Dirt on Dirt - Pierce dominates Ultimate's first WoO prelim

May 24

Ultimate Motorsports Park,

Elkin, NC

Sanction: World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series (Ultimate Showdown first semifeature) - $4,000

Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated May 25, 7:57 am)

Pierce dominates Ultimate's first WoO prelim

Ultimate Showdown first semifeature

Bobby Pierce
Cade Dillard
Brandon Sheppard
Kyle Bronson
Brandon Overton
Gray Parton
Tyler Bruening
Daniel Hilsabeck
Tristan Chamberlain
Willie Milliken
Chris Madden
Dalton Jacobs
Cody Overton
Dustin Sorensen
Nick Hoffman
Rich Kuiken Jr.
Richard Lynch
Tommy Jones
Christian Thomas
Matthew Nance

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Gene Lefler

Bobby Pierce in victory lane at Ultimate Motorsports Park.

What won the race: Pole-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., raced largely unchallenged to a dominant victory in Friday's first 25-lap semifeature at Ultimate Motorsports Park, capturing his third World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series-sanctioned win of the season. He collected a $4,000 payday and earned the right to roll from the pole in Saturday's first heat race of Ultimate Late Model Showdown.

Quotable: “It was a tough race track, up on the wheel for 25 laps. I definitely wouldn’t have liked to have been anything but (starting on the) front row,” Pierce said. “Qualifying is so important here all the time and we blew down a heck of a qualifying lap. I think it started with my (pill) draw ... I had a really good draw today. Sometimes it’s the little things like that. (And) going to Bilstein this week, that definitely helped."

Key notes: Pierce set a track record with a 14.867-second lap in time trials. ... Fifth-starting Cade Dillard fought off numerous late-race challenges from Brandon Sheppard and finished second, 2.009 seconds behind Pierce. Dillard will start on the pole of the second heat. ... Sheppard pursued Pierce for the opening 15 circuits before giving way to Dillard and settling for third. ... Brandon Overton improved six positions and completed the top-five finishers. ... The race was slowed by five cautions, the most significant coming for a lap-21 restart incident when fifth-running Gray Parton over-rotated the entrance of turn-one and triggered a multicar stackup that collected Cody Overton, Nick Hoffman, Willie Milliken and Dustin Sorensen. ... Chris Madden spun from eighth to draw the third yellow on lap 20 and was discovered to have a punctured radiator. He finished 11th after his team made makeshift repairs. ... Richard Lynch slowed to bring out the first two stoppages before pulling off on lap 14. ... The inaugural Ultimate Late Model Showdown concludes with Saturday's 60-lap, $35,000-to-win finale.

On the move: Tristan Chamberlain of Richmond, Ind., started 16th and finished ninth.

Winner's sponsors: Pierce’s Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Low Voltage Solutions, Inc., Rio Grande Waste Services, Inc., Hoker Trucking LLC, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Oakwood Tire Center, Bloomington Normal Truck Performance, Carnaghi Towing & Repair, Toyota of Danville, Floyd’s Waste Systems, A Plus Vacuum, Leka Tree Service, Velocita, Bert Transmissions by Budda, Ted Brown’s Quality Paint & Body Shop, VP Race Fuels, Swift Springs, Bilstein Shocks and Performance Bodies.

Points chase: Before Ultimate Motorsports Park: 1. Nick Hoffman (1,926); 2. Brandon Sheppard (1,922); 3. Cade Dillard (1,876); 4. Chris Madden (1,866); 5. Kyle Bronson (1,844); 6. Tyler Bruening (1,818); 7. Bobby Pierce (1,814); 8. Dennis Erb Jr. (1,788); 9. Ryan Gustin (1,754); 10. Dustin Sorensen (1,724); T11. Cody Overton (1,694); T11. Brian Shirley (1,694).

Current weather: Clear, 77°F

Car count: 40

Fast qualifier: Bobby Pierce

Time: 14.867 seconds

Polesitter: Bobby Pierce

Next series race: May 25, Ultimate Motorsports Park (Elkin, NC) $35,000

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

From staff reports

ELKIN, N.C. (May 24) — Updates and results from Friday’s Ultimate Late Model Showdown opener featuring a 25-lap, $4,000-to-win semifeature for World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Semifeature

Pole-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., raced largely unchallenged to a dominant victory in Friday's first 25-lap semifeature at Ultimate Motorsports Park, capturing his third World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series-sanctioned win of the season. He collected a $4,000 payday and earned the right to roll from the pole in Saturday's first heat race of Ultimate Late Model Showdown.

Semifeature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Gray Parton
Row 2: Brandon Sheppard, Cody Overton
Row 3: Cade Dillard, Nick Hoffman
Row 4: Chris Madden, Kyle Bronson
Row 5: Tyler Bruening, Christian Thomas
Row 6: Brandon Overton, Dustin Sorensen
Row 7: Willie Milliken, Daniel Hilsabeck
Row 8: Dalton Jacobs, Tristan Chamberlain
Row 9: Matthew Nance, Tommy Jones
Row 10: Rich Kuiken Jr., Richard Lynch

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 14.867
2. Gray Parton (18p), Rutherfordton, N.C., 15.058
3. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.117
4. Cody Overton (97c), Evans, Ga., 15.127
5. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 15.154
6. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 15.198
7. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 15.218
8. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 15.303
9. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 15.414
10. Christian Thomas (06), Wake Forest, N.C., 15.452
11. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 15.496
12. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 15.549
13. Willie Milliken (1), Roanoke Rapids, N.C., 15.605
14. Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 15.646
15. Dalton Jacobs (7J), Reidsville, N.C., 15.663
16. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 15.680
17. Matthew Nance (4N), Ronda, N.C., 16.058
18. Tommy Jones (31), Traphill, N.C., 16.287
19. Rich Kuiken Jr. (00jr), Concord, N.C., 16.443
20. Richard Lynch (L87), Yadkinsville, N.C., 17.780

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
1 p.m. - Pits open
3 p.m. - Registration opens
3 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
7 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Late Model hot laps
- 602 Crate hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Hornet hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- 602 Crate group qualifying (2 laps)
- Hornet group qualifying (2 laps)
Feature events
- First Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Second Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Hornets (15 laps)
- 602 Crates (20 laps)