff Hoker and Mike Berger are here tonight, thanks to them for their support.”
“I felt really good. I had some trouble on the restarts. My dad was showing me different signals and wanting me to do more stuff out there. Luckily there wasn’t a caution with a few laps to go because it really could have been interesting. It’s the biggest win of my career. There were times tonight I didn’t think it was going to happen. Thanks to my crew for keeping the bolts tight on everything.”
Madden came home the runner-up after leading for 26 laps. “It feels good to be back in the car. Cody Sommer and Scott [Bloomquist] have put their hearts into this giving us everything we needed. What an awesome job they have done the last three days down here in this heat. We never gave up and to come home with a second-place finish I am proud of everyone with the team. He [Pierce] puts his car in positions I am not sure anyone else can. He earned the win.”
After starting eighth, Sheppard rallied in the final fourteen laps to claim a podium finish. “My car just wasn’t where I wanted it to be on the cushion. I felt like we couldn’t run down low on the track, like several could. The restarts definitely helped me out. We were good when we restarted on the top, but on the bottom, we weren’t nearly as good. Congrats tom Bobby and Chris, it was a lot of fun racing out there.”
The winner’s Bob Pierce Racing, Rocket Chassis is powered by a Pro Power Racing Engine and sponsored by: Hoker Trucking, Allgayer, Inc., Mesilla Valley Transportation, Digital Copy Systems, Premier Waste Services, Border Tire, First Spear, Keyser Manufacturing, Budda Bert Transmissions, and Velocita.
Completing the top ten were Jonathan Davenport, Tim McCreadie, Mike Marlar, Devin Moran, and Dennis Erb Jr.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday and Saturday, July 19-20, 2019
Imperial Tile 9th annual Silver Dollar Nationals
I-80 Speedway – Greenwood, Nebr.
Round 1:
Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish: Earl Pearson, Jr., Cody Laney, Corey Zeitner, Kyle Bronson, Michael Norris, Dennis Erb, Jr., JC Wyman, Andrew Kosiski, Rece Vaught, Stormy Scott
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish: Tim McCreadie, Allan Hopp, Tyler Bruening, Jimmy Owens, Chad Simpson, Shanon Buckingham, Billy Moyer, Jr., Ben Schaller, Blair Nothdurft, Jake Timm
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish: Chris Madden, Scott Bloomquist, Mike Marlar, Devin Moran ®, Terry Phillips, Hudson O’Neal, Jeremy Grady, Chase Junghans, Scott Ward, Ben Sukup
Lucas Oil Products Penetrating Oil Heat Race #4 Finish: Jonathan Davenport, Mason Zeigler, Brandon Sheppard, Nick Deal, Chris Simpson, Dale McDowell, Tad Pospisil, Billy Moyer, Robbie Andersen, Junior Coover
Arizona Sports Shirts Heat Race #5 Finish: Bill Leighton, Jr., Tyler Erb ®, Bobby Pierce, Josh Leonard, Shannon Babb, Josh Richards, Ricky Weiss, Dave Eckrich, Al Humphrey
Round 2:
Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish: Jimmy Owens, Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Dennis Erb, Jr., Dale McDowell, Chris Madden, Chase Junghans, JC Wyman, Allan Hopp, Al Humphrey
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish: Billy Moyer, Hudson O’Neal, Tyler Bruening, Nick Deal, Bill Leighton, Jr., Earl Pearson, Jr., Shannon Babb, Stormy Scott, Terry Phillips, Blair Nothdurft
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish: Devin Moran ®, Josh Richards, Chad Simpson, Scott Bloomquist, Kyle Bronson, Josh Leonard, Tad Pospisil, Cody Laney, Robbie Andersen, Jake Timm
Lucas Oil Products Penetrating Oil Heat Race #4 Finish: Mason Zeigler, Billy Moyer, Jr., Michael Norris, Tim McCreadie, Mike Marlar, Dave Eckrich, Andrew Kosiski, Ben Sukup, Junior Coover
Arizona Sports Shirts Heat Race #5 Finish: Ricky Weiss, Shanon Buckingham, Tyler Erb ®, Corey Zeitner, Chris Simpson, Jonathan Davenport, Scott Ward, Ben Schaller, Jeremy Grady, Rece Vaught
Lucas Oil Products Red “N” Tacky Spray Grease B-Main #1 Finish (Top 4 Transfer): Josh Richards, Kyle Bronson, Dale McDowell, Cody Laney, Nick Deal, Ben Schaller, Dave Eckrich, Allan Hopp, Tad Pospisil, Jake Timm, Billy Moyer, Jeremy Grady, Al Humphrey, Chase Junghans, Rece Vaught, Ben Sukup
FAST Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (Top 4 Transfer): Ricky Weiss, Billy Moyer, Jr., Dennis Erb, Jr., Shanon Buckingham, Shannon Babb, Terry Phillips, Chris Simpson, JC Wyman, Josh Leonard, Andrew Kosiski, Blair Nothdurft,Jesse Sobbing, Scott Ward, Junior Coover, Stormy Scott, Robbie Andersen-DNS
S&S Showdown Non-Qualifiers Race Finish: Terry Phillips, Billy Moyer, Jake Timm, JC Wyman, Chase Junghans, Andrew Kosiski, Tad Pospisil, Allan Hopp, Chris Simpson, Dave Eckrich, Shannon Babb, Jesse Sobbing, Jeremy Grady, Junior Coover, Scott Ward
Lucas Oil Feature Finish (80 Laps):
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 6 | 32P | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $53,000 |
| 2 | 14 | 0m | Chris Madden | Gray Court, SC | $20,000 |
| 3 | 8 | 1S | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $10,000 |
| 4 | 9 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $7,150 |
| 5 | 23 | 17m | Dale McDowell | Chickamauga, GA | $6,000 |
| 6 | 12 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $6,850 |
| 7 | 2 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $6,050 |
| 8 | 17 | 157 | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN | $4,700 |
| 9 | 3 | 1M | Devin Moran ® | Dresden, OH | $5,450 |
| 10 | 24 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $4,000 |
| 11 | 4 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $4,850 |
| 12 | 26 | 50 | Shanon Buckingham | Morristown, TN | $4,450 |
| 13 | 27 | 2s | Stormy Scott | Las Cruses, NM | $4,100 |
| 14 | 20 | 7w | Ricky Weiss | Headingley, MB | $3,200 |
| 15 | 18 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $3,850 |
| 16 | 19 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $3,850 |
| 17 | 11 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $3,850 |
| 18 | 21 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $3,550 |
| 19 | 29 | 98 | Ben Schaller | Omaha, NE | $2,600 |
| 20 | 16 | 1c | Chad Simpson | Mt. Vernon, IA | $2,500 |
| 21 | 13 | 19 | Corey Zeitner | Omaha, NE | $2,400 |
| 22 | 25 | 32B | Cody Laney | Torrance, CA | $2,300 |
| 23 | 7 | 16T | Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA | $2,250 |
| 24 | 22 | 21JR | Billy Moyer, Jr. | Batesville, AR | $3,050 |
| 25 | 5 | 1T | Tyler Erb ® | New Waverly, TX | $3,100 |
| 26 | 1 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler | Chalk Hill, PA | $2,100 |
| 27 | 15 | 5 | Michael Norris | Sarver, PA | $2,075 |
| 28 | 31 | 75 | Terry Phillips | Springfield, MO | $2,050 |
| 29 | 10 | 24x | Bill Leighton, Jr. | LaVista, NE | $2,025 |
| 30 | 30 | 1J | Josh Leonard | Gibbon, NE | $2,000 |
| 31 | 28 | 55d | Nick Deal | Harlan, IA | $2,000 |
| 32 | 32 | 49T | Jake Timm | Winona, MN | $2,000 |
Entrants: 50
Lap Leaders: Tim McCreadie (Laps 1 – 30); Bobby Pierce (Lap 31); Tim McCreadie (Lap 32); Chris Madden (Laps 33 – 38); Bobby Pierce (Laps 39 – 43); Chris Madden (Laps 44 – 59); Bobby Pierce (Lap 60); Chris Madden (Laps 61 – 65); Bobby Pierce (Laps 66 – 80)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Bobby Pierce
Margin of Victory: 3.382 seconds
Cautions: Nick Deal (Lap 12); Bill Leighton Jr. (Lap 17); Debris (Lap 25); Ricky Weiss (Lap 32); Tyler Erb (39); Hudson O’Neal (Lap42); Mason Zeigler (Lap 43); Billy Moyer Jr (Lap 60)
Series Provisionals: Stormy Scott
Miller Welders Highest Passing Points Provisional: Nick Deal
I-80 Speedway Track Provisionals: Ben Schaller, Josh Leonard
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Dale McDowell (Advanced 18 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Brandon Sheppard
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Brandon Sheppard
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: Devin Moran
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Pro Power Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Shane McDowell (Dale McDowell)
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Tim McCreadie (Lap #1 – 19.0259 seconds)
Hot Rod Processing Tough Break of the Race: Tim McCreadie
STEEL-IT Most Laps Led: Chris Madden (31 Laps)
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Mason Zeigler
Time of Race: 58 minutes 55 seconds
