ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Walking through the tunnel connecting The Dome at America’s Center to the facility’s convention center Thursday night, Bobby Pierce was a bit glum. In fact, the 21-year-old driver from Oakwood, Ill., was near speechless after he watched competitors in the modified division hop, skip and bounce around the makeshift fifth-mile oval constructed on the Dome’s concrete floor.

“Bad,” referring to the track’s surface, is all Pierce could mutter as he headed back to his pit area. “It needs a grader,” Pierce added with a wry, half smile, showing obvious concern for what lie ahead the remainder of the weekend.

It didn’t take long, however, for Pierce to turn his frown upside down. Withstanding a furious mid-race charge from Tanner English of Benton, Ky., and Tyler Carpenter, of Parkersburg, W.Va., Pierce led all but one lap in Saturday's VP Racing Fuels Gateway Dirt Nationals finale, winning $30,000 in the second running of the sport’s only indoor event. And the track? While it may have been a bit bottom dominant, it was much more to the talented youngster’s liking in Friday’s preliminary features and Saturday’s main event.

“I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty worried Thursday night, but (Kevin Gundaker, who built the temporary track) is a pro and he turned this thing around,” Pierce said in victory lane, moments after beating Carpenter to the finish by a close-but-comfortable 1.559 seconds.

Pierce was able to pull away from the third-starting Carpenter following a late caution, building a lead of as much as 2.334 seconds with eight laps remaining. Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., started 14th and rallied for a podium finish, while polesitter and overall fast qualifier Jason Welshan of Rockford, Tenn., completed an outstanding weekend with a fourth-place finish. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., the event’s inaugural winner, moved forward from his 11th starting position to round out the top five, despite a slowly deflating left-front tire.

English, who started eighth and cracked the top five by lap five, offered Pierce his strongest challenge. Grabbing the second spot on a lap-10 restart when Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., almost came to a stop in turn two, English ran Pierce down and began challenging for the lead by the midpoint of the 40-lapper. He took the lead on lap 27 — the only lap Pierce didn’t lead — but Pierce flashed back in front to lead lap 28.

While the lead trio ran in a tight pack of slower cars — and with English repeatedly looking to Pierce’s inside — the leader got a reprieve before lap 29 clicked off when Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., slowed with a flat right rear tire to draw the third caution. It was much-needed daylight for Pierce, whose good fortune continued when English spun a lap later in a contact-filled battle with Carpenter, all but eliminating from contention the eventual winner’s closest pursuer.

“I got so lucky on that one,” Pierce said. “If that caution hadn’t come out, it might have been a different story. Tanner English, he drove a great race. It sucks that that happened, but that’s just racing.

“Man, this is awesome. This is like one of my biggest wins. I know I won the World (100) and the North-South, but to win in this Dome here … this is an incredible thing for the sport and to go down as the second winner in history, next to Scott Bloomquist, it’s just so awesome. I really got to thank the Lord for that one, because I got pretty lucky there.”

Dogged by English as he approached traffic, Pierce had to decide whether to try the top or continue to tip-toe around the hub. After closing to the rear deck of Gordy Gundaker, one of Friday’s $5,000 preliminary winners, Pierce finally opted to move up the track. It’s a move that almost backfired as English began poking the nose of his red and white No. 96 alongside the leader’s red and black No. 32.

“When I went to the outside of Gordy and them, it kinda felt like something was there,” Pierce said. “I knew Tanner was right behind me and he was rolling pretty good in the middle. I was kinda scared that he was gonna (pass) me in the middle. We were going so slow. Sometimes, the quickest way around the racetrack is the place to be, which is on the bottom, the shortest way around. I kinda made a mistake jumping up to the top.

“We were beating the wall down for sure and putting on a show, but I was trying like heck to get to the bottom. (I’m) glad that everything worked out. Gordy, he was just holding his line. I’m sure he probably didn’t even know that I was behind him or whatever. That’s how racing goes. This is what’s interesting about our sport, how traffic makes things interesting on these small tracks.”

English’s bid for his 20th victory of the season disappeared before lap 29 could ever be completed. On the restart following Sheppard’s flat, English and Carpenter exchanged contact and English spun in turn three. He tagged the rear and finished 15th. For his part, Carpenter said he was simply going after a big win on a big stage.

“I definitely crowded him,” Carpenter said. “I like the kid. But I didn’t come here to gain friends, I came here to win this damn race, and that’s what I was after. With that under my nose like that, and within striking distance, I don’t care if it was my mom or dad, I’d wipe them out too.”

Though he entered the race confident that he could be a contender, Carpenter, the AMRA champion who wraps up 2017 with 28 overall victories, including the Jim Dunn Memorial, was pleased to find himself challenging for his 29th victory.

“I come here to win the race, but realistically, deep down, I knew I came here to try and make the race,” he said. “To be up there fighting for the lead, challenge around for it, beating and banging (was great). To come here from Parkersburg, W.Va., building our own cars, Kryptonite Race Cars, we’re just grassroots racers, and to say we come home in second place, that’s daggone good. I’m proud of it.”

Notes: Pierce’s season-ending victory pushed his win total to 15, which includes another $30,000 victory (the Lucas Oil Show-Me 100) and five he collected en route to his third-straight UMP DIRTcar Summernationals title. It also came in his final drive aboard a car built by his father Bob’s Illinois-based Bob Pierce Race Cars. Pierce, who will move to the North Carolina-based Dunn-Benson Motorsports team and pilot a Rocket Chassis beginning with next month’s Wild West Shootout in Arizona, said the winning Gateway Dirt Nationals machine was to be torn down and sold. … Tanner English, upset at losing a chance to record a career-defining victory, sought out event promoter Cody Sommer during victory lane celebrations in the infield following the race. English felt as though he was leading when Sheppard brought out the caution, and thus should have been alone at the front, rather than alongside Carpenter on the second row for the restart. Official scorer Brad Hockaday confirmed, however, that the lap 28 caution appeared for Sheppard before English crossed the line to lead what would have been his second lap. … Darrell Lanigan was pleased with his podium finish after he had to win the sixth consolation race to earn the 14th starting spot. Lanigan was happy he managed to improve 11 positions relatively unscathed on the tiny oval. … Shannon Babb, who won the first-ever Late Model feature in the Dome in 2016, charged from 18th to third by using every inch of the cushion. But after repeatedly pounding the outside groove — and the retaining wall — lap after lap, Babb faded to seventh. … Perhaps one reason the leaders struggled to get by Gundaker is that Gundaker wasn’t the average lapped car. Gundaker was actually running sixth and challenging Carpenter for the fifth spot when he spun on lap 10 in an effort to avoid making contact with Carpenter. Gundaker later said via his Facebook page the he simply got into the corner a bit too hot. … Bobby Pierce was quick to thank Sommer and his crew. “Big thanks to Cody Sommer to have the guts to do this,” Pierce said. “The mind. To have the brainpower to pull this off and Kevin Gundaker on the racetrack.” … Tyler Carpenter picked up an extra $2,500 for the Comp Cams bonus, making his earnings for Saturday’s feature $17,500. … Hunter Rasdon of Jonesboro, Ark., came from 22nd to ninth for hard charger honors..

VP Racing Fuels Gateway Dirt Nationals presented by Karl Performance

Pos. Driver (car no.), hometown, chassis, earnings
1. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., Pierce, $30,000
2. Tyler Carpenter (28), Parkersburg, W.Va., Kryptonite, $15,000
3. Darrell Lanigan (14), Union, Ky., Club 29, $10,000
4. Jason Welshan (29), Maryville, Tenn., Longhorn, $5,000
5. Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooreburg, Tenn., Sweet-Bloomquist, $3,000
6. Chad Zobrist (78), Highland, Ill., Rocket, $2,500
7. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., Rocket, $2,400
8. Bob Gardner (4G), East Peoria, Ill., Longhorn, $2,300
9. Hunter Rasdon (5*), Jonesboro, Ark., Rocket, $2,200
10. Tim Dohm (6T), Cross Lanes, W.Va., Swartz, $2,100
11. Timothy Culp (C8), Prattsville, Ark., Rocket, $2,000
12. Gordy Gundaker (11), St. Charles, Mo., Pierce, $2,000
13. Allen Weisser (61), Peoria, Ill., Pierce, $2,000
14. Rusty Schlenk (CJ1), McClure, Ohio, Rayburn, $2,000
15. Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., Rocket, $2,000
16. Joey Coulter (2), Concord, N.C., Rocket, $2,000
17. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., Club 29, $2,000
18. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., Rocket, $2,000
19. Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., Moyer Victory, $2,000
20. Russ King (56), Bristolville, Ohio, Rocket, $2,000
21. Kent Robinson (7R), Bloomington, Ind., Moyer Victory, $2,000
22. Don O’Neal (5), Martinsville, Ind., Club 29, $2,000
Lap leaders: Pierce 1-26, 28-40; English 27
Fast qualifier (among 94 cars): Jason Welshan, 11.477 seconds
Heat race winners: Welshan, Moyer, Billy Moyer Jr., David Breazeale, Gundaker, Carpenter, Zobrist, Myles Moos
Consolation winners: Sheppard, Robinson, Bloomquist, D. O’Neal, Weisser, Lanigan
Provisional starters: Gardner, Rasdon

Preliminary notes and results:

Feature lineup

Row 1: Jason Welshan, Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Tyler Carpenter, Billy Moyer
Row 3: Hudson O’Neal, Gordy Gundaker
Row 4: Chad Zobrist, Tanner English
Row 5: Brandon Sheppard, Kent Robinson
Row 6: Scott Bloomquist, Don O'Neal
Row 7: Allen Weisser, Darrell Lanigan
Row 8: Rusty Schlenk, Russ King
Row 9: Timothy Culp, Shannon Babb
Row 10: Joey Coulter, Tim Dohm
Row 11: Bob Gardner, Hunter Rasdon

Sixth consolation

Polesitter Darrell Lanigan cruised to a comfortable victory in the final consolation race of the afternoon. Lanigan won 3.325 seconds ahead of Tim Dohm, who survived a spirited battle with Mike Spatola for the final transfer spot. Dohm and Spatola swapped the spot until Spatola ran across the infield berm, upsetting his car and giving Dohm the separation he needed. Spatola finished third. Jeff Herzog slowed on lap nine to bring out the first yellow. Herzog spun in turn one two laps later for the second caution. Only 10 cars answered the call, as four scratched  from the field.

Finish (top two transfer): Darrell Lanigan, Tim Dohm, Mike Spatola, Dave Armstrong, Jason Schierkolk, Justin Kay, Brian Mullins, Corey Ford, Blake Martin, Jeff Herzog. Scratched: Daryn Klein, Farrel Skelton Jr., Billy Lambert, Rob Toland.

Fifth consolation

Unheralded Allen Weisser jumped into the lead from the onset and paced every lap. Joey Coulter made the outside line work as he rallied from the sixth starting spot. Weisser finished 1.634 seconds in front of Coulter. Coulter passed Randy Timms with four laps remaining to nab the final transfer spot, while Timms settled for third. A three-car wreck on lap 10 resulted in Cole Swibold’s machine resting partially on top of Jason Zobrist’s car. Luke Goedert was also involved. Kolby Vandenbergh was the first retiree.

Finish (top two transfer): Allen Weisser, Joey Coulter,  Randy Timms, Kip Hughes, Bob Gardner, Luke Goedert, Mike Schulte, Rich Bell, Kody Hardage, Jason Zobrist, Cole Swibold, Kolby Vandenbergh. Scratched: Austin Hubbard, Brandon Tibaldi.

Fourth consolation

Don O’Neal held off Shannon Babb in a one-lap shootout to gain entry into Saturday’s finale. O’Neal led the distance, while Babb grabbed second from Hunter Rasdon on lap two. The race was slowed by a handful of cautions. Brent Larson worked forward from seventh to finish third. Kevin Weaver and Robert Ardry got together on the opening lap, bringing out a caution and a complete restart. Shad Badder’s frontstretch spin resulted in the second caution. Ardry’s second spin slowed the action with one lap remaining. Tyler Millwood was knocked from the fifth spot when he got turned around in turn one on the lap 11 restart.

Finish (top two transfer): Don O’Neal, Shannon Babb, Brent Larson, Reno Markham, Hunter Rasdon, Kevin Weaver, Greg Kimmons, Scott Bell, Robert Ardry,  Tyler Millwood, Shad Badder, David Payne. Scratched: Paul Roider, Jonathan Davenport.

Third consolation

Polesitter Scott Bloomquist dominated the 12-lapper, winning by .133 of a second ahead of Timothy Culp. Bloomquist built a big lead before catching lapped traffic halfway through the consy. Casey Montague ran second early but slipped to third following a lap two restart and eventually fell all the way to seventh. The race was slowed on lap two for a spin by Donald Johns. David Breazeale, who briefly led a Friday night reliminary feature, managed just a fourth-place finish after starting fifth.

Finish (top two transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Timothy Culp, Tim Manville, David Breazeale, Scott Ward, Zach. McMillan, Casey Montague, Austin Theiss, Cody Holtkamp, Billy Stile, Brandon Pralle, Donald Johns, John E. Baker. Scratched: Cole Long.

Second consolation

Kent Robinson wired the field from the pole to win the second consy ahead of Russ King. King challenged the leader briefly with five laps remaining, but decided to tuck back in and settle for the final transfer spot. Jason Feger gave up the third spot with four laps remaining when he pulled to the infield. Dennis Erb Jr. rallied back to third after an early spin — without a caution - cost him three spots. Unlike the first race of the day, which was slowed by only one caution, the second consy had multiple yellows in the first few laps. The consy was slowed on the initial start when turns one and two became a parking lot and on the first lap due to a three-car tangle in turn four.

Finish (top two transfer): Kent Robinson, Russ King, Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Unzicker, Jeremy Sneed, Robbie Stuart, Oakley Johns, Mark Shipman, Jeff Roth, Jason Feger, Myles Moos, Dewayne Kiefer, Jason Suhre.

First consolation

Brandon Sheppard grabbed the lead from the onset and led all 12 laps. Sheppard was feeling pressure from sixth-starting Rusty Schlenk when the lone caution with three laps remaining tightened the field. Schlenk moved into the transfer spot with seven laps remaining when Billy Moyer Jr. washed high trying to negotiate slower traffic. Sheppard took the checkers .646 of a second ahead of Schlenk. Clay Fisher finished third.

Finish (top two transfer): Brandon Sheppard, Rusty Schlenk, Clay Fisher, Freddie Carpenter, Caleb Ashby, Billy Moyer Jr., Matt Bailey, Mike Hammerle, Chris Fetter, Derek Fetter, Benjamin Mott, Maria Hankins, Michael Kloos. Scratched: Joe Godsey, Levi Ashby.

Pre-race notes

Modified race director Matt Curl — the new World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series director — told competitors during Saturday afternoon’s drivers’ meeting that the unseasonabe 60-degree temperatures gracing St. Louis today will open up more space for teams to warm up their engines outside before hitting the track. He said cars can now use 9th Street outside the convention center to line up since frigid conditions aren’t in play. … Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., was still smiling this afternoon less than 24 hours after capturing a career-high $5,000 victory in Friday’s second 20-lap preliminary feature to lock himself into this evening’s $30,000-to-win finale. He was triumphant after not entering last year’s inaugural Gateway Dirt Nationals. “Me and my car owner (Todd Burns) were sitting up in that suite and watching that feature (last year), and I was like, ‘We’re coming next year!’” recalled O’Neal, who was a spectator in 2016. “He was like, ‘Heck, you’re right, we’re coming!’ I was just really, really excited to be here. I was looking forward to it since last year.” … A rough-and-tumble outing for Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., on Friday night led him to put a new nosepiece on his Clint Bowyer Racing machine. … Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., broke a motor in his Billy Moyer Victory Race Car in Friday’s second preliminary feature, forcing him to pull out his Longhorn mount for Saturday’s action. … Derek Fetter of Troy, Mo., is back in action after rolling his Pierce car wildly in a Friday heat race. He had a friend bring a replacement rearend to the Dome so he could make a swap and run a B-main. … Some of the eight drivers locked into this evening’s 40-lap feature were asked if they were planning any special entrance when they are introduced to the huge Dome crowd before the finale. No one said they would duplicate Scott Bloomquist’s famous Crotch Chop from last year, but Jason Welshan of Rockford, Tenn., mentioned that he talked to his wife about possibilities and the 17-year-old Hudson O’Neal quipped, “Stay tuned” when questioned about the intros. (There are rumors that O’Neal might consider using mini-bike to make a grand entrance.)

Consolation race lineups

(12 laps; two transfer)
First consolation
Row 1: Brandon Sheppard, Michael Kloos
Row 2: Billy Moyer Jr., Freddie Carpenter
Row 3: Levi Ashby, Rusty Schlenk
Row 4: Clay Fisher, Caleb Ashby
Row 5: Mike Hammerle, Benjamin Mott
Row 6: Joe Godsey, Matt Bailey
Row 7: Maria Hankins, Derek Fetter
Row 8: Chris Fetter
Second consolation
Row 1: Kent Robinson, Russ King
Row 2: Jeremy Sneed, Myles Moos
Row 3: Dennis Erb Jr., Jason Feger
Row 4: Dewayne Kiefer, Ryan Unzicker
Row 5: Jeff Roth, Robbie Stuart
Row 6: Jason Suhre, Oakley Johns
Row 7: Mark Shipman, Scott Crigler
Row 8: Charlie Cole
Third consolation
Row 1: Scott Bloomquist, Casey Montague
Row 2: Timothy Culp, Tim Manville
Row 3: David Breazeale, Scott Ward
Row 4: Cody Holtkamp, Zach McMillan
Row 5: Donald Johns, Austin Theiss
Row 6: Billy Stile, Brandon Pralle
Row 7: Cole Long, John E. Baker
Fourth consolation
Row 1: Don O’Neal, Hunter Rasdon
Row 2: Shannon Babb, Tyler Millwood
Row 3: Reno Markham, Greg Kimmons
Row 4: Brent Larson, David Payne
Row 5: Kevin Weaver, Shad Badder
Row 6: Robert Ardry, Paul Roider
Row 7: Scott Bell, Jonathan Davenport
Fifth consolation
Row 1: Allen Weisser, Randy Timms
Row 2: Bob Gardner, Kolby Vandenbergh
Row 3: Austin Hubbard, Joey Coulter
Row 4: Kip Hughes, Kody Hardage
Row 5: Mike Schulte, Rich Bell
Row 6: Luke Goedert, Jason Zobrist
Row 7: Cole Swibold, Brandon Tibaldi
Sixth consolation
Row 1: Darrell Lanigan, Mike Spatola
Row 2: Dave Armstrong, Tim Dohm
Row 3: Jeff Herzog, Jason Schierkolk
Row 4: Corey Ford, Justin Kay
Row 5: Blake Martin, Brian Mullins
Row 6: Daryn Klein, Farrel Skelton Jr.
Row 7: Billy Lambert, Rob Toland

Saturday's schedule

11 a.m. - Pit doors open
1 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
2 p.m. - Spectator doors open
3 p.m. - On-track activity for Late Models and modifieds
- Late Model consolation races
- Modified consolation races
- Opening ceremonies
- Late Model feature
- Modified feature
(Pits close one hour after final checkered flag)