Dirt on Dirt - Pierce tops Gustin, wins $15,000 Yankee prelim

August 30

300 Raceway,

Farley, IA

Sanction: XR Super Series (Yankee Dirt Track Classic opener) - $15,000

Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated August 31, 7:47 am)

Pierce tops Gustin, wins $15,000 Yankee prelim

Yankee Dirt Track Classic opener

Bobby Pierce
Ryan Gustin
Brandon Sheppard
Tyler Bruening
Brian Shirley
Ethan Dotson
Frank Heckenast Jr.
Cory Hedgecock
Sammy Mars
Daniel Hilsabeck
Lance Hofer
Chad Mahder
Joel Callahan
Tegan Evans
Tyler Erb
Chad Finley
David Webster
Tim Simpson
Dennis Erb Jr.
Ty Webster

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Bobby Pierce (32) goes by Ryan Gustin (19r) to take command.

What won the race: Seventh-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., rolled under Ryan Gustin's battle-scarred machine on the 30th lap Friday at 300 Raceway and captured the 40-lap XR Super Series Yankee Dirt Track Classic preliminary feature worth $15,000. Pierce took the checkers 1.179 seconds ahead of Gustin, who suffered right-side damage when he was collected by race-long leader Tyler Erb, who got too high and into the frontstretch wall completing the 25th lap.

Quotable: "It's awesome to get the win tonight. We didn't have a great start to night," Pierce said. "Our qualifying was a little off and the heat race, we were way off. I think it took the track prep for it to come around. It really made it racy with the top and the bottom. So hats off to those guys (on) the track prep crew."

Key notes: Bobby Pierce's seven career XR Super Series victories are tops on the 3-year-old tour. ... Pierce has a nation-leading 31 Super Late Model victories in 2024. ... Besides the lap-26 caution for Tyler Erb's demise, three other yellow flags slowed the action. ... Ethan Dotson at halfway and Chad Finley on lap 25 had flat tires. ... The first caution appeared on the 17th lap when Tim Simpson spun exiting turn two. ... David Webster retired after 18 laps when he got into the fence on a midrace restart. ... Daniel Hilsabeck of Earlham, Iowa, entered his first event since breaking his left arm in a June 22 wreck at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway; he finished 10th. ... Ricky Thornton Jr. won the $100,047 stock car main event on Friday's undercard. ... Saturday's finale pays a race-record $50,000-to-win for the XRSS winner.

On the move: Winner Bobby Pierce started seventh.

Winner's sponsors: Pierce’s Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Low Voltage Solutions, Megan's Mission Foundation, Rio Grande Waste Services, Hoker Trucking, 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 300 Friday: 1. Bobby Pierce (745); 2. Devin Moran (734); 3. Ryan Gustin (642); 4. Mike Marlar (605); 5. Tyler Erb (554); 6. Ricky Thornton Jr. (553); 7. Daulton Wilson (362); 8. Hudson O'Neal (346); 9. Dennis Erb Jr. (340); 10. Nick Hoffman (339).

Current weather: Clear, 61°F

Car count: 20

Fast qualifier: Tyler Bruening

Time: 14.444 seconds

Polesitter: Tyler Bruening

Heat race winners: Tyler Bruening, Tyler Erb, Ryan Gustin

Next series race: August 31, 300 Raceway (Farley, IA) $50,047

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

From staff reports

FARLEY, Iowa — Updates and results from Friday’s 47th annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic opener, an event sanctioned by the XR Super Series and highlighted by a $15,000-to-win feature for Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Seventh-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., rolled under Ryan Gustin's battle-scarred machine on the 30th lap Friday at 300 Raceway and captured the 40-lap XR Super Series Yankee Dirt Track Classic preliminary feature worth $15,000. Pierce took the checkers 1.179 seconds ahead of Gustin, who suffered right-side damage when he was collected by race-long leader Tyler Erb, who got too high and into the frontstretch wall completing the 25th lap.

Feature lineup

(40 laps)

Row 1: Tyler Bruening, Tyler Erb
Row 2: Ryan Gustin, Brian Shirley
Row 3: Ethan Dotson, Bobby Pierce
Row 4: Brandon Sheppard, Cory Hedgecock
Row 5: Daniel Hilsabeck, Frank Heckenast Jr.
Row 6: Sammy Mars, Chad Finley
Row 7: Lance Hofer, Chad Mahder
Row 8: Dennis Erb Jr., Ty Webster
Row 9: Joel Callahan, Tim Simpson
Row 10: David Webster, Tegan Evans

Heat race recap

Tyler Bruening led all eight laps from the pole, winning the first heat race by 0.805 of a second over second-starting Brian Shirley. Lance Hofer and Ty Webster each improved a position, passing David Webster. Bruening will start Friday’s 40-lap, $15,000-to-win feature from the pole. … Second-starting Tyler Erb sped to win heat two by 0.761 of a second over pole-starting Ethan Dotson. Chad Mahder joined Erb in advancing one spot during the eight-lap prelim. … Ryan Gustin cruised to win heat three by 5.141 seconds over Bobby Pierce. Chad Finley and Dennis Erb Jr. passed Tim Simpson after he pulled off on lap seven.

Heat results

(Eight laps; all transfer)

First heat: Tyler Bruening, Brian Shirley, Brandon Sheppard, Frank Heckenast Jr., Lance Hofer, Ty Webster, David Webster.

Second heat: Tyler Erb, Ethan Dotson, Cory Hedgecock, Sammy Mars, Chad Mahder, Joel Callahan, Tegan Evans.

Third heat: Ryan Gustin, Bobby Pierce, Daniel Hilsabeck, Chad Finley, Dennis Erb Jr., Tim Simpson.

Time trials

Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 14.444
2. Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., 14.514
3. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 14.560
4. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 14.755
5. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 14.802
6. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 14.841
7. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 14.904
8. Cory Hedgecock (23), Loudon, Tenn., 15.060
9. Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 15.078
10. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 15.140
11. Sammy Mars (28), Menomonie, Wis., 15.199
12. Tim Simpson (17), Iowa City, Iowa, 15.329
13. David Webster (44w), Monroe, Wis., 15.357
14. Joel Callahan (40), Dubuque, Iowa, 15.373
15. Chad Finley (42), St. Johns, Mich., 15.379
16. Lance Hofer (11), Fountain City, Wis., 15.386
17. Chad Mahder (55c), Bloomer, Wis., 15.465
18. Dennis Erb Jr. (28E), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.496
19. Ty Webster (18), Monroe, Wis., 15.910
20. Tegan Evans (T22), Clinton, Iowa, 16.247

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
11 a.m. - Pits open
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
7 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Stock car consolations (10 laps)
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Stock car consolations (10 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model feature (40 laps)
- Stock car feature (60 laps)