Bobby Pierce Holds Off Sheppard & Blair To Win Friday Prelim At Knoxville Raceway

Story By: LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES – KNOXVILLE, IA – Bobby Pierce led all but two laps of the Friday preliminary feature at Knoxville Raceway. He captured the 25-lap $7,000-to-win main event for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series during night two of the 20th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals presented by Your Life Iowa.

Pierce reclaimed the lead in the race on lap 18 after Max Blair, who had just taken the top spot on lap 17, slipped up in turn two. This allowed Pierce to regain the lead for good, as he led the last eight laps to secure his 33rd feature win of 2024.

Brandon Sheppard advanced from ninth to claim second place, overtaking Blair on lap 18. Blair finished third, followed by Devin Moran and Daulton Wilson.

Wilson led the opening lap from his pole starting position, but by the second lap, Pierce, who had started alongside Wilson on the front row, had taken over the lead.

Pierce then pulled out to what appeared to be a healthy lead until he started to pick up the tail end of the field which allowed Blair and Sheppard to gain considerable ground on him.

Blair made a power move to take over the lead from Pierce on lap 18, but he couldn’t hold his line on the bottom coming off turn number two. Pierce was able to slip back by him and regain the lead for good in the caution-free race.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the fifth time this season, Pierce returned to Knoxville Victory Lane for the first time since 2022.

“I was a little tight even on the top; the car was laid over a little bit so I really couldn’t get around there quite like I wanted to, but I can’t thank my guys enough for all their hard work and their support and all of these fans for coming out and watching us. We wanted to play that invert all night after yesterday. My one goal was to start up front and not row four. We got lucky with the qualifying and the heat race, too. What an awesome night for us.”

“That one instance when he [Blair] got the lead, sometimes you don’t know how hard it is to charge the next corner. I think he went in there a little hot and shoved. I luckily was in the right spot at the right time and got under him, and then when we went down the backstretch there, it was just a drag race to get back to that turn three corner on the bottom.”

Sheppard, who started on the inside of row five, came up just 0.390 seconds behind Pierce at the finish line.

“I think I had a shot [at the win] there for a bit. We had a really good car, it was very maneuverable, it was a lot better than yesterday. I couldn’t even make it around the track yesterday, but the guys went to work today and gave me a pretty good piece. I am happy with our turnaround. I think we have a good feature car for tomorrow night. It could drive straight through the corner, and I could put in anywhere I wanted to, so we are looking forward to tomorrow.”

Blair, who had come from seventh to grab the lead momentarily, was disappointed he could not hold the top spot as he was seeking his first-ever win at Knoxville.

“I just screwed up, man. I cleared him [Pierce], and I was like, man, I just won this race. But I drove into one a little easier than I should have, and I got tight, and I pushed. I gave that one away. I think we had a car definitely capable of winning the race and you don’t get too many opportunities like that at a place like this. We finally put a whole night together. We qualified well, and we were really good at the feature.”

The winner’s Bobby Pierce Racing, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine is sponsored by Hoker Trucking, Low Voltage Solutions, Churchill Transport, Toyota of Danville, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Rio Grande Waste Solutions, Collins Brothers Towing, Carnaghi Towing and Repair, American Racing Wheels, Ted Brown’s Quality Paint and Body Shop, Leka Tree Service, and A-Plus Vacuum.

Daniel Hilsabeck, Jonathan Davenport, Garrett Smith, Hudson O’Neal, and Garrett Alberson completed the top ten.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Knoxville Late Model Nationals | Night 2
Friday, September 20, 2024
Knoxville Raceway – Knoxville, IA

Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Max Blair | 18.355 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Garrett Alberson | 18.523 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 3S-Brian Shirley[1]; 2. B5-Brandon Sheppard[3]; 3. 49-Jonathan Davenport[5]; 4. 71-Hudson O’Neal[2]; 5. 111-Max Blair[6]; 6. 7T-Drake Troutman[7]; 7. 30-Ryan Gustin[4]; 8. 1T-Tyler Erb[8]; 9. 42-Johnathan Huston[9]; 10. 45D-Dan Battaglia[10]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 1-Tim McCreadie[1]; 2. 18D-Daulton Wilson[4]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[5]; 4. 32-Chris Simpson[7]; 5. 93F-Carson Ferguson[2]; 6. 16-Tyler Bruening[6]; 7. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[3]; 8. 6-Clay Harris[8]; 9. 6H-Al Humphrey[9]

Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 Finish (12 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 18-Chase Junghans[1]; 2. 25C-Chad Simpson[7]; 3. 58-Garrett Alberson[6]; 4. 7-Ross Robinson[4]; 5. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[5]; 6. 62-Justin Zeitner[8]; 7. 51-Matt Furman[9]; 8. 10-Junior Coover[10]; 9. 99B-Boom Briggs[2]; 10. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (12 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 157-Mike Marlar[2]; 2. 8M-Dillon McCowan[4]; 3. 10S-Garrett Smith[6]; 4. 17SS-Brenden Smith[1]; 5. 32P-Bobby Pierce[5]; 6. 76-Blair Nothdurft[3]; 7. 1X-Aaron Marrant[7]; 8. 35D-Dylan Sillman[8]; 9. 93-Cory Lawler[9]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (15 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 7T-Drake Troutman[1]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 3. 16-Tyler Bruening[2]; 4. 30-Ryan Gustin[3]; 5. 1T-Tyler Erb[5]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[6]; 7. 6H-Al Humphrey[8]; 8. 42-Johnathan Huston[7]; 9. (DNS) 45D-Dan Battaglia

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (15 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 62-Justin Zeitner[1]; 2. 51-Matt Furman[3]; 3. 76-Blair Nothdurft[2]; 4. 35D-Dylan Sillman[6]; 5. 1X-Aaron Marrant[4]; 6. 93-Cory Lawler[8]; 7. 10-Junior Coover[5]; 8. 99B-Boom Briggs[7]; 9. (DNS) 20-Jimmy Owens

Knoxville Late Model Nationals | Night 2 Feature Finish (25 Laps):
Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Pay
1 – 2 – 32P – Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – $7,000
2 – 9 – B5 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $4,000
3 – 7 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $3,000
4 – 3 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $2,000
5 – 1 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – $1,500
6 – 4 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $1,000
7 – 5 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $900
8 – 6 – 10S – Garrett Smith – Madison, GA – $800
9 – 11 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $700
10 – 8 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $600
11 – 14 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $580
12 – 10 – 7 – Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE – $560
13 – 15 – 18 – Chase Junghans – Manhattan, KS – $540
14 – 13 – 157 – Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – $520
15 – 16 – 1 – Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – $500
16 – 12 – 93F – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $490
17 – 20 – 7T – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – $580
18 – 22 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Martinsville, IN – $570
19 – 19 – 25C – Chad Simpson – Mt. Vernon, IA – $460
20 – 18 – 32 – Chris Simpson – Oxford, IA – $450
21 – 21 – 62 – Justin Zeitner – Malvern, IA – $540
22 – 17 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – $430
23 – 23 – 51 – Matt Furman – Iowa City, IA – $510
24 – 24 – 8M – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – $400

Race Statistics
Entrants: 38
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Daulton Wilson
Lap Leaders: Daulton Wilson (Lap 1); Bobby Pierce (Laps 2-16); Max Blair (Lap 17); Bobby Pierce (Laps 18-25)
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: 0.390 seconds
Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: n/a
LOLMDS Series Provisionals: n/a
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
LOLMDS Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Max Blair
Penske Shocks Top 5: Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Max Blair, Devin Moran, Daulton Wilson
Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Brandon Sheppard (Advanced 7 Positions)
PEM 4th Place Feature: Devin Moran
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Jonathan Davenport
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Chase Junghans
MD3 Most Laps Led: Bobby Pierce (23 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Hudson O’Neal
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: Justin Zeitner (Lap 25 | 19.381 seconds)
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Bobby Pierce
Miller Welders Hard Luck Award: Jimmy Owens
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Bob Pierce (Bobby Pierce)
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Vic Hill Race Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Garrett Alberson (17.962 seconds)
Time of Race: 8 minutes 37 seconds

Knoxville Late Model Nationals Point Standings After Night 2:
Car # – Competitor – Thurs – Fri – Best Night Total – Total Combined Points (1st Tie Breaker)
32P – Pierce, Bobby – 498 – 482 – 498 – 980
49 – Davenport, Jonathan – 487 – 478 – 487 – 965
99 – Moran, Devin – 486 – 482 – 486 – 968
1 – McCreadie, Tim – 485 – 450 – 485 – 935
71 – O’Neal, Hudson – 484 – 459 – 484 – 943
111 – Blair, Max – 450 – 484 – 484 – 934
B5 – Sheppard, Brandon – 422 – 483 – 483 – 905
30 – Gustin, Ryan – 480 – 418 – 480 – 898
18D – Wilson, Daulton – 457 – 479 – 479 – 936
8M – McCowan, Dillon – 479 – 441 – 479 – 920
10S – Smith, Garrett – 379 – 478 – 478 – 857
58 – Alberson, Garrett – 461 – 476 – 476 – 937
22 – Hilsabeck, Daniel – 423 – 474 – 474 – 897
1T – Erb, Tyler – 471 – 393 – 471 – 864
3S – Shirley, Brian – 467 – 460 – 467 – 927
7 – Robinson, Ross – 444 – 461 – 461 – 905
93F – Ferguson, Carson – 460 – 440 – 460 – 900
157 – Marlar, Mike – 452 – 456 – 456 – 908
18 – Junghans, Chase – 405 – 456 – 456 – 861
25C – Simpson, Chad – 451 – 437 – 451 – 888
32 – Simpson, Chris – 448 – 427 – 448 – 875
7T – Troutman, Drake – 441 – 429 – 441 – 870
20RT – Thornton, Ricky Jr – 417 – 434 – 434 – 851
99B – Briggs, Boom – 434 – 396 – 434 – 830
16 – Bruening, Tyler – 433 – 429 – 433 – 862
17SS – Smith, Brenden – 392 – 427 – 427 – 819
20 – Owens, Jimmy – 425 – 395 – 425 – 820
62 – Zeitner, Justin – 401 – 417 – 417 – 818
76 – Nothdurft, Blair – 398 – 417 – 417 – 815
51 – Furman, Matt – 414 – 406 – 414 – 820
6 – Harris, Clay – 400 – 389 – 400 – 789
1X – Marrant, Aaron – 390 – 398 – 398 – 788
35D – Sillman, Dylan – 393 – 393 – 393 – 786
48 – Lance, Tim – 392 – 0 – 392 – 392
93 – Lawler, Cory – 382 – 382 – 382 – 764
10 – Coover, Junior – 367 – 381 – 381 – 748
42 – Huston, Johnathan – 379 – 380 – 380 – 759
6H – Humphrey, Al – 378 – 380 – 380 – 758
45D – Battaglia, Dan – 374 – 371 – 374 – 745
77 – Petty, Jeremy – 373 – 0 – 373 – 373

Saturday Fast Shafts B-Main 1 (15 Laps | Top 6 Transfer)
Row – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Car # – Competitor – Hometown
1 – 16 – Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL
2 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 62 – Justin Zeitner – Malvern, IA
3 – 76 – Blair Nothdurft – Renner, SD – 51 – Matt Furman – Iowa City, IA
4 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 1X – Aaron Marrant – Richmond, MO
5 – 35D – Dylan Sillman – Alvo, NE – 48 – Tim Lance – Brimfield, IL
6 – 93 – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 10 – Junior Coover – Norfolk, NE
7 – 42 – Johnathan Huston – Columbus Junction, IA – 6H – Al Humphrey – Giltner, NE
8 – 45D – Dan Battaglia – Gretna, NE – 77 – Jeremy Petty – Smolan, KS

Knoxville Late Model Nationals A-Main (75 Laps)
Row – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Car # – Competitor – Hometown
1 – 32P – Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA
2 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 1 – Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY
3 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA
4 – B5 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 30 – Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA
5 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – 8M – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO
6 – 10S – Garrett Smith – Madison, GA – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM
7 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX
8 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 7 – Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE
9 – 93F – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 157 – Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN
10 – 18 – Chase Junghans – Manhattan, KS – 25C – Chad Simpson – Mt. Vernon, IA
11 – 32 – Chris Simpson – Oxford, IA – 7T – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA
12 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Martinsville, IN – 99B – Boom Briggs – Bear Lake, PA
13 – B-Main Transfer | 1st Place – B-Main Transfer | 2nd Place
14 – B-Main Transfer | 3rd Place – B-Main Transfer | 4th Place
15 – B-Main Transfer | 5th Place – B-Main Transfer | 6th Place
16 – Provisional #1 – Provisional #2
17 – Emergency Provisional #1 (if needed) – Emergency Provisional #2 (if needed)