What won the race: Fending off a charging Bobby Pierce in the final 10 circuits, polesitter Payton Looney of Republic, Mo., rolled to his second Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association victory in Saturday night’s 40-lap Independence Day Shootout at 300 Raceway. Finishing 0.927 seconds ahead of Pierce, Looney pocketed $5,000 and grabbed the series points lead for the first time this season.

Quotable: “(The track) was starting to clean up really good in (turns) one and two," said Looney. "I was honestly kind of riding and when I caught that lap car and pushed really bad, I just got into some dirty air. (Spotter) Lake (Mooneyham) was showing me that the lead was really cutting down and I saw (Bobby Pierce) show a nose … and win it or wear it out, I was going to put it into the fence if we didn't win it."

Key notes: Looney's flag-to-flag victory came just eight days after his first career MLRA win at Salina, Okla. ... Pierce passed Brian Shirley for second on lap 31 and got to within striking distance of Looney but settled for second. ... Jeremiah Hurst finished an MLRA career-best third despite being hampered by a broken shock. ... Chad Simpson was running in the top five on a lap-18 restart when he broke a driveshaft and collected several drivers behind him, including Tony Jackson Jr. … Simpson’s younger brother, Chris, retired after bringing out the race’s first caution flag on lap two. … Garrett Alberson’s top-five run ended on lap seven when he hit the wall in turns one and two.MLRA made its third-ever visit to 300 Raceway for the second night of the tour’s three-race weekend in the Hawkeye State. … 300 Raceway hosts the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series on July 13 and the 43rd annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic on Sept. 3-5.

On the move: Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., started 10th and finished second.

Winner's sponsors: Looney’s Capital Race Car is powered by a Cornett engine and sponsored by Atnip Motorsports, Specialty Risk Insurance, Atnip Express, Duvall Electric, Penske Racing Shocks and Swift Springs.

Points chase: Before Farley: 1. Chad Simpson (1,435); 2. Payton Looney (1,390); 3. Tony Jackson Jr. (1,360) 4. Jeremiah Hurst (1,325); 5. Garrett Alberson (1,195).

Current weather: Clear, 82°F

Car count: 22

Fast qualifier: Payton Looney

Time: 15.015 seconds

Polesitter: Payton Looney

Heat race winners: Payton Looney, Jeremiah Hurst, Garrett Alberson

Next series race: July 5, Bullring at RICo Fairgrounds (East Moline, IL) $5,000