Dirt on Dirt - Pierce repels Thornton, captures Knoxville prelim

September 16

Knoxville Raceway,

Knoxville, IA

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals) - $7,000

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden and staff reports (last updated September 17, 9:02 am)

Pierce repels Thornton, captures Knoxville prelim

Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals

Bobby Pierce
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Chris Simpson
Brandon Overton
Tyler Bruening
Ricky Weiss
Hudson O'Neal
Jonathan Davenport
Tim McCreadie
Jimmy Owens
Brian Shirley
Earl Pearson Jr.
Spencer Hughes
Brandon Sheppard
Garrett Alberson
Kyle Strickler
Tad Pospisil
Chase Junghans
Chris Madden
Spencer Diercks
Frank Heckenast Jr.
Daniel Hilsabeck
Tyler Erb
Aaron Marrant

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Bobby Pierce (32) battles Brandon Overton (76) for the lead at Knoxville.

What won the race: Fifth-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., went around front-row starter Brandon Overton on the ninth lap, then outdueled Overton on a mid-race restart to capture Friday's 25-lap preliminary feature at Knoxville Raceway's 18th annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals. Pierce took the checkers 0.478 of a second ahead of a late-rising Ricky Thornton Jr., who started alongside Pierce on the third row.

Quotable: "I thought I had it in the bag," Pierce said. "That caution came out and thought I had it under control, but the the motor — the carburetor — kind of stumbled off of (turn) four and I thought something bad happened. It luckily got going again. I was kind of mad after that, so I shot in there under Brandon and just hoped for the best. It stuck and I passed him."

Key notes: Pierce won his 12th career Lucas Oil Series victory. ... Brandon Overton regained the lead from Pierce on a lap-14 restart, but Pierce went right back ahead and led the rest of the 25-lapper. ... Ricky Thornton Jr.'s runner-up finish was his best in a Late Model at Knoxville. ... Chris Simpson took third from Overton on the final lap. ... The lone caution flew on the 14th lap when Tyler Erb got into the fence. ... Pierce matched Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., who won Thursday’s 25-lap preliminary feature (Clanton didn't make Friday's feature line). … Drivers use their better points nights from prelims with the top 24 are locked into the lineup for Saturday's 75-lap, $50,000-to-win event.

On the move: Ricky Weiss of Headingley, Manitoba, started 18th and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Pierce’s Pierce Race Car is sponsored by Hoker Trucking, Allgayer Inc., Rio Grande Waste Services, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Carnaghi Towing & Repair, Extreme Electric, Toyota of Danville, Quality Paint & Body, Base Racing Fuels, Senior Life Insurance and the Vermilion County Bobcats.

Points chase: Before Knoxville: 1. Tim McCreadie (6,235); 2. Brandon Sheppard (6,040); 3. Ricky Thornton Jr. (5,890); 4. Hudson O’Neal (5,675); 5. Earl Pearson Jr. (5,585); 6. Tyler Erb (5,550); 7. Garrett Alberson (5,070); 8. Daulton Wilson (4,840); 9. Spencer Hughes (4,750); 10. Jimmy Owens (4,635); 11. Ross Robinson (4,400).

Current weather: Overcast, 73°F

Car count: 43

Fast qualifier: Tad Pospisil

Time: 17.717 seconds

Polesitter: Chris Simpson

Heat race winners: Hudson O'Neal, Bobby Pierce, Jonathan Davenport, Daniel Hilsabeck

Consolation race winners: Chris Madden, Ricky Weiss

Next series race: September 17, Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA) $50,000

Editor's note: Corrects laps led.

From staff reports

KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Updates and results from Friday's second round of the 18th annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway, highlighed by a $7,000-to-win preliminary feature (results unofficial):

Feature

Fifth-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., went around front-row starter Brandon Overton on the ninth lap and led the rest of the way in Friday's 25-lap preliminary feature at Knoxville Raceway's 18th annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals. Pierce took the checkers 0.478 of a second ahead of a late-rising Ricky Thornton Jr.

Feature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Chris Simpson, Brandon Overton
Row 2: Earl Pearson Jr., Spencer Diercks
Row 3: Bobby Pierce, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 4: Tyler Bruening, Tim McCreadie
Row 5: Hudson O'Neal, Jonathan Davenport
Row 6: Jimmy Owens, Daniel Hilsabeck
Row 7: Spencer Hughes, Kyle Strickler
Row 8: Brian Shirley, Frank Heckenast Jr.
Row 9: Chris Madden, Ricky Weiss
Row 10: Garrett Alberson, Brandon Sheppard
Row 11: Chase Junghans, Tad Pospisil
Row 12: Tyler Erb, Aaron Marrant

Consolation race results

(12 laps; top four transfer)

First consolation: Chris Madden, Garrett Alberson, Chase Junghans, Tyler Erb, Daulton Wilson, Charlie McKenna, Reid Millard, Jesse Sobbing, Johnathan Huston, Al Humphrey, Ross Robinson. Scratched: Mike Marlar, Shane Clanton, Chris Spieker.

Second consolation: Ricky Weiss, Brandon Sheppard, Tad Pospisil, Aaron Marrant, Justin Duty, Nick Marolf, Matt Furman, Dustin Walker, Junior Coover, Chad Simpson, Stormy Scott. Scratched: Kyle Bronson, Ryan Gustin.

Heat race results

(12 laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Hudson O'Neal, Tyler Bruening, Chris Simpson, Brian Shirley, Shane Clanton, Chase Junghans, Garrett Alberson, Jesse Sobbing, Ross Robinson, Daulton Wilson, Al Humphrey.

Second heat: Bobby Pierce, Jimmy Owens, Earl Pearson Jr., Spencer Hughes, Tyler Erb, Chris Madden, Charlie McKenna, Mike Marlar, Reid Millard. DNS: Jonathan Huston.

Third heat: Jonathan Davenport, Kyle Strickler, Ricky Thornton Jr., Spencer Diercks, Tad Pospisil, Aaron Marrant, Chad Simpson, Justin Duty, Nick Marolf, Kyle Bronson, Ryan Gustin.

Fourth heat: Daniel Hilsabeck, Brandon Overton, Frank Heckenast Jr., Tim McCreadie, Brandon Sheppard, Ricky Weiss, Stormy Scott, Matt Furman, Dustin Walker, Junior Coover.

Time trials

First group
Pos. Driver (car no.), hometown, time
1. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 17.778
2. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 17.806
3. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 17.863
4. Earl Pearson Jr. (46), Jacksonville, Fla., 17.896
5. Chris Simpson (32), Oxford, Iowa, 17.912
6. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 17.931
7. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 18.136
8. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 18.173
9. Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., 18.176
10. Spencer Hughes (11H), Meridian, Miss., 18.186
11. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 18.196
12. Jonathan Huston (42), Columbus Jct., Iowa, 18.225
13. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 18.293
14. Charlie McKenna (22M), Ames, Iowa, 18.303
15. Ross Robinson (7R), Georgetown, Del., 18.304
16. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 18.323
17. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 18.445
18. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 18.465
19. Jesse Sobbing (18S), Malvern, Iowa, 18.588
20. Chris Spieker (56), Massena, Iowa, 18.734
21. Al Humphrey (6), Giltner, Neb., 19.030
22. Reid Millard (14R), Jefferson City, Mo., 19.951
Second group
1. Tad Pospisil (04), Norfolk, Neb., 17.717
2. Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 18.222
3. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 18.355
4. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 18.364
5. Spencer Diercks (29D), Davenport, Iowa, 18.412
6. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 18.419
7. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 18.439
8. Ricky Weiss (7W), Headingley, Manitoba, 18.451
9. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 18.580
10. Daniel Hilsabeck (22H), Adel, Iowa, 18.623
11. Kyle Strickler (8), Mooresville, N.C., 18.691
12. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99Jr), Frankfort, Ill., 18.706
13. Justin Duty (15), Mulino, Ore., 18.751
14. Matt Furman (51), Iowa City, Iowa, 18.776
15. Aaron Marrant (1x), Richmond, Mo., 18.805
16. Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., 19.080
17. Nick Marolf (33), Moscow, Iowa, 19.094
18. Dustin Walker (14W), Peculiar, Mo., 19.352
19. Chad Simpson (93), Mt. Vernon, Iowa, 19.614
20. Junior Coover (10C), Norfolk, Neb., 20.859
21. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., no time

Friday's schedule

(All times local)

5:30 p.m.: Grandstands open
6 p.m.: Driver’s meeting
6:45 p.m.: Hot laps
7:15 p.m.: Competition begins
- Time trials
- Heats (12 laps each)
- B-main (15 laps)
- A-main (25 laps)