Dirt on Dirt - Pierce cruises to win USA Nationals opener

August 3

Cedar Lake Speedway,

New Richmond, WI

Sanction: World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series (USA Nationals first prelim) - $6,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated August 5, 11:44 am)

Pierce cruises to win USA Nationals opener

USA Nationals first prelim

Bobby Pierce
Brandon Sheppard
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Brian Shirley
Hudson O'Neal
Jonathan Davenport
Tanner English
Cade Dillard
Shannon Babb
Shane Clanton
Dennis Erb Jr.
Kye Blight
Kyle Bronson
Chris Madden
Johnny Scott
Tyler Erb
Ryan Gustin
Daulton Wilson
Ethan Dotson
Chad Mahder
Nick Hoffman
Gordy Gundaker
Brent Larson
Jake Timm
Todd Cooney
Dustin Walker
Drake Troutman
Daniel Hilsabeck

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Bobby Pierce celebrates a $6,000 victory in Thursday's USA Nationals opener.

What won the race: Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., was largely unchallenged in leading all 25 laps from the pole to win Thursday's $6,000 USA Nationals weekend opener at Cedar Lake Speedway. Pierce beat Brandon Sheppard by 1.813 seconds for his seventh World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series victory of the season and the 11th of his career.

Quotable: “I really (had to) follow that cushion around (the outside) there. There’s a lot of traction on the (corner) exit,” Pierce said. “I think the banking is a little more progressive this year, which is nice. A lot of times it shelves off over there, so they did a nice job with that."

Key notes: Fourth-starting Brandon Sheppard regained the runner-up position for good on lap seven and pulled to within a couple car lengths of Pierce in the closing laps until Pierce draw away. ... Ricky Thornton Jr. moved into third on lap 10 and challenged Sheppard for second in the final laps before rounding out the podium. ... Sixth-starting Brian Shirley took fourth on lap 16 and stayed there to the finish. ... Hudson O'Neal secured fifth place on lap 24 and completed the top five. ... After running second for the race's first six laps, Jonathan Davenport faded to finish sixth. ... Debuting a new Longhorn car, Shannon Babb set a new track record during time trials but finished ninth. ... Daniel Hilsabeck drew the race's only two cautions with solo spins on laps two and four before pulling off. ... Thursday's 12-minute feature saw 20 competitors complete all 25 laps with 26 running at the finish. ... Taking the lead with an outside move out of turn four, Thornton led the final two laps to win Thursday's Fans Fund dash, beating Ricky Weiss to the line by 0.619 of a second for the $2,500 top prize. ... Weiss led laps 2-10 before settling for second, while Trevor Gundaker paced the first lap before fading to finish third. ... The highest finishing driver in the Fans Fund dash not already qualified by another means will start 27th in Saturday's 100-lap USA Nationals main event.

On the move: Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., started 13th and finished ninth.

Winner's sponsors: Pierce’s Longhorn Chassis is sponsored by Hoker Trucking, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Cajun Pools & Spas, Bloomington Normal Truck Performance, Carnaghi Towing & Repair, Floyd’s Waste Systems, Vic Hill Race Engines, Swift Springs, Bilstein Shocks, Toyota of Danville, Ted Brown’s Quality Paint and Body Shop, Extreme Electric, Fast1 Speed Shop, Performance Bodies, A Plus Vacuum, Lekg Tree Service, Bert Transmission by Budda, Velocita-USA, Robert and Sons Aluminum, VP Racing Fuels and FK Rod Ends.

Points chase: After Cedar Lake Thursday: 1. Bobby Pierce (3,738); 2. Chris Madden (3,626); 3. Ryan Gustin (3,614); 4. Brandon Sheppard (3,598); 5. Nick Hoffman (3,574); 6. Brian Shirley (3,564); 7. Kyle Bronson (3,558); 8. Tanner English (3,532); 9. Dennis Erb Jr. (3,482); 10. Shane Clanton (3,396); 11. Gordy Gundaker (3,316); 12. Cade Dillard (3,310).

Current weather: Clear, 73°F

Car count: 48

Fast qualifier: Shannon Babb

Time: 12.950 seconds

Polesitter: Bobby Pierce

Heat race winners: Brian Shirley, Ricky Thornton Jr., Bobby Pierce, Hudson O'Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Jonathan Davenport

Consolation race winners: Kyle Bronson, Jake Timm, Ethan Dotson

Provisional starters: Gordy Gundaker, Brent Larson, Todd Cooney, Dustin Walker

Next series race: August 5, Cedar Lake Speedway (New Richmond, WI) $50,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

NEW RICHMOND, Wis. — Thursday's updates from the weekend’s opening World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series preliminary at the 36th annual USA Nationals, highlighted by a 25-lap $6,000-to-win feature (results unofficial):

Feature

Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., was largely unchallenged in leading all 25 laps from the pole to win Thursday's $6,000 USA Nationals weekend opener at Cedar Lake Speedway. Pierce beat Brandon Sheppard by 1.813 seconds for his seventh World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series victory of the season and the 11th of his career.

Feature lineup

Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Jonathan Davenport
Row 2: Ricky Thornton Jr., Brandon Sheppard
Row 3: Hudson O'Neal, Brian Shirley
Row 4: Johnny Scott, Cade Dillard
Row 5: Tanner English, Kye Blight
Row 6: Shane Clanton, Tyler Erb
Row 7: Shannon Babb, Daulton Wilson
Row 8: Dennis Erb Jr., Drake Troutman
Row 9: Chad Mahder, Daniel Hilsabeck
Row 10: Kyle Bronson, Jake Timm
Row 11: Ethan Dotson, Nick Hoffman
Row 12: Chris Madden, Ryan Gustin
Row 13: Gordy Gundaker, Brent Larson
Row 14: Todd Cooney, Dustin Walker

Fans Fund dash

(12 laps; highest finisher not already qualified for Saturday's USA Nationals will start 27th)

Dash: Ricky Thornton Jr., Ricky Weiss, Trevor Gundaker, Ashton Winger, Jason Feger, Daulton Wilson, James Giossi, Kaede Loudy, Dillon McCowan. Scratched: Drake Troutman

Consolation results

(10 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation: Kyle Bronson, Nick Hoffman, Ricky Weiss, Ashton Winger, Brent Larson, Kyle Strickler, Lance Matthees, Thomas Hunziker, Sawyer Specht, Dustin Walker.

Second consolation: Jake Timm, Chris Madden, Dustin Sorensen, Trevor Gundaker, Jason Feger, Gordy Gundaker, James Giossi, Danny Vang, Paul Parker. Scratched: Jeff Massingill

Third consolation: Ethan Dotson, Ryan Gustin, Todd Cooney, Dillon McCowan, A.J. Diemel, Harry Hanson, Nick Anvelink, Jesse Glenz, Kaede Loudy, Terry Casey.

Heat race notes

Debuting a new Longhorn Chassis, Shannon Babb was the overall fastest qualifier but fell from the pole to third on the opening lap of Heat 1 and finished in that spot. ... Ricky Thornton Jr. slipped past Tanner English off turn four to assume command and went on to a flag-to-flag win in the second heat. ... Gordy Gundaker led the third heat until his car lost power off turn two on the final lap due to an oil pump issue, sending Bobby Pierce to victory. ... Hudson O'Neal led green-to-checkered to win the fourth heat race. ... Brandon Sheppard cruised to win heat five while Jonathan Davenport dominated the sixth and final heat.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top three transfer)

First heat: Brian Shirley, Johnny Scott, Shannon Babb, Ricky Weiss, Ashton Winger, Brent Larson, Lance Matthees, Sawyer Specht.

Second heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Tanner English, Dennis Erb Jr., Kyle Bronson, Kyle Strickler, Nick Hoffman, Thomnas Hunziker. Scratched: Dustin Walker

Third heat: Bobby Pierce, Shane Clanton, Chad Mahder, Jake Timm, Paul Parker, Danny Vang, Gordy Gundaker. Scatched: Jeff Massingill

Fourth heat: Hudson O'Neal, Cade Dillard, Daulton Wilson, Chris Madden, Dustin Sorensen, Trevor Gundaker, Jason Feger, James Giossi.

Fifth heat: Brandon Sheppard, Kye Blight, Drake Troutman, Ethan Dotson, Todd Cooney, A.J. Diemel, Jesse Glenz, Terry Casey.

Sixth heat: Jonathan Davenport, Tyler Erb, Daniel Hilsabeck, Dillon McCowan, Ryan Gustin, Nick Anvelink, Harry Hanson, Kaede Loudy.

Time trials

First group
1. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 12.950
2. Tanner English (96V), Benton, Ky., 13.012
3. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 13.077
4. Ashton Winger (12), Hampton, Ga., 13.096
5. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20RT), Chandler, Ariz., 13.173
6. Gordy Gundaker (11G), St. Charles, Mo., 13.216
7. Brian Shirley (3S), Chatham, Ill., 13.321
8. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 13.346
9. Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., 13.348
10. Johnny Scott (1ST), Las Cruces, N.M., 13.363
11. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.384
12. Jake Timm (49T), Winona, Minn., 13.417
13. Ricky Weiss (7W), Headingley, Manitoba, 13.472
14. Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 13.516
15. Paul Parker (10), Kaukauna, Wis., 13.679
16. Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., 13.694
17. Kyle Strickler (8), Mooresville, N.C., 13.708
18. Chad Mahder (55C), Bloomer, Wis., 13.737
19. Lance Matthees (90), Winona, Minn., 13.796
20. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 14.013
21. Danny Vang (47), Deerwood, Minn., 14.136
22. Sawyer Specht (99), Sheboygan Falls, Wis., 14.173
23. Dustin Walker (14W), Peculiar, Mo., no time
24. Jeff Massingill (6M), Keewatin, Minn., no time
Second group
1. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 13.093
2. Brandon Sheppard (b5), New Berlin, Ill., 13.100
3. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 13.135
4. Hudson O’Neal (1), Martinsville, Ind., 13.161
5. Kye Blight (31AUS), Katanning, W. Australia, 13.199
6. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 13.220
7. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 13.226
8. Drake Troutman (7D), Hyndman, Pa., 13.274
9. Daniel Hilsabeck (22H), Adel, Iowa, 13.310
10. Trevor Gundaker (14G), St. Charles, Mo., 13.349
11. Ethan Dotson (174), Bakersfield, Calif., 13.353
12. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 13.374
13. Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.443
14. Todd Cooney (30), Des Moines, Iowa, 13.449
15. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 13.488
16. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 13.504
17. Jesse Glenz (7x), Chippewa Falls, Wis., 13.546
18. Kaede Loudy (126), Rogersville, Tenn., 13.553
19. James Giossi (11G), Hudson, Wis., 13.574
20. Terry Casey (42), New London, Wis., 13.603
21. Nick Anvelink (15A), Bonduel, Wis., 13.862
22. Dustin Sorensen (28S), Rochester, Minn., 13.959
23. A.J. Diemel (58), Elk Mound, Wis., 14.039
24. Harry Hanson (7H), Eveleth, Minn., 14.143

Thursday’s schedule

(All times local)

3 p.m. - Pits open
5 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- WoO Late Model hot laps
- Limited Late Model hot laps
- WoO Late Model qualifying (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- WoO Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Limited Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- WoO Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Limited Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- WoO Late Model feature (25 laps)
- Limited Late Model feature (30 laps)
- WoO Late Models Fans Fund dash (12 laps)
Postrace party in the Cedar Lake Arena