Dirt on Dirt - Pierce nabs third straight Wild West Shootout win

January 12

Vado Speedway Park,

Vado, NM

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

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden and track reports (last updated January 13, 9:49 am)

Pierce nabs third straight Wild West Shootout win

Wild West Shootout

Bobby Pierce
Garrett Alberson
Cade Dillard
Shannon Babb
Kyle Larson
Mike Marlar
Brandon Sheppard
Tyler Erb
Stormy Scott
Drake Troutman
Dustin Sorensen
Preston Luckman
Morgan Bagley
Ricky Weiss
Jake Timm
Justin Duty
Jason Strand
Kaden Honeycutt
Collen Winebarger
Clay Stuckey
B.J. Robinson
Forrest Trent
Chase Junghans
Cody Laney

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Bobby Pierce takes the checkers for the third straight time at Vado Speedway Park.

What won the race: Powering around the outside of early leader B.J. Robinson on lap five, pole-starting Bobby Pierce paced the rest of the way to win Friday's 30-lap fourth round of the 18th annual Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts at Vado Speedway Park. Pierce overcame a right-rear wheel packed full of mud after hopping the turn-three cushion on lap three to earn $11,000 for his 11th career Wild West Shootout victory, moving him into sole possession of second on the miniseries's all-time win list.

Quotable: “I’ll be honest, we got super, super lucky there," Pierce said, referring to the mud that packed his car's right-rear tire and caused a race-long vibration. "(It happened) on like lap four and you saw me drop to the bottom, because I almost was gonna pull in the infield or bring out a caution. I figured that if I pull in now, that’s 25 laps that I have to get back to the front, because I figured no way I’d be able to hang on to even a top five (with the problem). It’s just one of them deals man — I stayed out and I guess we kinda got lucky that those guys chose a harder tire.”

Key notes: With two WWS events remaining, Pierce will earn a $25,000 bonus for one more victory and a $100,000 bonus if he can capture both features. ... Hometown racer Garrett Alberson moved into second on a lap-16 restart and trailed Pierce the final 15 laps, finishing 0.493 of a second back. The New Mexico driver secured his second straight runner-up result — both coming behind Pierce — and his third overall top-five finish of the week. ... Sixth-starter Cade Dillard, the winner of last Saturday's opener, took third on the final lap and rounded out the podium. ... Shannon Babb started and finished fourth, securing his second straight top-five placing. ... Kyle Larson grabbed fifth on lap 29 aboard the backup Kevin Rumley-owned Longhorn Chassis, earning his third overall top-five finish after starting 22nd. His primary car was sidelined by a heat-race tangle. ... Mike Marlar improved three positions and finished sixth. ... Brandon Sheppard ran as high as third before fading on a late-race restart and settling for seventh in his first start of the 2024 WWS. ... Second-starting B.J. Robinson led laps 1-4 before slipping backward and folding his nose under on a lap-18 restart;he finished 21st. ... Collen Winebarger slowed to draw the race's second and final caution on lap 27 while running ninth. ... Chase Junghans brought out the first yellow on lap 17 when he hit the wall and buried his nose in the turn-four cushion, ending his night. ... Friday's feature lasted 12 minutes, with 17 drivers completing 30 laps and 18 running at the finish.

On the move: Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif., started 22nd and finished fifth.

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 Friday: 1. Bobby Pierce (342); 2. Garrett Alberson (309); 3. Cade Dillard (303); 4. Tyler Erb (279); 5. Shannon Babb (267).

Current weather: Clear, 39°F

Car count: 43

Fast qualifier: Garrett Alberson

Time: 13.889 seconds

Polesitter: Bobby Pierce

Heat race winners: Garrett Alberson, Shannon Babb, B.J. Robinson, Bobby Pierce

Consolation race winners: Morgan Bagley, Cody Laney

Next series race: Jan. 13, Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park, fifth round ($11,000)

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

From staff reports

VADO, N.M. (Jan. 12) — Updates from Friday’s fourth round of the 18th annual Wild West Shootout, featuring a 30-lap, $11,000-to-win feature for unsanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Powering around the outside of early leader B.J. Robinson on lap five, pole-starting Bobby Pierce paced the rest of the way to win Friday's 30-lap fourth round of the 18th annual Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts at Vado Speedway Park. Pierce overcame a right-rear wheel packed full of mud after hopping the turn-three cushion on lap three to earn $11,000 for his 11th career Wild West Shootout victory, moving him into sole possession of second on the miniseries's all-time win list.

Hometown racer Garrett Alberson moved into second on a lap-16 restart and trailed Pierce the final 15 laps, finishing 0.493 of a second back; Alberson secured his second straight runner-up result — both coming behind Pierce — and his third overall top-five finish of the week.

Feature lineup

Row 1: Bobby Pierce, B.J. Robinson
Row 2: Garrett Alberson, Shannon Babb
Row 3: Brandon Sheppard, Cade Dillard
Row 4: Preston Luckman, Tyler Erb
Row 5: Mike Marlar, Drake Troutman
Row 6: Jake Timm, Ricky Weiss
Row 7: Stormy Scott, Forrest Trent
Row 8: Dustin Sorensen, Collen Winebarger
Row 9: Morgan Bagley, Cody Laney
Row 10: Justin Duty, Chase Junghans
Row 11: Clay Stuckey, Kyle Larson
Row 12: Kaden Honeycutt, Jason Strand

Consolation results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

First consolation finish: Morgan Bagley, Justin Duty, Clay Stuckey, Kaden Honeycutt, Jon Kirby, Sam Mars, Steve Stultz, Thomas Hunziker, Walton Kyle Jr., Ian Whisler, Terry Carter, Brad Couch, Kyle Beard. Scratched: Shawn DeForest.

Second consolation finish: Cody Laney, Chase Junghans, Kyle Larson, Jason Strand, Bricen James, Rodney Sanders, Jimmy Whisler, Mikey Kile, Chance Mann, Kent Rosevear, Keko Perez, Don Shaw. Scratched: Tyler Stevens.

Heat race recap

Garrett Alberson led all eight laps to win the first heat race by 1.423 seconds over Brandon Sheppard. Mike Marlar and Stormy Scott held serve as well, finishing third and fourth. … Shannon Babb led green-to-checkered to win heat two over third-starting Preston Luckman, who pressured Babb on a late-race restart. Fourth-starting Jake Timm finished third and Dustin Sorensen held on for the fourth and final transfer spot. The lone caution flew on lap six when 10th-running Shawn DeForest hit the frontstretch wall and required a tow to the pits. … Fourth-starting B.J. Robinson took the lead for good on lap four and led the final five laps to win heat three by 0.866 of a second over Cade Dillard; Dillard overcame a lap-one slip to grab the runner-up spot from Drake Troutman, with fifth-starting Forrest Trent finishing fourth. … Bobby Pierce dominated the fourth and final heat race, leading the entire distance and winning by 2.876 seconds over fourth-starting Tyler Erb. Fifth-starting Ricky Weiss finished third and Collen Winebarger took fourth. Tyler Stevens and Kyle Larson spun on the final lap while battling for sixth, dropping them to finish ninth and 10th; Stevens sustained a broken orbital bone in Wednesday’s third round when a shock mount broke on Larson’s car, causing debris to strike his helmet.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat finish: Garrett Alberson, Brandon Sheppard, Mike Marlar, Stormy Scott, Justin Duty, Morgan Bagley, Clay Stuckey, Kaden Honeycutt, Kyle Beard, Steve Stultz, Walton Kyle Jr.

Second heat finish: Shannon Babb, Preston Luckman, Jake Timm, Dustin Sorensen, Jon Kirby, Sam Mars, Ian Whisler, Thomas Hunziker, Brad Couch, Terry Carter, Shawn DeForest.

Third heat finish: B.J. Robinson, Cade Dillard, Drake Troutman, Forrest Trent, Cody Laney, Don Shaw, Bricen James, Rodney Sanders, Chance Mann, Mikey Kile, Kent Rosevear.

Fourth heat finish: Bobby Pierce, Tyler Erb, Ricky Weiss, Collen Winebarger, Jason Strand, Chase Junghans, Jimmy Whisler, Keko Perez, Tyler Stevens, Kyle Larson.

Heat race lineups

First heat
Row 1: Garrett Alberson, Brandon Sheppard
Row 2: Mike Marlar, Stormy Scott
Row 3: Justin Duty, Kyle Beard
Row 4: Morgan Bagley, Kaden Honeycutt
Row 5: Steve Stultz, Clay Stuckey
Row 6: Walton Kyle Jr.
Second heat
Row 1: Shannon Babb, Dustin Sorensen
Row 2: Preston Luckman, Jake Timm
Row 3: Sam Mars, Ian Whisler
Row 4: Jon Kirby, Thomas Hunziker
Row 5: Shawn DeForest, Terry Carter
Row 6: Brad Couch
Third heat
Row 1: Cade Dillard, Drake Troutman
Row 2: Bricen James, B.J. Robinson
Row 3: Forrest Trent, Don Shaw
Row 4: Cody Laney, Rodney Sanders
Row 5: Mikey Kile, Kent Rosevear
Row 6: Chance Mann
Fourth heat
Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Collen Winebarger
Row 2: Jason Strand, Tyler Erb
Row 3: Ricky Weiss, Jimmy Whisler
Row 4: Tyler Stevens, Kyle Larson
Row 5: Chase Junghans, Keko Perez

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 13.889
2. Shannon Babb (18B), Moweaqua, Ill., 14.159
3. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 14.270
4. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 14.342
5. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 14.351
6. Preston Luckman (77), Coos Bay, Ore., 14.392
7. Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., 14.440
8. Jake Timm (49), Winona, Minn., 14.524
9. Justin Duty (15), Molalla, Ore., 14.525
10. Sam Mars (28m), Menomonie, Wis., 14.552
11. Kyle Beard (86), Trumann, Ark., 14.572
12. Ian Whisler (82), Otis, Ore., 14.609
13. Morgan Bagley (14m), Longview, Texas, 14.631
14. Jon Kirby (11), Russellville, Ark., 14.684
15. Kaden Honeycutt (10), Bridge City, Texas, 14.755
16. Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 14.767
17. Steve Stultz (78s), Peoria, Ariz., 14.805
18. Shawn DeForest (4p), Livermore, Calif., 14.811
19. Clay Stuckey (15s), Shreveport, La., 14.826
20. Terry Carter (6T), Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, 15.552
21. Brad Couch (5c), Bossier City, La., 16.935
22. Walton Kyle Jr. (250), Las Cruces, N.M., no time
Group B
1. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 14.074
2. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 14.202
3. Drake Troutman (7T), Hyndman, Pa., 14.236
4. Collen Winebarger (14s), Corbett, Ore., 14.394
5. Bricen James (13), Albany, Ore., 14.444
6. Jason Strand (E85), Portland, N.D., 14.469
7. B.J. Robinson (1r), Bossier City, La., 14.504
8. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 14.529
9. Forrest Trent (101), Morristown, Tenn., 14.551
10. Ricky Weiss (7), Headingley, Manitoba, 14.557
11. Don Shaw (42s), Ham Lake, Minn., 14.561
12. Jimmy Whisler (28w), Otis, Ore., 14.573
13. Cody Laney (32B), Torrance, Calif., 14.606
14. Tyler Stevens (2), Searcy, Ark., 14.637
15. Rodney Sanders (73), Happy, Texas, 14.691
16. Kyle Larson (6), Elk Grove, Calif., 14.726
17. Mikey Kile (25), West Lake, La., 14.741
18. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 14.785
19. Kent Rosevear (02), Yuma, Ariz., 14.914
20. Keko Perez (3), Chihuahua, Mexico, 15.257
21. Chance Mann (88), Newport, Ark., 15.454

Friday’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)