Dirt on Dirt - Pierce outduels B-Shepp, makes it 2-for-2 at Vado

January 5

Vado Speedway Park,

Vado, NM

Sanction: Unsanctioned Supers (Wild West Shootout) - $10,000

Information provided by: Todd Turner, Aaron Clay and track reports (last updated January 6, 5:53 am)

Pierce outduels B-Shepp, makes it 2-for-2 at Vado

Wild West Shootout

Bobby Pierce
Brandon Sheppard
Chase Junghans
Tyler Erb
Ethan Dotson
Garrett Alberson
Drake Troutman
Kyle Beard
Dustin Sorensen
Jake Timm
Collen Winebarger
Stormy Scott
Clay Stuckey
Mike Marlar
Dillon McCowan
Chad Mahder
Sammy Mars
Eston Whisler
Bricen James
Garrett Smith
Ross Bailes
Tony Jackson Jr.
Cade Dillard
Don Shaw

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Bobby Pierce celebrates atop his car in Vado, N.M.

What won the race: Winning a late-race battle with fellow Illinois driver Brandon Sheppard with a last-lap pass, third-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., made it 2-for-2 on the Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout with a $10,000 victory Sunday at Vado Speedway Park. Pierce slipped by Sheppard to lead lap 33 but Sheppard regained the point before Pierce found a way back by on the final circuit to add a $10,000 to his $25,000 victory in Saturday's opener. Sheppard, who took control from surprising early leader Collen Winebarger on the 22nd lap, settled for second after starting seventh.

Quotable: “I didn’t have any more breath left in me. I think I held my breath the last three laps cause (I was) so up on the wheel, I couldn’t even focus anymore,” Pierce said. “I saw there was three (laps) to go and I got to (Brandon Sheppard) and I got really tight coming to the white flag ... Luckily the car hit that corner perfectly on the last lap and got under him down the backstretch. What a race man, ever year in January Vado gives every other race track a run for their money for race of the year.”

Key notes: Pierce won his eighth career Vado victory and sixth in his last seven starts. ... His 14th career Wild West Shootout victory gives him sole possession of first on the miniseries all-time win list (breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Billy Moyer). ... Oregon upstart Collen Winebarger led the first 21 laps, building a 2.2-second lead early before slipping to 11th. ... Runner-up Brandon Sheppard led laps 22-32 and 34-39. ... Two cautions slowed the action, the first on the 11th lap when Don Shaw got into the wall exiting turn four and stopped at the top of the frontstretch. ... A lap-23 caution appeared for a Bricen James spin in turn two. ... Cade Dillard was running fourth when he slowed and pulled to the infield after the lap-12 restart. ... Ross Bailes worked his way from 13th to sixth but faded with nosepiece issues. ... An open practice session is scheduled for Tuesday, with the third round of the miniseries set for Wednesday.

On the move: Chase Junghans of Manhattan, Kan., started 15th and finished third.

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, Churchill Transport, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Collins Brothers Towing, Toyota of Danville, Carnaghi Towing & Repair, Ted Brown’s Quality Paint & Body Shop, Fast1 Speed Shop, Velocita, Floyd’s Waste Systems, VP Racing Fuels, Leka Tree Service, Longhorn Dynamics, Bilstein, American Racing Wheels, Arizona Sport Shirts, Bell Helmets, Bert Transmissions by Budda, Swift Springs, DirtCarLift, Dotcommon Designs, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends and Full Throttle Promos.

Points chase: After Sunday: 1. Bobby Pierce (174); 2. Brandon Sheppard (159); 3. Garrett Alberson (150); 4. Tyler Erb (147); 5. Ethan Dotson (141).

Current weather: Clear, 39°F

Car count: 47

Fast qualifier: Garrett Alberson

Time: 14.304 seconds

Polesitter: Mike Marlar

Dash winner: Mitch McGrath

Heat race winners: Collen Winebarger, Mike Marlar, Garrett Alberson, Bobby Pierce

Consolation race winners: Kyle Beard, Bricen James

Next series race: Jan. 8, Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park, third round ($10,000)

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

From staff reports

VADO, N.M. (Jan. 5) — Updates and results from Sunday’s second round of the 19th annual Wild West Shootout, featuring a 40-lap, $10,000-to-win feature for unsanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Winning a late-race battle with fellow Illinois driver Brandon Sheppard with a last-lap pass, third-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., made it 2-for-2 on the Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout with a $10,000 victory Sunday at Vado Speedway Park. Pierce slipped by Sheppard to lead lap 33, but Sheppard regained the point before Pierce found a way back by on the final circuit to add a $10,000 to his $25,000 victory in Saturday's opener. Sheppard, who took the lead from surprising early leader Collen Winebarger on the 22nd lap, settled for second after starting seventh.

Feature lineup

(40 laps)

Row 1: Mike Marlar, Collen Winebarger
Row 2: Bobby Pierce, Garrett Alberson
Row 3: Eston Whisler, Cade Dillard
Row 4: Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Erb
Row 5: Drake Troutman, Tony Jackson Jr.
Row 6: Ethan Dotson, Don Shaw
Row 7: Ross Bailes, Stormy Scott
Row 8: Chase Junghans, Clay Stuckey
Row 9: Kyle Beard, Brice James
Row 10: Jake Timm, Sammy Mars
Row 11: Dustin Sorensen, Garrett Smith
Row 12: Chad Mahder, Dillon McCowan

Dash

(10 laps)

Pro Power Dash: Mitch McGrath, Jason Riggs, Carson Brown, Rob Sanders, Steve Stultz, Terry Carter, Joel Collins, Jake Neal, Kent Rosevear, Jason Miles.

Consolation race results

(12 laps; top four transfer)

First consolation: Kyle Beard, Jake Timm, Dustin Sorensen, Chad Mahder, Mitch McGrath, Jake Neal, Kent Rosevear, Carson Brown, Rob Sanders, Keaton Smith, Luke Solis, Shawn DeForest, Brennon Willard, Richard Papenhausen, Jon Kirby, Jack Riggs.

Second consolation: Bricen James, Sammy Mars, Garrett Smitih, Dillon McCowan, Jason Riggs, Jason Miles, Terry Carter, Steve Stultz, Joel Collins, Michael Hucovski, Jimmy Whisler, Keko Perez, Thomas Hunziker. Scratched: Seth Daniels.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat finish: Collen Winebarger, Eston Whisler, Drake Troutman, Ross Bailes, Kyle Beard, Dustin Sorensen, Jake Timm, Jack Riggs, Mitch McGrath, Carson Brown, Chad Mahder, Shawn DeForest.

Second heat finish: Mike Marlar, Brandon Sheppard, Ethan Dotson, Chase Junghans, Brennon Willard, Kent Rosevear, Rob Sanders, Jon Kirby, Jake Neal, Richard Papenhausen, Keaton Smith, Luke Solis.

Third heat finish: Garrett Alberson, Cade Dillard, Tony Jackson Jr., Stormy Scott, Bricen James, Garrett Smith, Sam Mars, Thomas Hunziker, Jason Riggs, Terry Carter, Joel Collins. Scratched: Jimmy Whisler.

Fourth heat finish: Bobby Pierce, Tyler Erb, Don Shaw, Clayton Stuckey, Preston Luckman, Dillon McCowan, Jason Miles, Steve Stultz, Keko Perez, Seth Daniels, Michael Hucovski.

Time trials

Driver (no.), hometown, time
Group A
1. Collen Winebarger (14S), Corbett, Ore., 14.606
2. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 14.683
3. Eston Whisler (82), Otis, Ore., 14.727
4. Brennon Willard (3), Lebanon, Mo., 14.784
5. Jack Riggs (81J), Nolensville, Tenn., 14.801
6. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 14.854
7. Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 14.884
8. Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., 14.893
9. Ross Bailes (69), Clover, S.C., 14.913
10. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 14.915
11. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 14.916
12. Kent Rosevear (02), Yuma, Ariz., 14.995
13. Jake Timm (49), Winona, Minn., 15.009
14. Rob Sanders (10N), Bakersfield, Calif., 15.062
15. Carson Brown (28B), New London, N.C., 15.066
16. Richard Papenhausen (4P), Chico, Calif., 15.081
17. Mitch McGrath (74), Waukesha, Wis., 15.152
18. Jake Neal (6), Omaha, Neb., 15.192
19. Kyle Beard (86), Trumann, Ark., 15.233
20. Jon Kirby (11), Russellville, Ark., 15.262
21. Chad Mahder (55C), Bloomer, Wis., 15.306
22. Keaton Smith (K7), Clinton, S.C., 15.456
23. Shawn DeForest (74D), Livermore, Calif., 16.580
24. Luke Solis (99), El Paso, Texas, 16.741
Group B
1. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 14.304
2. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 14.465
3. Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., 14.504
4. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 14.548
5. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 14.554
6. Don Shaw (42S), Ham Lake, Minn., 14.647
7. Tony Jackson Jr. (56), Lebanon, Mo., 14.705
8. Preston Luckman (77), Coos Bay, Ore., 14.762
9. Sam Mars (28M), Menomonie, Wis., 14.790
10. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 14.902
11. Garrett Smith (10), Eatonton, Ga., 14.908
12. Clayton Stuckey (15S), Shreveport, La., 14.926
13. Bricen James (13), Albany, Ore., 14.968
14. Michael Hucovski (88), Corcoran, Minn., 15.018
15. Jimmy Whisler (28), Otis, Ore., 15.082
16. Steve Stultz (78s), Peoria, Ariz., 15.083
17. Seth Daniels (S21), Jackson, Ohio, 15.093
18. Jason Riggs (81), College Grove, Tenn., 15.118
19. Jason Miles (53M), Nacogdoches,Texas, 15.222
20. Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 15.488
21. Terry Carter (6T), Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, 15.595
22. Keko Perez (3), Chihuahua, Mexico, 15.835
23. Joel Collins (21x), Princeton, Minn., no time

Sunday’s schedule

(All times local)
1 p.m. - Pits open
2 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
3 p.m. - Grandstands open
3:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- X-mod hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model group qualifying
5 p.m. - Opening ceremonies
- X-mod heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 or 10 laps)
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
Consolations
- X-mods (10 laps)
- Modifieds (12 laps)
- Late Models (12 laps)
- Late Model dash (8 laps)
Features
- Late Models (40 laps)
- X-mods (25 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)