HomeDirt Late Model NewsPierce Collects $50,000 for First Career Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals

Pierce Collects $50,000 for First Career Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals

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KNOXVILLE, IA (September 21, 2024) – Bobby Pierce made history by becoming the 15th different driver to win the Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals presented by Your Life Iowa. He claimed the $50,000 top prize on Saturday night in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned event.

Pierce led 67 of the 75 laps to earn his 34th feature win of the 2024 season. Brian Shirley, who won the 2006 Late Model Knoxville Nationals, came from the 15th starting position to finish in the runner-up spot.ย Devin Moran rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. Garrett Alberson came from 12th to take fourth and Tim McCreadie finished fifth to earn the final spot in the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship presented by ARP.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the sixth time this season and for the 23rd time in his career, Pierce survived a red flag with 15 laps to go for a near half-hour rain delay after he had regained the lead from Hudson Oโ€™Neal on lap 43.

Pierce and Jonathan Davenport started on the front row. Pierce grabbed the early lead on the first circuit, while Moran, who started third, quickly made his way into second. While Pierce was stretching his lead out over the field, Moran held the second position until Davenport took the spot on lap 19.

Oโ€™Neal then began a charge to the front. After starting in fifth, he climbed to second place by lap 20. He then stalked Pierce until he took over the lead from Pierce after a lap 35 restart. Oโ€™Neal then battled with Pierce for the top spot until lap 43, when Pierce regained a lead he would never relinquish.

Oโ€™Neal stayed in second as he appeared to be headed for the Big Steel Big Four playoff spot, but after a lap 55 caution, he was never the same. He fell through the field, eventually pitting before the rain delay on lap 60. He finished 15th.

On the restart after the rain delay, Pierce would hold a steady lead as McCreadie would get by Shirley on lap 61, but Shirley returned the favor, reclaiming second on lap 63. Shirley then tried to track down Pierce but fell short of his second win at Knoxville.

โ€œThat was the problem being first on the restart,โ€ said Pierce, who saw Oโ€™Neal grab the lead on a lap 35 restart after a caution for Dillon McCowan. โ€œThe track was going through a transition there; if you go to the top, you might get passed on the bottom or vice versa. Hudson got by me, but it looked like he was struggling; he was laid over in the corners. I could tell I could stay with him in the corners, and whenever you can be that close to somebody on this big of a track, you know you have a good car thatโ€™s probably better than theirs,โ€ said the Oakwood, Illinois native.

He [Oโ€™Neal] got a little tight of four, and I had a good slider there in one, and from then on, it was just nerve-racking hanging on to the lead, donโ€™t jump the cushion. Back with Dunn-Benson in 2018, you know, racing for them, I think I slid Jimmy [Owens] for the lead, and I jumped the cushion, and I ended up not winning that race because of it. The last time I was here two years ago, I had some mechanical issues that took me out of the race while I was leading. It feels great to win this race. Itโ€™s an awesome place. Itโ€™s such a unique track; everything about this place is very unique. It really doesnโ€™t race like anywhere else. Itโ€™s a lot of fun out there. I am glad to have a fast race car to win tonight.โ€

Shirley, who won the race 18 years ago after spinning early in that race, came from 31st place to win. This time, he came up 1.178 seconds short at the finish.

โ€œI felt like my car was good. It was just one of those things on that restart the motor was laying down. There are not many times you can get a restart that could be that phenomenal. Itโ€™s pretty cool; itโ€™s two of my kidsโ€™ birthday today. I wish it could have been a little different at the end. Weโ€™ll keep fighting, though.โ€

Moran recorded his best career finish in the crown jewel event, coming home third.

โ€œThatโ€™s the Knoxville we come to race for. They did a great job on the track with the weather. I am glad it rained there a little, I think it made the track even better. I am glad to get out of here in one piece, and Iโ€™m ready to come next year.โ€

The winnerโ€™s Bobby Pierce Racing, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Hoker Trucking, Low Voltage Solutions, Churchill Transport, Toyota of Danville, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Rio Grande Waste Services, Collins Brothers Towing, Carnaghi Towing and Repair, Ted Brownโ€™s Quality Paint and Body Shop, A-Plus Vacuum, VP Fuels, Leka Tree Service and American Racing Wheels.

Jonathan Davenport, Ryan Gustin, Chase Junghans, Brandon Sheppard, and Chris Simpson completed the top ten.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Race Summary

Knoxville Late Model Nationals | Night 3

Saturday, September 21, 2024

Knoxville Raceway โ€“ Knoxville, IA

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (15 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 16-Tyler Bruening[1]; 2. 62-Justin Zeitner[4]; 3. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 4. 6-Clay Harris[7]; 5. 76-Blair Nothdurft[5]; 6. 51-Matt Furman[6]; 7. 35D-Dylan Sillman[9]; 8. 48-Tim Lance[10]; 9. 93-Cory Lawler[11]; 10. 10-Junior Coover[12]; 11. 93X-Brenden Smith[2]; 12. 1X-Aaron Marrant[8]; 13. 42-Johnathan Huston[13]; 14. 6H-Al Humphrey[14]; 15. (DNS) 45D-Dan Battaglia; 16. (DNS) 77-Jeremy Petty

Knoxville Late Model Nationals | Night 3 Feature Finish (75 Laps):

Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Pay

1 – 1 – 32P – Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – $50,000

2 – 15 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $25,000

3 – 3 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $12,700

4 – 12 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $9,450

5 – 4 – 1 – Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – $10,300

6 – 2 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $9,800

7 – 8 – 30 – Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – $6,500

8 – 19 – 18 – Chase Junghans – Manhattan, KS – $6,000

9 – 7 – B5 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $5,500

10 – 21 – 32 – Chris Simpson – Oxford, IA – $5,000

11 – 27 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – $5,600

12 – 18 – 157 – Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – $4,700

13 – 22 – 7T – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – $4,300

14 – 17 – 93F – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $3,900

15 – 5 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $4,300

16 – 6 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $3,900

17 – 25 – 16 – Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – $3,300

18 – 10 – 8M – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – $3,000

19 – 23 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Martinsville, IN – $13,800

20 – 32 – 93 – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – $4,000

21 – 9 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – $3,700

22 – 11 – 10S – Garrett Smith – Madison, GA – $3,000

23 – 14 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – $2,700

24 – 29 – 76 – Blair Nothdurft – Renner, SD – $2,900

25 – 28 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $3,200

26 – 13 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $2,500

27 – 20 – 25C – Chad Simpson – Mt. Vernon, IA – $2,500

28 – 24 – 99B – Boom Briggs – Bear Lake, PA – $3,000

29 – 16 – 7 – Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE – $3,200

30 – 30 – 51 – Matt Furman – Iowa City, IA – $2,700

31 – 26 – 62 – Justin Zeitner – Malvern, IA – $2,700

32 – 31 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – $3,500

 

Race Statistics

Entrants: 40

Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Bobby Pierce

Lap Leaders: Bobby Pierce (Laps 1-34); Hudson Oโ€™Neal (Laps 35-42); Bobby Pierce (Laps 43-75)

Wieland Feature Winner: Bobby Pierce

Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: Bobby Pierce

Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: Bobby Pierce

Margin of Victory: 1.178 seconds

Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: Ryan Gustin (Lap 19); Dillon McCowan (Lap 34); Mike Marlar (Lap 55); Hudson Oโ€™Neal (Lap 60)

LOLMDS Series Provisionals: Brenden Smith; Cory Lawler

Fast Time Provisional:ย n/a

LOLMDS Emergency Provisionals: n/a

Track Provisional: n/a

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Bobby Pierce, Brian Shirley, Devin Moran

Penske Shocks Top 5: Bobby Pierce, Brian Shirley, Devin Moran

Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Jimmy Owens (Advanced 16 Positions)

PEM 4th Place Feature: Garrett Alberson

Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Ryan Gustin

Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Drake Troutman

MD3 Most Laps Led: Bobby Pierce (67 Laps)

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Garrett Alberson

Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Oโ€™Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Drake Troutman

Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Bobby Pierce (Lap 2 | 18.344 seconds)

Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Hudson Oโ€™Neal

Miller Welders Hard Luck Award: Brenden Smith

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Bob Pierce (Bobby Pierce)

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Vic Hill Race Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draftย Fastest in Hot Laps: Brian Shirley (19.043 seconds)

Time of Race: 67 minutes 9 seconds

 

Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Pay

1 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Martinsville, IN – 5770 – $383,569

2 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 5770 – $323,555

3 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 5770 – $317,250

4 – 1 – Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 5770 – $211,125

5 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 5060 – $174,203

6 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 4925 – $144,505

7 – 157 – Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – 4735 – $137,715

8 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – 4730 – $156,735

9 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 4520 – $97,465

10 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 4450 – $109,040

11 – 7T – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 4060 – $87,935

12 – 7 – Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE – 3910 – $80,630

13 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 3905 – $57,725

14 – 99B – Boom Briggs – Bear Lake, PA – 3480 – $49,905

15 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 3390 – $37,230

16 – 93F – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 3215 – $56,015

17 – 93 – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 3205 – $23,325

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