NEW RICHMOND, Wis. — Bobby Pierce wasn't literally trying to make it rain Saturday at Cedar Lake Speedway, but the Oakwood, Ill., driver continued his remarkable summer of figurative rainmaking with another $50,000 victory.

On a night when threatening weather and an arriving rainstorm hit the 3/8-mile oval to shorten the 37th annual USA Nationals to 56 laps from the scheduled 100, Pierce grabbed his 11th World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series victory of the season and 29th of his career.

As it turned out, when officials decided the rain-soaked surface was too wet to race, Pierce had his hands full in trying to repel challenges from seventh-starting Kyle Bronson and 11th-starting Dustin Sorensen, whose high-groove run nearly carried him to the lead before the yellow and checkered flags fell together

"They made me pretty nervous," the 27-year-old Pierce said in a soggy victory lane after his fourth $50,000 payday in a month, adding that it "was nerve-wracking not being able to have eyes in the back of my head there. Kyle said Dustin was coming on the top pretty good."

Pierce held on and — upon Bronson's suggestion — decided to celebrate his victory with a muddy dip into the infield pond along with his girlfriend Abby Foster. ("I thought I was going to sink in there," Pierce said.)

"I know it sucks to not be able to complete the 100 laps for these fans," Pierce said. "They give us a lot of support here. I can't thank them all enough, Cedar Lake Speedway and everyone for coming out. It's just, what do you do?"

Brandon Fla.'s Bronson, who took the second spot from polesitter Jonathan Davenport on lap 43, notched his best WoO finish since May and inched up to fourth in series points while Rochester, Minn.'s Sorensen, the tour's leading rookie, posted his third top-five finish of the season. Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, who joined Pierce as a preliminary feature winner on Friday, was fourth in the finale while Blairsville, Ga.'s Davenport led the first lap but faded to finish fifth.

Pierce's victory helped him gain on WoO points leader Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., who was running second when he lost a fuel line on the first lap and was forced to the pits for lengthy repairs. He returned 19 laps down and finished 27th in the 29-car field.

While Davenport led the first lap, Pierce took command on the restart following Sheppard's departure  and wasn't seriously challenged through race's early stages as dooming clouds continued to build west of the track and lightning began to appear.

With drivers aware the race could be cut short and declared official after 51 laps, a lap-46 caution for a slowing Jason Feger caused some tense moments as sprinkles began to fall. Pierce faced his pursuers and a slickening track in the final moments before officials called the race.

"Once it got slick there and I had to run across that black" strip on the track surface, Pierce said. "I think it was almost harder on me being out front because by the time I've come around, I get that first layer (of moisture) off and then it gets better as the field goes on, right? And then the field comes around and it rains on it again then I hit it again.

"I knew we had to hold them off to lap 51 and I hated to see that caution come out lap 46. I saw that lightning and I knew it was coming and there's more behind it."

Pierce was able to keep his challengers at bay, but Bronson and Sorenson were hot on his heels with Gustin just behind. Bronson questioned his own late-race tactics.

"Our car was really, really good today and like I said, we made a couple of bad moves," he said. "I should have been running the top there instead of trying to run below Bobby there, but it's starting to sprinkle there and it's kind of hard running in that black there in the rain. Dustin about slipped by us both there at the end."

Sorensen wasn't sure he'd have had the car to win in a 100-lapper, "but damn, I hated to see that rain," said the driver who got rolling on the high side. "I should have done moved up to the top a couple of laps sooner. But who knows what would have happened. If I would have, I'm sure (Pierce's spotter and father) Bob would have moved Bobby up real quick there once I got into second, but I would loved to have a shot. Third's still great, but man, that sucks. What could've been?"

He couldn't be disappointed his a third-place finish, his second-best performance in WoO action to his runner-up finish June 22 at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway.

"It's huge. I mean, I want to race tomorrow now," he said."We've been getting better and better and (to) come back to a track, but I got a lot of laps that helps, but to be running up front with these guys, I mean, starting 11th and running up through here with the caliber competition that's here. I mean, all the Lucas (Oil Series) guys and all the World of Outlaws guys are here, so it's, pretty badass. Congrats to Bobby on the win. He's been pretty much unbeatable lately."

The race was slowed by five cautions, counting the yellow that halted the race. Besides the cautions for Sheppard (lap 1) and Feger (lap 46), yellow flags also dropped for the slowing cars of Shannon Babb (lap 18) and Tyler Erb (lap 22).

Notes: Feature cars hit the track about 8 p.m. as northwestern skies were threatening after a surface regrooming. ... Officials had moved the program up 90 minutes to try and beat the weather. ... Besides his fuel pickup issues, Brandon Sheppard had problems in the afternoon with his primary car's engine, forcing him to a backup car. ... Before making his first USA Nationals start (and finishing 11th), Sammy Mars of Menomonie, Wis. won the evening's feature for weekly Late Models, his fifth Cedar Lake victory of the season. ... Twenty-two of 29 starters completed 56 laps.

37th annual USA Nationals
Pos. Driver (car no.), hometown, chassis, earnings
1. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., Longhorn, $50,000
2. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., Longhorn, $20,000
3. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., Longhorn, $10,000
4. Ryan Gustin (19r), Marshalltown, Iowa, Infinity, $6,000
5. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., Longhorn, $5,000
6. Hudson O'Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., Longhorn, $4,800
7. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., Longhorn, $4,600
8. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., Longhorn, $4,400
9. Tim McCreadie (1), Watertown, N.Y., Rocket, $4,200
10. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., Longhorn, $4,000
11. Sammy Mars (28), Menomonie, Wis., MB Customs, $3,800
12. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., Longhorn, $3,600
13. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, Rocket, $3,400
14. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, Longhorn, $3,350
15. Ricky Weiss (7), Headingley, Manitoba, Sniper, $3,300
16. Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., Longhorn, $3,250
17. Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., Longhorn, $3,200
18. Max McLaughlin (22*), Mooresville, N.C., Longhorn, $3,150
19. Mike Marlar (57), Winfield, Tenn., Longhorn, $3,100
20. Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., Longhorn, $3,075
21. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., Rocket, $3,050
22. Garrett Smith (10), Eatonton, Ga., Rocket, $3,025
23. Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., Team Zero, $3,010
24. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., Longhorn, $0
25. Cody Overton (97), Evans, Ga., Excel, $3,000
26. Chad Mahder (55c), Bloomer, Wis., MB Customs, $3,000, $3,000
27. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., Longhorn, $3,000
28. Gordy Gundaker (11), St. Charles, Mo., Longhorn, $3,000
29. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., Longhorn, $3,000
Lap leaders (shortened to 56 laps by rain): Davenport 1; Pierce 2-56
Dash winners: Davenport, Thornton
Consolation race winners: Breuning, Erb
Last-chance winner: Mars
Provisional starters: D. Erb, Overton, Weiss, Bloomquist, Chamberlain
Preliminary feature winners (among 48 cars): Pierce, Gustin

Feature lineup

(100 laps)

Row 1: Jonathan Davenport, Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Brandon Sheppard, Brian Shirley
Row 3: Nick Hoffman, Tim McCreadie
Row 4: Kyle Bronson, Ryan Gustin
Row 5: Ricky Thornton Jr., Garrett Smith
Row 6: Dustin Sorensen, Brent Larson
Row 7: Hudson O'Neal, Jason Feger
Row 8: Ethan Dotson, Shannon Babb
Row 9: Tyler Bruening, Tyler Erb
Row 10: Cade Dillard, Max McLaughlin
Row 11: Mike Marlar, Chad Mahder
Row 12: Sammy Mars, Gordy Gundaker
Row 13: Dennis Erb Jr., Cody Overton
Row 14: Ricky Weiss, Scott Bloomquist
Row 15: Tristan Chamberlain

Last-chance race result

(15 laps; top two transfer)

Finish: Sammy Mars, Gordy Gundaker, Mitch McGrath, Kye Blight, Jordan Yaggy, James Giossi, Lance Hofer, Chase Junghans, Trevor Gundaker, Joe Chalmers, Lance Matthees, Mike Spatola, Paul Parker, Bob Gardner.

Dash results

(Six laps)

First dash (sets rows 1-4 of main event): Jonathan Davenport, Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Brian Shirley, Nick Hoffman, Tim McCreadie, Kyle Bronson, Ryan Gustin.

Second dash (sets rows 5-8 of main event): Ricky Thornton Jr., Garrett Smith, Dustin Sorensen, Brent Larson, Hudson O'Neal, Jason Feger, Ethan Dotson, Shannon Babb.

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top three transfer)

First consolation: Tyler Bruening, Cade Dillard, Mike Marlar, Chase Junghans, Cody Overton, Gordy Gundaker, Kye Blight, Dennis Erb Jr., Lance Hofer, Paul Parker, Tristan Chamberlian, Joe Chalmers, Trevor Gundaker, Parker Foster, Thoams Hunziker. Scratched: Nick Anvelink.

Second consolation: Tyler Erb, Max McLaughlin, Chad Mahder, Ricky Weiss, Scott Bloomquist, Sammy Mars, Jordan Yaggy, James Giossi, Mitch McGrath, Bob Gardner, Mike Spatola, Lance Matthees, Aaron Marrant, Dustin Walker, Jeff Roth. Scratched: Tim Isenberg.

Dash lineups

First dash
(Six laps; sets rows 1-4 for 100-lapper)
Row 1: Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Sheppard
Row 2: Bobby Pierce, Tim McCreadie
Row 3: Brian Shirley, Nick Hoffman
Row 4: Ryan Gustin, Kyle Bronson
Second dash
(Six laps; sets rows 5-8 for 100-lapper)
Row 1: Garrett Smith, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 2: Dustin Sorensen, Brent Larson
Row 3: Hudson O’Neal, Jason Feger
Row 4: Ethan Dotson, Cade Dillard

Consolation race lineups

(10 laps; top three transfer)
First consolation
Row 1: Shannon Babb, Chase Junghans
Row 2: Tyler Bruening, Mike Marlar
Row 3: Kye Blight, Cody Overton
Row 4: Dennis Erb Jr., Gordy Gundaker
Row 5: Nick Anvelink, Paul Parker
Row 6: Lance Hofer, Joe Chalmers
Row 7: Tristan Chamberlain, Thomas Hunziker
Row 8: Parker Foster, Trevor Gundaker
Second consolation
Row 1: Max McLaughlin, Tyler Erb
Row 2: Ricky Weiss, Chad Mahder
Row 3: Jordan Yaggy, Aaron Marrant
Row 4: Sammy Mars, Scott Bloomquist
Row 5: Bob Gardner, James Giossi
Row 6: Mike Spatola, Lance Matthees
Row 7: Jeff Roth, Mitch McGrath
Row 8: Tim Isenberg, Dustin Walker

Saturday’s schedule

(All times local; updated with adjusted times)
4:30 p.m. - Drivers' meeting
5 p.m. - On-track activity
- WoO hot laps (consolation entrants)
- Limited Late Model hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- WoO consolations (10 laps)
- Limited Late Model heats (8 laps)
- WoO dashes (6 laps)
- Limited Late Model consolation (12 laps)
- WoO last-chance race (15 laps)
- Limited Late Model feature (25 laps)
Track prep and driver introductions
- 37th annual USA Nationals (100 laps)