Dirt on Dirt - Pierce outduels Gustin, wins Gopher 50 opener

July 3

Deer Creek Speedway,

Spring Valley, MN

Sanction: World of Outlaws Real American Late Model Series (NAPA Gopher State 50 first prelim) - $10,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated July 4, 4:57 am)

Pierce outduels Gustin, wins Gopher 50 opener

NAPA Gopher State 50 first prelim

Bobby Pierce
Ryan Gustin
Tyler Bruening
Tanner English
Tim McCreadie
Nick Hoffman
Dennis Erb Jr.
Brent Larson
Drake Troutman
Chad Simpson
Ethan Dotson
Boom Briggs
Jake Timm
Jake O'Neil
Tristan Chamberlain
Brian Shirley
Michael Leach
Dustin Sorensen
Cody Overton
Blair Nothdurft
Tim Isenberg
Chris Simpson
Nick Panitzke
Aaron Marrant

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Bobby Pierce (32) leads Ryan Gustin (19r) and Dustin Sorensen (19) during a tight midrace battle for the lead.

What won the race: Winning a dazzling back-and-forth battle with polesitter Ryan Gustin, series points leader Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., pulled away over the last 10 laps Thursday at Deer Creek Speedway to grab the opening NAPA Gopher State 50 prelim and his sixth World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series victory of the season. Pierce, winning of the Gopher 50 each of the last two seasons, took the checkers 1.180 seconds ahead of Gustin while fast qualifier Tyler Bruening finished third.

Quotable: "I didn't know where to go (on the last restart) and I really felt like I had a terrible restart through (turns) one and two, so I was pretty worried down the backstretch thinking I might get slid into a three or something," Pierce said. "But what an awesome race me and Gustin had. Thanks to him for racing me clean. A lot of, lot of fun there. Thanks to Deer Creek for having an awesome race track, allowing us to race like that."

Key notes: The fourth-starting Bobby Pierce, who had a 4.5-second lead before a caution with four laps remaining, notched his 37th career WoO victory. ... Pierce led laps 12 and then 18-30, unofficially going ahead a number of other times during his battle with Gustin. ... Gustin led the first 11 laps, then again on laps 13-17. ... Dustin Sorensen restarted third on the 27th lap but a deflating tire dropped him to 18th at the finish. ... Two cautions slowed the 30-lapper, the first on the eighth lap when Nick Panitzke slowed. ... Eighth-running Brian Shirley slowed with a flat right-rear tire on lap 27. ... Sorensen debuted a Fourth of July-themed graphics scheme. ... Thursday and Friday prelims give drivers points that will set the stage for Saturday’s 75-lap, $50,000-to-win finale.

On the move: Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., started 11th and finished fifth.

Winner's sponsors: Pierce’s Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Low Voltage Solutions, Rio Grande Waste Services, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Oakwood Tire Center, Churchill Transport, Collins Brothers Towing, K1, Carnaghi Towing & Repair, Toyota of Danville, Floyd’s Waste Systems, PureMax Racing Oil, A Plus Vacuum, Leka Tree Service, Bert Transmissions by Budda, Ted Brown’s Quality Paint & Body Shop, VP Race Fuels, Swift Springs, Bilstein Shocks, Dirt Car Lift and Performance Bodies.

Points chase: After Deer Creek Thursday: 1. Bobby Pierce (3,144); 2. Nick Hoffman (3,054); 3. Ryan Gustin (2,996); 4. Drake Troutman (2,896); 5. Tim McCreadie (2,894); 6. Dennis Erb Jr. (2,834); 7. Ethan Dotson (2,808); 8. Brian Shirley (2,786); 9. Cody Overton (2,776); 10. Tanner English (2,756).

Current weather: Broken Clouds, 82°F

Car count: 34

Fast qualifier: Tyler Bruening

Time: 14.180 seconds

Polesitter: Ryan Gustin

Heat race winners: Dustin Sorensen, Bobby Pierce, Tyler Bruening, Ryan Gustin

Consolation race winners: Ethan Dotson, Drake Troutman

Provisional starters: Cody Overton, Tristan Chamberlain

Next series race: July 4, Deer Creek Speedway (Spring Valley, MN) $10,000

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

From staff reports

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. — Updates and results from Thursday’s NAPA Auto Parts Gopher State 50 prelim, featuring a 30-lap, $10,000-to-win main event for World of Outlaws-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Winning a dazzling back-and-forth, midrace battle with polesitter Ryan Gustin, series points leader Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., pulled away over the last 10 laps Thursday at Deer Creek Speedway to grab the opener NAPA Gopher State 50 prelim and his sixth World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series victory of the season. Pierce, winning of the Gopher 50 each of the last two seasons, took the checkers 1.180 seconds ahead of Gustin while fast qualifier Tyler Bruening finished third.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Ryan Gustin, Dustin Sorensen
Row 2: Tyler Bruening, Bobby Pierce
Row 3: Boom Briggs, Tanner English
Row 4: Nick Hoffman, Brent Larson
Row 5: Brian Shirley, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 6: Tim McCreadie, Chad Simpson
Row 7: Nick Panitzke, Jake Timm
Row 8: Tim Isenberg, Blair Nothdurft
Row 9: Ethan Dotson, Drake Troutman
Row 10: Aaron Marrant, Chris Simpson
Row 11: Michael Leach, Jake O'Neil
Row 12: Cody Overton, Tristan Chamberlain

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation: Ethan Dotson, Aaron Marrant, Michael Leach, Derrick Stewart, Matthew Larson, Chase Junghans, Steve Stultz, Tristan Chamberlain, J.T. Wasmund.

Second consolation: Drake Troutman, Chris Simpson, Jake O'Neil, Cody Overton, Dylan Sillman, Lance Matthees, Justin Green, Parker Foster, Kyle Bronson.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Dustin Sorensen, Tanner English, Brian Shirley, Nick Panitzke, Ethan Dotson, Tristan Chamberlain, Chase Junghans, Derrick Stewart, Steve Stultz.

Second heat: Bobby Pierce, Boom Briggs, Tim McCreadie, Tim Isenberg, Micahel Leach, Aaron Marrant, Matthew Larson, J.T. Wasmund.

Third heat: Tyler Bruening, Nick Hoffman, Dennis Erb Jr., Jake Timm, Chris Simpson, Jake O'Neil, Kyle Bronson, Lance Matthees, Justin Green.

Fourth heat: Ryan Gustin, Brent Larson, Chad Simpson, Blair Nothdurft, Drake Troutman, Cody Overton, Dylan Sillman, Parker Foster.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Nick Panitzke (22), Lonsdale, Minn., 14.253
2. Boom Briggs (99B), Bear Lake, Pa., 14.267
3. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 14.285
4. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 14.312
5. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 14.322
6. Tim Isenberg (9T), Marshfield, Wis., 14.343
7. Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 14.349
8. Aaron Marrant (1x), Richmond, Mo., 14.376
9. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 14.407
10. Tim McCreadie (9m), Watertown, N.Y., 14.413
11. Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., 14.429
12. Matthew Larson (8), Lake Elmo, Minn., 14.459
13. Derrick Stewart (43), Ainsworth, Iowa, 14.522
14. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 14.532
15. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 14.554
16. J.T. Wasmund (51w), Pine Island, Minn., 14.651
17. Steve Stultz (78s), Peoria, Ariz., 14.785
Group B
1. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 14.180
2. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 14.198
3. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 14.368
4. Blair Nothdurft (76), Renner, S.D., 14.368
5. Jake Timm (49), Winona, Minn., 14.379
6. Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., 14.384
7. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 14.399
8. Cody Overton (2), Evans, Ga., 14.431
9. Jake O’Neil (0), Tucson, Ariz., 14.443
10. Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 14.495
11. Chris Simpson (32), Oxford, Iowa, 14.523
12. Chad Simpson (25), Mount Vernon, Iowa, 14.574
13. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 14.594
14. Dylan Sillman (35D), Alvo, Neb., 14.711
15. Lance Matthees (90), Winona, Minn., 15.008
16. Parker Foster (35), Winona, Minn., 15.648
17. Justin Green (19J), Sheboygan Falls, Wis., no time

Thursday’s schedule

(All times local)
2:30 p.m. - Pits open
3 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (10 laps)
Intermission/WoO redraw
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (12 laps)
Feature events
- Late Models (30 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)