Bobby Pierce Wins World Of Outlaws Late Model Series Heartland Speedweek Finale At I-94

Story By: MIKE WARREN / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – FERGUS FALLS, MN – Bobby Pierce decided to break out his Eldora car Saturday night at I-94 Speedway. A decision that paid off for the Oakwood, IL, driver.

Pierce stormed past Series champion Dennis Erb Jr. on Lap 21 and cruised through the final 30 laps to score his fifth World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series win of 2023.

Erb and Cade Dillard led the field to the green in the 50-lap Feature, with the Robeline, LA driver getting the early advantage. However, the reigning champion wouldn’t let him get away as Erb kept pace with Dillard on the bottom.

The Carpentersville, IL driver needed six laps to build his momentum, as he wrestled the lead away from Dillard, nosing his Rocket Chassis ahead at the completion of Lap 7.

While Erb tried to drive away, Pierce moved toward the front, reaching third by Lap 12. After sliding Dillard for second on Lap 17 in Turns 3 and 4, Pierce set his sights on his fellow Illinois driver, using the outside to close in on the #28 in traffic.

Pierce’s opportunity to strike came on Lap 21, as he used Todd Cooney, a lap car, as a pick as they raced off Turn 2. The “Smooth Operator” powered past Erb down the backstretch, taking the lead as they entered Turns 3 and 4.

It was a lead Pierce wouldn’t relinquish, as he aced the race’s only restart on Lap 31 to earn his third win of World of Outlaws Heartland Speedweek—one worth $15,000.

“Dennis was really a sitting duck,” Pierce said. “I know Dennis can rip the lip, but he likes to run the bottom. At the time, the top was really good, and I was like, just stay down there, and he did. But if he did move up, I was ready for it. It was a fun race.”

Saturday was the first time Pierce had ever raced at I-94. But he said it reminded him of a track where he’s found success, which helped him hone in his setup.

“I noticed right away it was going to be a fun track, and I feel like this track fits me,” Pierce said. “This place reminds me of Florence. I knew these boys were in trouble tonight if we hit our marks.”

With the win, Pierce extended his points lead to 52 points over Chris Madden, who finished sixth.

Four-time Series champion Brandon Sheppard finished second, moving up seven spots from ninth. The New Berlin, IL driver put on a show for the Minnesota crowd in the race’s top groove, getting by 2018 Series champion Mike Marlar and Tanner English before the race was complete.

Despite the strong runner-up finish, Sheppard said he knows what’s keeping him out of Victory Lane.

“We had a dang good car tonight,” Sheppard said. “We could run top, middle, bottom, wherever we needed to. We bided our time there early and passed a bunch of cars on the bottom. Then I saw some guys start to mess around on the top a little bit, so I went up there, and we just had a ton of speed.

“It was a good night. All in all, we just have to Qualify better. That’s the only thing we’re missing right now. We’re good in the Features; we just need to get Qualified better. I felt like we had the best car at the track tonight, it was just a matter of a few things that didn’t go our way, and that’s just how my year’s going so far.”

Tanner English finished third—his third consecutive podium in races 50 laps or more. The Benton, KY driver worked the bottom of the track to earn his fifth top-five of 2023.

“The bottom was good for a while, and then it kind of faded at the end,” English said. “There just wasn’t enough left, and I kind of got to those lap cars at the wrong time and should’ve moved up earlier.

“It was a hell of a race. The car is working really good right now. It’s just hard to beat that #32 car. He’s pretty damn fast. That’s why it sucks when we had him beat and gave it away. We’ll get it one of these days, and we’ll be there before you know it.”

Ryan Gustin, the Fox Factory Hard Charger, crossed the line fourth, after starting 15th. The Marshalltown, IA driver said wholesale changes to his Rocket Chassis helped him climb to the top five.

“We were really good there in the Feature,” Gustin said. “I just wish we could’ve started about 10 positions further forward. We struggled obviously there early, and [Taylon Center] changed pretty much everything, and we were really good in the Feature. I guess we got a good package now for these types of tracks, too.”

Erb rounded out the top five after leading 14 laps.

The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models head to the Midwest for a pair of $15,000-to-win races, starting with a trip to Ponderosa Speedway on Friday, July 14. Then, the Series heads North to Indiana for the Hoosier Dirt Classic at Brownstown Speedway on Saturday, July 15..

CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Feature (50 Laps): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 2. B5-Brandon Sheppard[9]; 3. 96V-Tanner English[4]; 4. 19R-Ryan Gustin[15]; 5. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[1]; 6. 44-Chris Madden[6]; 7. 40B-Kyle Bronson[10]; 8. 9-Nick Hoffman[7]; 9. 157-Mike Marlar[5]; 10. 3S-Brian Shirley[12]; 11. 28S-Dustin Sorensen[11]; 12. 1ST-Johnny Scott[16]; 13. B1-Brent Larson[19]; 14. 1TPO-Tyler Peterson[14]; 15. 25-Shane Clanton[8]; 16. 76-Blair Nothdurft[13]; 17. 22-Nick Panitzke[20]; 18. 30-Todd Cooney[21]; 19. 55C-Chad Mahder[17]; 20. 18X-Shawn Meyer[22]; 21. 97-Cade Dillard[2]; 22. 11G-James Giossi[24]; 23. 11-Gordy Gundaker[18]; 24. 14W-Dustin Walker[23] Fox Factory Hard Charger: Ryan Gustin [+11]