Pierce Goes Back-To-Back With Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series In Illinois
Story By: JAMES ESSEX / LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES – MACON, IL – Going back-to-back with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, Bobby Pierce fought his way to victory at Macon Speedway on Saturday night. Pierce held off a fiercely challenging Ryan Unzicker to win the St. Louis U-Pic-A-Part 100.
Unzicker briefly took the lead coming off of turn number four on lap 93, but Pierce battled back regaining the top spot a lap later. Pierce held off a furious charge from Unzicker on the final lap to score the win. Shannon Babb took third, as the home state drivers swept the top three finishers. Jonathan Davenport came home in third just ahead of Josh Richards, last year’s event winner.
In Lucas Oil Victory lane for the seventh time in his career, Pierce commented on his win. “Heading into the weekend I didn’t think I would win two races. If I did win one I thought it might be here. I got a little nervous there in traffic and then I hit the wall coming out of turn four. I think Big C was looking down on me after that. Man, I am glad to be back home. We go to so many tracks this year that I have never been to before. You have got to have laps at these tracks and fortunately the last two nights that was the case. There is nothing that compares to this track. Just glad to get these wins, thanks to all my crew, family and sponsors,” said the 21-year-old before an appreciative crowd.
Unzicker thrilled the crowd with his daring moves throughout the race. “I couldn’t beat him [Pierce] in a Pierce car and now I can’t in the Rocket he’s driving. He [Pierce] is a tough competitor. Glad to see him back here. He has a nice team there. We have been busting our tails in the garage and it paid off here tonight. This is one of my favorite tracks to run on. I feel like our programs been pretty good and the finish tonight just proves it.”
Babb was in the hunt the entire distance as he came home in third. “I felt like we had a pretty good car. I was just biding my time there. I just let the laps go by. Ryan was good on the restarts. We got into traffic and he [Unzicker] got by me. It was a really good race and to run good here it’s always nice to come home again.”
The winner’s Dunn-Benson Motorsports, Rocket Chassis is powered by a Pro Power Racing Engine and sponsored by: Campbell University, Dunn-Benson Ford, Allgayer Inc., Hoker Trucking, Champion Spark Plugs, Premier Waste Services, Berger’s Marina, Carnaghi Towing, Sunoco Race Fuels, and Advanced Racing Suspension.
Completing the top ten were Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, Don O’Neal, Hudson O’Neal, and Jason Feger.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday, April 28th, 2018
St. Louis U-Pic-A-Part 100
Macon Speedway – Macon, IL
Miller Welders Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 10.468 seconds
Fast Time Group B: Josh Richards / 10.426 seconds (overall)
Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, All Transfer): Shannon Babb, Josh Richards, Tim McCreadie, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Earl Pearson, Jr., Don O’Neal, Jason Feger, Mason Zeigler
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, All Transfer): Bobby Pierce, Jimmy Owens, Darrell Lanigan, Scott Bloomquist, Jose Parga, Hudson O’Neal, Gregg Satterlee, Guy Taylor
Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, All Transfer): Jonathan Davenport, Ryan Unzicker, Dennis Erb, Jr., Kyle Bronson, Myles Moos, Brian Shirley, Kolby Vandenbergh, Greg Kimmons, Cody Maguire
Lucas Oil Feature Finish (100 Laps):
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 2 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $12,700 |
| 2 | 6 | 24 | Ryan Unzicker | El Paso, IL | $5,500 |
| 3 | 1 | 18 | Shannon Babb | Mowequa, IL | $3,500 |
| 4 | 3 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $3,650 |
| 5 | 4 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $3,350 |
| 6 | 7 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $2,500 |
| 7 | 5 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $2,300 |
| 8 | 16 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $2,100 |
| 9 | 17 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $1,900 |
| 10 | 19 | 25F | Jason Feger | Bloomington, IL | $1,100 |
| 11 | 10 | 99JR | Frank Heckenast, Jr. | Frankfort, IL | $1,075 |
| 12 | 8 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | $1,750 |
| 13 | 9 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $1,025 |
| 14 | 20 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Indiana, PA | $1,700 |
| 15 | 13 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $1,800 |
| 16 | 22 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler ® | Chalk Hill, PA | $1,100 |
| 17 | 21 | 15V | Kolby Vandenbergh | Ashland, IL | $1,000 |
| 18 | 11 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $1,800 |
| 19 | 12 | 40B | Kyle Bronson ® | Brandon, FL | $1,700 |
| 20 | 24 | 27 | Greg Kimmons | Pleasant Plains, IL | $1,000 |
| 21 | 18 | 3s | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | $1,000 |
| 22 | 14 | 6P | Jose Parga | New Berlin, IL | $1,000 |
| 23 | 23 | 4T | Guy Taylor | Springfield, IL | $1,000 |
| 24 | 25 | 32M | Cody Maguire | Carlinville, IL | $1,000 |
| 25 | 15 | 84 | Myles Moos | Lincoln, IL | $1,000 |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 25
Lap Leaders: Bobby Pierce (Laps 1 – 100)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Bobby Pierce
Margin of Victory: 0.361 seconds
Cautions: Myles Moos (Lap 11); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 29); Debris (Lap 31); Kyle Bronson (Lap 37); Brian Shirley (Lap 64)
Series Provisionals: N/A
Series Emergency Provisionals: N/A
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Don O’Neal (Advanced 8 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Jason Feger
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Bobby Pierce
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: Mason Zeigler
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: Danny Meyers (Bobby Pierce)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Bobby Pierce (Lap #2 – 11.4365 seconds)
STEEL-IT Most Laps Led: Bobby Pierce (100 Laps)
Dirty Girl Racewear Farthest Traveler: Kyle Bronson
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Bobby Pierce
Time of Race: 38 minutes 10 seconds
