heathlawsonphotos.com

Hall of Fame driver and veteran crew chief Bob Pierce suffered a “borderline major stroke” on Wednesday morning but underwent successful emergency surgery and is recovering well in an Omaha, Neb., hospital, according to a social media update posted this morning by his son.

“Bob is doing good and feeling mostly like his normal self, which is amazing news!” Bobby Pierce wrote on his Facebook page. “He wants to thank everyone in the racing community for the incredible outpouring of love, prayers and support. He is very eager to get out of the hospital and back to doing what he loves.”

Bobby detailed that his 74-year-old father and crew chief was stricken Wednesday morning while sleeping in his camper that was still parked at Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, where Bob assisted his son to a $15,000 victory in Tuesday’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event. He was transported to a local hospital and then airlifted to Omaha for further treatment.

Doctors in Omaha removed a blockage from Bob in a procedure that Bobby said was termed “a total success.” Bobby wrote that “almost immediately after” the operation “Bob started regaining feeling, movement and his normal speech” and by Thursday “looked and sounded even better.”

Bob will remain in the hospital through at least the beginning of next week and on Monday will “undergo a procedure to have a stent inserted to open blood flow to his brain and prevent future episodes,” Bobby wrote.

Bobby Pierce didn't compete in Thursday’s Malvern Bank Go 50 that kicked off the Lucas Oil Series-sanctioned Silver Dollar Nationals weekend at Shelby County Speedway in Harlan, Iowa, but he plans to be in action in tonight’s dual-heat qualifying program and Saturday’s $52,000-to-win finale.