Dirt on Dirt - Pierce powers to win first Florence prelim, $6,000

August 8

Florence Speedway,

Union, KY

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (North-South 100 Friday first semifeature) - $6,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated August 9, 2:29 pm)

Pierce powers to win first Florence prelim, $6,000

North-South 100 Friday first semifeature

Bobby Pierce
Jonathan Davenport
Brandon Overton
Brandon Sheppard
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Zack Dohm
Michael Chilton
Dustin Nobbe
Max Blair
Josh Rice
Jimmy Owens
Chris Ferguson
Cory Hedgecock
Joseph Joiner
Clay Harris
Adam Stricker
Daulton Wilson
Blake Creech
Dan Ebert
Mike Bargo
Chad Stapleton
Michael Leach
Conner Mertens
Calvin Carlton
Billy Green
Austin Lay

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Bobby Pierce heads for a $6,000 payday at Florence Speedway.

What won the race: Sliding by race-long leader Jonathan Davenport as they completed the 15th lap, fourth-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., led the final 11 circuits to win Friday's first $6,000 Sunoco North-South 100 semifeature. Pierce pulled away on a late-race restart, beating Davenport by 1.961 seconds for his third Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory this season.

Quotable: “It’s very tough (to lead here), these corners come up (and) you have so many different lines to choose from. J.D. kinda likes to run that middle line coming out. (It was a) great track, it had a bottom, middle, top,” Pierce said. “Thanks to my ‘lovers’ up here, thanks to them (referring to booing fans).”

Key notes: Pierce, gunning for his fourth career North-South 100 finale and third straight (2023-'24), notched his fourth prelim victory in the last three years. ... Pierce earned full-field series victories in May 24's Show-Me 100 at Wheatland, Mo. ($75,000) and July 15 at Iowa's Shelby County Speedway ($25,053). ... Jonathan Davenport led the opening 14 laps from the pole and, at one point, raced four-wide with Pierce through lapped traffic before eventually giving way to him on a turn-three slide job. ... Second-starting Brandon Overton slipped as low as fourth on lap five before regaining third from Daulton Wilson on the 14th lap. ... Wilson, winner of Thursday's second $6,000 prelim, slowed from fourth with a flat left-rear tire on lap 22, triggering the race's only caution. He pitted and continued to finish 17th. ... Ricky Thornton Jr. briefly held fourth on the lap-22 restart before Brandon Sheppard slipped by on the final lap. ... Joseph Joiner started 25th and finished 14th aboard his backup car after mechanical issues caused him to slow during heat race action. ... Chad Stapleton earned $1,034 for being 34th overall fastest in qualifying. He soldiered to a 21st-place finish. ... The night's first 25-lap semifeature lasted just shy of 10 minutes, with 19 starters completing the distance. ... Driver performances from Thursday and Friday semifeatures set heat-race lineups for Saturday's program that's capped by the $75,000-to-win weekend finale.

On the move: Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., started 17th and finished ninth aboard a backup car after engine issues on his primary machine during hot laps.

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: Before Florence: 1. Jonathan Davenport (6,355); 2. Ricky Thornton Jr. (6,340); 3. Hudson O’Neal (6,065); 4. Devin Moran (5,960); 5. Garrett Alberson (5,810); 6. Brandon Sheppard (5,785); 7. Brandon Overton (5,505); 8. Daulton Wilson (5,150); 9. Carson Ferguson (4,840); 10. Donald McIntosh (4,765).

Current weather: Scattered Clouds, 82°F

Car count: 51

Fast qualifier: Jonathan Davenport

Time: 15.734 seconds

Polesitter: Jonathan Davenport

Heat race winners: Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, Daulton Wilson

Next series race: August 9, Florence Speedway (Union, KY) $75,000

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

From staff reports

UNION, Ky. — Live updates from Friday’s 43rd annual North-South 100 second preliminary night, highlighted by two 25-lap, $6,000-to-win split-field semifeatures for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Semifeature

Sliding by race-long leader Jonathan Davenport as they completed the 15th lap, fourth-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., led the final 11 circuits to win Friday's first $6,000 North-South 100 semifeature. Pierce pulled away on a late-race restart, beating Davenport by 1.961 seconds for his third overall Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory this season.

Semifeature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton
Row 2: Daulton Wilson, Bobby Pierce
Row 3: Brandon Sheppard, Zack Dohm
Row 4: Ricky Thornton Jr., Dustin Nobbe
Row 5: Chris Ferguson, Michael Chilton
Row 6: Cory Hedgecock, Josh Rice
Row 7: Blake Creech, Clay Harris
Row 8: Jimmy Owens, Adam Stricker
Row 9: Max Blair, Dan Ebert
Row 10: Conner Mertens, Michael Leach
Row 11: Mike Bargo, Billy Green
Row 12: Chad Stapleton, Austin Lay
Row 13: Joseph Joiner, Calvin Carlton

Heat race results

(Eight laps; all transfer)

First heat: Jonathan Davenport, Bobby Pierce, Ricky Thornton Jr., Michael Chilton, Blake Creech, Adam Stricker, Conner Mertens, Billy Green, Joseph Joiner.

Second heat: Brandon Overton, Brandon Sheppard, Dustin Nobbe, Cory Hedgecock, Clay Harris, Max Blair, Michael Leach, Chad Stapleton, Calvin Carlton.

Third heat: Daulton Wilson, Zack Dohm, Chris Ferguson, Josh Rice, Jimmy Owens, Dan Ebert, Mike Bargo, Austin Lay.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 15.734
2. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 15.893
3. Zack Dohm (17D), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 15.958
4. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 16.022
5. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 16.055
6. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 16.113
7. Joseph Joiner (10), Milton, Fla., 16.115
8. Cory Hedgecock (23), Loudon, Tenn., 16.131
9. Chris Ferguson (22F), Mount Holly, N.C., 16.152
10. Bobby Pierce (32p), Oakwood, Ill., 16.292
11. Dustin Nobbe (5n), Batesville, Ind., 16.316
12. Josh Rice (11R), Crittenden, Ky., 16.363
13. Blake Creech (317), Richmond, Ind., 16.411
14. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 16.434
15. Mike Bargo (3:16), Corbin, Ky., 16.463
16. Adam Stricker (11), Batavia, Ohio, 16.478
17. Chad Stapleton (32), Edinburgh, Ind., 16.580
18. Austin Lay (33aj), Florence, Ky., 16.601
19. Michael Chilton (6m), Salvisa, Ky., 16.618
20. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 16.627
21. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 16.647
22. Billy Green (49G), Walton, Ky., 16.660
23. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 16.711
24. Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 16.953
25. Conner Mertens (81), Charlestown, Ind., 17.473
26. Calvin Carlton (c6), Lawrenceburg, Ky., 17.587

Friday’s schedule 

(All times local)
2 p.m. - Hall of Fame building opens
2:30 p.m. - Pits closed and cleared
3 p.m. - Pits reopen
3:15 p.m. - Tech and registration opens
5:30 p.m. - Grandstands closed and cleared
6 p.m. - Grandstands reopen
6:15 p.m. - Tech and registration closes
6:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
7 p.m. - On-track activity (Hall of Fame building closes)
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model first semifeature (25 laps)
- Late Model second semifeature (25 laps)