Dirt on Dirt - Surviving traffic scares, Pierce tops Vado again

January 10

Vado Speedway Park,

Vado, NM

Sanction: Unsanctioned Supers (Wild West Shootout) - $11,000

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden and track reports (last updated January 11, 1:12 am)

Surviving traffic scares, Pierce tops Vado again

Wild West Shootout

Bobby Pierce
Garrett Alberson
Shannon Babb
Dustin Sorensen
Preston Luckman
Justin Duty
Cade Dillard
Tyler Erb
Drake Troutman
Rodney Sanders
Collen Winebarger
Jake Timm
Ricky Weiss
Sam Mars
Clay Stuckey
B.J. Robinson
Mikey Kile
Jon Kirby
Kyle Beard
Mike Marlar
Morgan Bagley
Bricen James
Tyler Stevens
Kyle Larson

presented by

Live video Photo slideshow Feature highlights Heat highlights Video recap Related story Race history

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Bobby Pierce and his girlfriend, Abby Foster, celebrate his second straight Wild West Shootout victory.

What won the race: Surviving two hairy moments amid lapped traffic late in the distance, Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., held on to capture Wednesday night’s 30-lap Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts feature at Vado Speedway Park. The 27-year-old star briefly lost the lead to Garrett Alberson on lap 20 and traded paint with a slower machine six laps later but beat Alberson to the finish line by 1.165 seconds for his second straight $11,000 victory.

Quotable: “I didn’t expect the track to do that,” Pierce said of the surface becoming bottom-dominant. “I thought the top would’ve been there too … it’s just one of them deals where I guess it got so crumby and no one was up there to blow it off. I was glad that we got back out front there on Shannon (Babb) ... (and) lapped traffic was crazy. They’re holding their lines, they’re doing what they can … it’s just a tricky situation with the racetrack. That’s the only line to choose from. I tried to go around one of them and almost got passed so I kind of had to use the chrome horn here.”

Key notes: Pierce led laps 1, 4-19 and 21-30; Shannon Babb shot ahead to pace laps 2-3 while Alberson led lap 20 by inches after Pierce slid high in turn four while working lapped traffic. … Pierce regained command from Alberson off turn two and was never headed thereafter, but he made contact with Jon Kirby racing down the backstretch on lap 26 and Alberson closed until Pierce was able to dispose of Kirby on the homestretch. … Pierce's 10th career WWS triumph was his second in three events to start the 2024 edition, keeping him alive for a $100,000 bonus if he can win the remaining three A-mains. ... Alberson's runner-up finish was his second podium performance of the miniseries. ... Babb continued to improve in his first-ever Vado visit with a third-place finish. He ran in the position for the final 26 laps. ... Kyle Larson brought out the race’s lone caution on lap nine when he slowed with an ignition failure on his K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6 as he ran just outside the top 10. It was originally reported that Larson had a broken right-rear shock, but Rumley said it was actually electrical related. He limped to the pit area and did not continue. ... Polesitter Drake Troutman of Hyndman, Pa., faded to finish ninth, a backslide he tried his best to contain on the initial start that didn't go his way: "I messed up. That was about it to be honest with you. I was trying to go in there and slide Bobby the first turn. We went in there pretty even. Then I tried to fight to the bottom and I was off the bottom already. Shannon was up under me by then. It was kind of too late. ... Literally everything that happened is 100 percent absolutely my fault. It is what it is."

On the move: Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, started 19th and finished eighth.

Winner's sponsors: Pierce’s Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Low Voltage Solutions, Inc., Rio Grande Waste Services, Inc., Hoker Trucking LLC, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Carnaghi Towing & Repair, Floyd’s Waste Systems, PureMax Racing Oil, A Plus Vacuum, Leka Tree Service, Velocita, 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 Wednesday: 1. Bobby Pierce (255); 2. Garrett Alberson (228); 3. Cade Dillard (225); 4. Tyler Erb (216); 5. Shannon Babb (192).

Current weather: Clear, 41°F

Car count: 39

Fast qualifier: Garrett Alberson

Time: 14.175 seconds

Polesitter: Drake Troutman

Heat race winners: Shannon Babb, Bobby Pierce, Dustin Sorensen, Drake Troutman

Consolation race winners: Tyler Stevens, Morgan Bagley

Next series race: Jan. 12, Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park, fourth round ($11,000)

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

From staff reports

VADO, N.M. (Jan. 10) — Updates from Wednesday’s third round of the 18th annual Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts, featuring a 30-lap, $11,000-to-win feature for unsanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Surviving two hairy moments amid lapped traffic late in the distance, Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., held on to capture Wednesday night’s 30-lap Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts feature at Vado Speedway Park. The 27-year-old star briefly lost the lead to Garrett Alberson on lap 20 and traded paint with a slower machine six laps later but beat Alberson to the finish line by 1.165 seconds for his second straight $11,000 victory.

Feature lineup

Row 1: Drake Troutman, Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Shannon Babb, Dustin Sorensen
Row 3: Garrett Alberson, Kyle Larson
Row 4: Preston Luckman, Rodney Sanders
Row 5: Cade Dillard, Collen Winebarger
Row 6: Justin Duty, Clayton Stuckey
Row 7: Mike Marlar, Mikey Kyle
Row 8: Jon Kirby, B.J. Robinson
Row 9: Tyler Stevens, Morgan Bagley
Row 10: Tyler Erb, Bricen James
Row 11: Ricky Weiss, Sam Mars
Row 12: Jake Timm, Kyle Beard

Consolation results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

First consolation finish: Tyler Stevens, Tyler Erb, Ricky Weiss, Jake Timm, Cody Laney, Ian Whisler, Steve Stultz, Kent Rosevear, Terry Carter, Shawn DeForest, Jim Whisler (DNS) Jason Strand.

Second consolation finish: Morgan Bagley, Bricen James, Sam Mars, Kyle Beard, Chase Junghans, Thomas Hunziker, Forrest Trent, Colby Moore, Chance Mann, Walton Kyle Jr., Keko Perez.

Heat race recap

Shannon Babb took off at the initial green flag and ran the top lane for the entire distance to capture the first heat. He turned back a late challenge from fast-timer Garrett Alberson to preserve the victory. … Chasing a second straight feature win, Bobby Pierce perched his Longhorn Chassis on Vado’s cushion and stayed there to capture Heat 2 by 1.165 seconds over Preston Luckman. … Dustin Sorensen enjoyed his best heat-race performance of the miniseries, leading from flag-to-flag to claim the third prelim by 0.759 of a second over NASCAR Cup Series star Kyle Larson. … Mechanical trouble with his 3-race-old MB Customs car prevented Chase Junghans from logging a qualifying lap; he managed to gain only two positions to finish eighth in Heat 3. … Teenager Drake Troutman recorded the most decisive victory of the qualifiers, leading the fourth heat from wire-to-wire and beating Rodney Sanders by 2.521 seconds. … After an aborted start to the fourth heat, the first caution flag of the prelims came on the ensuing restart when the thick cushion in turn four sucked up Forrest Trent’s car as he battled for second place. The Tennessee driver was forced out of the race due to a thoroughly crunched nosepiece.

Heat results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat finish: Shannon Babb, Garrett Alberson, Cade Dillard, Mike Marlar, Tyler Erb, Tyler Stevens, Ian Whisper, Steve Stultz, Shawn DeForest, Terry Carter.

Second heat finish: Bobby Pierce, Preston Luckman, Justin Duty, Jon Kirby, Jason Strand, Jake Timm, Ricky Weiss, Cody Laney, Kent Rosevear, Jim Whisler.

Third heat finish: Dustin Sorensen, Kyle Larson, Collen Winebarger, Mikey Kyle, Bricen James, Kyle Beard, Sam Mars, Chase Junghans, Colby Moore, Keko Perez.

Fourth heat finish: Drake Troutman, Rodney Sanders, Clayton Stuckey, B.J. Robinson, Mortan Bagley, Thomas Hunziker, Chance Mann, Walton Kyle Jr., Forrest Trent.

Time trials

Group A
1. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 14.175
2. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 14.345
3. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 14.437
4. Preston Luckman (77), Coos Bay, Ore., 14.509
5. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 14.600
6. Jon Kirby (11), Russellville, Ark., 14.698
7. Ian Whisper (82), Otis, Ore., 14.705
8. Justin Duty (15), Molalla, Ore., 14.719
9. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 14.738
10. Jason Strand (E85), Portland, N.D., 14.747
11. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 14.761
12. Jim Whisler (28W), Otis, Ore., 14.774
13. Tyler Stevens (2), Paragould, Ark., 14.808
14. Cody Laney (32B), Torrance, Calif., 14.876
15. Steve Stultz (78s), Peoria, Ariz., 14.888
16. Jake Timm (49), Winona, Minn., 14.959
17. Terry Carter (6T), Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, 15.069
18. Ricky Weiss (7W), Headingley, Manitoba, 15.079
19. Shawn DeForest (4P), Livermore, Calif., 15.389
20. Kent Rosevear (02), Yuma, Ariz., 15.540
Group B
1. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 14.479
2. Drake Troutman (7T), Hyndman, Pa., 14.514
3. Kyle Larson (6), Elk Grove, Calif., 14.554
4. Forrest Trent (101), Morristown, Tenn., 14.721
5. Collen Winebarger (14S), Corbett, Ore., 14.736
6. Rodney Sanders (73), Happy, Texas, 14.752
7. Mikey Kile (25), West Lake, La., 14.775
8. Clayton Stuckey (15S), Shreveport, La., 14.807
9. Sam Mars (28M), Menomonie, Wis., 14.836
10. Chance Mann (88), Newport, Ark., 14.865
11. Kyle Beard (86), Truman, Ark., 15.014
12. Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 15.084
13. Colby Moore (19C), Springtown, Texas, 15.093
14. Morgan Bagley (14m), Longview, Texas, 15.122
15. Bricen James (46), Albany, Ore., 15.263
16. B.J. Robinson (1), Bossier City, La., 15.269
17. Keko Perez (3), Chihuahua, Mexico, 15.277
18. Walton Kyle Jr. (250), Las Cruces, N.M., 16.926
19. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., no time

Wednesday's schedule

2 p.m.: Pits open
3:30 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting
4 p.m.: Grandstands open
4:30 p.m.: On-track activity
- X-Mod hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model group qualifying
5:55 p.m.: Opening ceremonies
- X-Mod heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
Consolations
- X-Mods (10 laps)
- Modifieds (10 laps)
- Late Models (10 laps)
Feature events
- Late Models (30 laps)
- X-Mods (20 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)