Pierce Holds Off O’Neal for Second-Straight Connor Bobik Memorial Victory
COLUMN BY: Spence Smithback / WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODEL SERIES – MARION CENTER, PA – When the eyes of the dirt racing world were on Marion Center Raceway, it didn’t disappoint.
The Connor Bobik Memorial’s postponement to Wednesday night meant it instantly became one of the highest-profile midweek shows in all of Late Model racing. The move resulted in the already big event gaining even more star power in the pit area and attention from fans across the country. For everyone who laid eyes on Marion Center for the first time, they got to see one of the best races in the track’s history courtesy of some of the sport’s brightest stars.
When the green flag flew in the main event, two of the frontrunners were reigning World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision champion Bobby Pierce along with Hudson O’Neal, who was unable to attend the original date but added the rescheduled event to his schedule aboard the K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6. But they both initially trailed Dustin Sorensen, who drew the Bilstein Pole Award to give himself the best chance at his long-awaited first World of Outlaws victory.
Sorensen’s time out front didn’t last long, as Pierce powered around the outside exiting Turn 2 on the opening lap and cleared the Minnesotan by the time they got to Turn 3. Sorensen stayed with Pierce in the early stages, but so did O’Neal, and the “New Deal” worked his way around the No. 19 and into second with 14 laps in the books.
Once the duo caught traffic, it was game on. O’Neal threw a big slider into Turn 3 that barely cleared Pierce, who crossed underneath O’Neal off Turn 4 before returning the favor at the other end of the track. It was rinse and repeat on the next lap as both men proved why they’re both among the most successful Late Model drivers of their generation. After plenty of lead swapping, Pierce eventually got enough of a run off Turn 4 to keep O’Neal at bay for good.
A flurry of cautions late in the race kept the field bunched together and set up a thrilling conclusion at the front. O’Neal was still on Pierce’s tail with two to go and tried to slide him into Turn 3 once again, but Pierce saw it coming and blocked his lane. It was the same story on the final lap, as O’Neal had nowhere to go with his strong run down the backstretch and had to watch Pierce collect his second Connor Bobik Memorial trophy in as many years.
The win was Pierce’s ninth of 2026 in World of Outlaws action and the 51st of his career. It also moved him into the points lead by 17 over Nick Hoffman, who struggled in the Feature before finishing 13th.
“It’s tough when you’re in the lead,” Pierce said. “Especially when you’ve got Hudson behind you, he’s a heck of a wheelman. I guess the last restart there, he was hitting the top of [Turns] 1 and 2 and getting a lot of gains on me off the corner. I was blocking him every time into [Turn] 3. I think coming to the white flag, I saw him under me getting into 3, thanks to him for racing me clean. He possibly could have sent it in there, but it would have been close.”
Behind O’Neal in second, Drake Troutman finished third to establish a new career best at one of his home-state tracks. Sorensen earned his first top five of the season in fourth, while Max Blair rounded out the top five.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision season continues with the Lonewolf 40 at Wayne County Speedway on Thursday, May 28.
Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.
Feature (60 Laps): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[2]; 2. 6-Hudson O’Neal[3]; 3. 22*-Drake Troutman[8]; 4. 19-Dustin Sorensen[1]; 5. 111-Max Blair[12]; 6. 22-Gregg Satterlee[9]; 7. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[11]; 8. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[16]; 9. 1-Tyler Erb[21]; 10. 58V-Daulton Wilson[17]; 11. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[6]; 12. 157-Mike Marlar[7]; 13. 9-Nick Hoffman[5]; 14. 14-Trey Mills[23]; 15. 19R-Ryan Gustin[19]; 16. 74X-Ethan Dotson[22]; 17. 9M-Tim McCreadie[14]; 18. 10M-Jared Miley[4]; 19. 55E-Eli Johnson[15]; 20. B1-Brent Larson[24]; 21. 12-Ryan Montgomery[13]; 22. 1Z-Logan Zarin[18]; 23. 72-Michael Norris[10]; 24. 1C-Alex Ferree[20]; 25. 29-Ken Schaltenbrand[25]
