Story By: LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES – BRANDON, SD – Bobby Pierce held off a hard-charging Devin Moran in the final laps to win back-to-back with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Huset’s Speedway. Pierce was in control from the start of Friday’s 40-lap main event but a stumble in turn four allowed Moran to close in the final laps.
Pierce would cross the finish line in first for his seventh win in his last eight starts. Moran finished in second by 0.615 seconds as he recorded his 13th consecutive top four finish. Tim McCreadie rounded out the Big River Steel Podium with his third place run after passing Daulton Wilson on the final lap dropping Wilson to fourth at the finish. Current Lucas Oil Late Model Championship points leader Ricky Thornton Jr. rounded out the top five.
For the second night in a row, Pierce jumped out to the lead this time from the Victory Fuel pole. McCreadie moved into second on lap one and stayed behind Pierce for several laps until Wilson took the runner-up spot away from McCreadie on lap 20.
Wilson held the runner-up spot behind Pierce until lap 28 when Moran was able to clear him. At that point, Moran was several car lengths back from Pierce until Pierce rode the berm on lap 33 allowing Moran to cut a full second off his lead. Pierce was able to hold off Moran in the closing laps to pick up his second straight win at Huset’s.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane, for the 19th time in his career, Pierce had to breathe a sigh of relief after a heart-stopping moment in turn four that nearly cost him the race.
“It woke me up, that’s for sure,” said the Oakwood, Illinois driver whose sizable lead nearly evaporated with seven laps to go. “It was getting choppy on entrance in three and I think I just bottomed out, and when it started, I couldn’t get it back and was stuck up there for a second. I didn’t think I was ever going to get out. I finally realized it was Devin [Moran] in second and I didn’t know what he had on for tires, but whatever he did he was gaining on us for sure and he was the best car at the end, so we got lucky.”
Moran, who has not finished outside of the top four in any race since June 20th at Lernerville, came home in second.
“We were running fourth at about the halfway point. I kept trying to look at the scoreboard, but you are always on the wheel here. I got by Daulton [Wilson] and then a few laps later I was able to get by Timmy [McCreadie]. When Bobby got up on that cushion, I thought I had a real chance to catch him. We were good off turn two and I was able to gain more ground on him. Our car was more maneuverable I think at end than he [Pierce] was. I can’t wait for Saturday night,” said Moran who will be seeking his first career Silver Dollar Nationals.
McCreadie was able to sneak by Wilson on the final lap to get to third.
“We were good early and then we got shuffled back a few spots on those restarts. We were able to finally get rolling again there at the end. We just needed it to stay green longer than it did there a couple of times. I was able to roll to the outside of the 18D car there on the last lap. We are getting closer. Hopefully Saturday night we can bring home a win for the team and all the sponsors.”
The winner’s Bobby Pierce Racing, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Low Voltage Solutions, Hoker Trucking, Churchill Transport, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Rio Grande Waste Services, Toyota of Danville, Collins Brothers Towing, Carnaghi Towing and Repair, Ted Brown’s Quality Paint and Body Shop, Olde Tyme Ice Cream, A Plus Vacuum, Leka Tree Service, and VP Race Fuels.
Completing the top ten were Brandon Sheppard, Garrett Alberson, Blair Nothdurft, Brendan Smith, and Hudson O’Neal.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
14th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals Presented by MyRacePass
Friday, July 19, 2024
Huset’s Speedway – Brandon, SD
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Overall Fast Time: Bobby Pierce | 12.8024 seconds
Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 32P-Bobby Pierce[1]; 2. 1-Tim McCreadie[4]; 3. 20-Jimmy Owens[2]; 4. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[5]; 5. B5-Brandon Sheppard[3]; 6. 99B-Boom Briggs[6]; 7. 93F-Carson Ferguson[8]; 8. 37-Scott Ward[7]; 9. 10-Junior Coover[9]
Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[2]; 3. 17SS-Brenden Smith[5]; 4. 7-Ross Robinson[3]; 5. 111-Max Blair[7]; 6. 157-Mike Marlar[4]; 7. 15C-Curt Schroeder[9]; 8. 49-Jonathan Davenport[6]; 9. (DNS) 93-Cory Lawler
Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[1]; 2. 18D-Daulton Wilson[3]; 3. 25C-Chad Simpson[2]; 4. 7T-Drake Troutman[5]; 5. 71-Hudson O’Neal[7]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[4]; 7. 1T-Tyler Erb[6]; 8. 07-Ben Sukup[8]
14th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals Presented by MyRacePass Feature Finish (40 Laps):
SDN A-Main – Night 2 (40 Laps): 1. 32P-Bobby Pierce[1]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[5]; 3. 1-Tim McCreadie[4]; 4. 18D-Daulton Wilson[6]; 5. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[10]; 6. B5-Brandon Sheppard[13]; 7. 58-Garrett Alberson[2]; 8. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[3]; 9. 17SS-Brenden Smith[8]; 10. 71-Hudson O’Neal[15]; 11. 25C-Chad Simpson[9]; 12. 93F-Carson Ferguson[18]; 13. 111-Max Blair[14]; 14. 49-Jonathan Davenport[22]; 15. 1T-Tyler Erb[20]; 16. 20-Jimmy Owens[7]; 17. 99B-Boom Briggs[16]; 18. 6-Clay Harris[17]; 19. 93-Cory Lawler[25]; 20. 07-Ben Sukup[23]; 21. 10-Junior Coover[24]; 22. 15C-Curt Schroeder[19]; 23. 7-Ross Robinson[11]; 24. 157-Mike Marlar[26]; 25. 37-Scott Ward[21]; 26. 7T-Drake Troutman[12]
Race Statistics
Entrants: 26
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Bobby Pierce
Lap Leaders: Bobby Pierce (Laps 1-40)
Wieland Feature Winner: Bobby Pierce
Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a
Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a
Margin of Victory: 0.615 seconds
Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: Jimmy Owens, Tyler Erb (Lap 8); Curt Schroeder, Scott Ward, Cory Lawler, Mike Marlar (Lap 9); Curt Schroeder (Lap 15); Ross Robinson (Lap 17)
Series Provisionals: n/a
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Bobby Pierce, Devin Moran, Tim McCreadie
Penske Shocks Top 5: Bobby Pierce, Devin Moran, Tim McCreadie, Daulton Wilson, Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Advanced 8 Positions)
PEM 4th Place Feature: Daulton Wilson
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Garrett Alberson
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Max Blair
MD3 Most Laps Led: Bobby Pierce (40 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Tim McCreadie
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a
Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Bobby Pierce (Lap 4 | 13.056 seconds)
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Devin Moran
Miller Welders Hard Luck Award: Drake Troutman
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Bob Pierce (Bobby Pierce)
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Vic Hill Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Devin Moran (13.0591 seconds)
Time of Race: 29 minutes 31 seconds