Dirt on Dirt - Pierce wins Wednesday's first $5,000 semifeature

February 14

Volusia Speedway Park,

Barberville, FL

Sanction: DIRTcar Supers (Triple 20s first semifeature) - $5,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac and track reports (last updated February 15, 3:34 am)

Pierce wins Wednesday's first $5,000 semifeature

Triple 20s first semifeature

Bobby Pierce
Cade Dillard
Tim McCreadie
Ashton Winger
Max McLaughlin
Ethan Dotson
Mike Benedum
Stacy Boles
Tristan Chamberlain
Logan Zarin
Jason Fitzgerald
Austin Smith
Brent Larson
Blair Nothdurft
Kyle Bronson
Dustin Sorensen

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Bobby Pierce celebrates his first DIRTcar Nationals victory since Feb. 9, 2021.

What won the race: Surviving numerous restarts after seven cautions slowed the action, pole-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., led all 20 laps to wire Wednesday's first $5,000 Triple 20s semifeature at Volusia Speedway Park. Pierce picked up his second career DIRTcar Nationals triumph and his first since topping a $7,000 DIRTcar-sanctioned feature there on Feb. 9, 2021.

Quotable: “Yeah it definitely feels like we rebounded pretty good (after Tuesday's misfortune) and we’ve had a bad-fast race car this whole time,” Pierce said. “It’s awesome to finally put it in victory lane where it belongs and I can’t thank my crew enough, everyone for working hard. Huge, huge shoutout to my girlfriend for being here for Valentine’s Day, this is awesome that she’s here and we get to celebrate (this) victory.”

Key notes: Third-starting Cade Dillard grabbed the runner-up spot on a lap-four restart, but never truly challenged Pierce for the lead and finished 2.269 seconds back. ... Tim McCreadie slipped as low as seventh before rebounding to complete the podium; McCreadie used a turn-one slider to grab third from Ethan Dotson on lap 14. Dotson appeared to become aero-tight in McCreadie's wake, forcing him over the turn-one cushion before spinning and drawing the race's sixth caution; Dotson recovered to finish sixth. ... Ashton Winger improved four positions and finished fourth. ... Tristan Chamberlain gained seven spots and finished ninth, the final driver running at the finish. ... Logan Zarin climbed as high as fifth before fading and spinning from 10th to bring out the seventh and final yellow on lap 16. ... The first stoppage came on lap two when Dustin Sorensen and Jason Fitzgerald tangled; Sorensen called it a night, while Fitzgerald continued until spinning again on lap eight. ... Ninth-running Kyle Bronson burned a piston on lap four and pulled off; his team will use a backup car in Monday's rain-postponed 25-lap feature that follows Wednesday's program. ... Wednesday's first semifeature lasted 21 minutes.

On the move: Max McLaughlin of Mooresville, N.C., started 13th 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, Oakwood Tire Center, Bloomington Normal Truck Performance, Carnaghi Towing & Repair, Toyota of Danville, 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 Volusia Wednesday: 1. Cade Dillard (205); 2. Bobby Pierce (202); T-3. Devin Moran (186); T-3. Brandon Sheppard (186); 5. Max Blair (179); 6. Tim McCreadie (176); 7. Daulton Wilson (168); T-8. Hudson O’Neal (160); T-8. Ricky Thornton Jr. (160); 10. Mike Marlar (156).

Current weather: Few Clouds, 57°F

Car count: 48

Fast qualifier: Bobby Pierce

Time: 15.441 seconds

Polesitter: Bobby Pierce

Next series race: March 8, Clarksville Speedway (Clarksville, TN) $10,000

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

From staff reports

BARBERVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 14) — Updates and results from Wednesday’s Triple 20s night of the 53rd annual Federated DIRTcar Nationals, featuring three 20-lap, $5,000-to-win semifeatures for DIRTcar-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Semifeature

Surviving numerous restarts after seven cautions slowed the action, pole-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., led all 20 laps to wire Wednesday's first $5,000 Triple 20s semifeature at Volusia Speedway Park. Pierce picked up his second career DIRTcar Nationals triumph and his first since topping a $7,000 DIRTcar-sanctioned feature there on Feb. 9, 2021. Third-starting Cade Dillard grabbed the runner-up spot on a lap-four restart, but never truly challenged Pierce for the lead and finished 2.269 seconds back.

Semifeature lineup

(20 laps)
Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Tim McCreadie
Row 2: Cade Dillard, Logan Zarin
Row 3: Ethan Dotson, Mike Benedum
Row 4: Austin Smith, Ashton Winger
Row 5: Blair Nothdurft, Brent Larson
Row 6: Kyle Bronson, Stacy Boles
Row 7: Max McLaughlin, Dustin Sorensen
Row 8: Jason Fitzgerald, Tristan Chamberlain

Pre-race notes

Wednesday’s final night of DIRTcar-sanctioned Super Late Model action — featuring three $5,000-to-win, 20-lap semifeatures plus Monday’s postponed $7,000-to-win, 25-lap A-main — comes on a sunny day that saw the high temperature reach the upper 60s. … A week-high 48 cars are signed in; there are also 48 DIRTcar big-block modifieds entered for the Northeast-based division’s first of four programs. … Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., is planning to compete in Wednesday’s show despite injuring his right hand in Tuesday’s multi-car feature wreck. He visited a hospital for evaluation of his hand and bo broken bones or fractures were found but his hand is tender around the webbing near his thumb. The Rocket1 car that the 23-year-old crashed is sidelined for the remainder of the week due to a bent lower frame rail so he’s running the machine he drove to a victory in last month’s Sunshine Nationals at Volusia. … Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., is making his first start of the week after sticking to his plan to skip the first two programs. … Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, is also a first-time entrant this week, joining his car owner and teammate Todd Cooney of Des Moines, Iowa, in the field. Gustin spent the past two days in Daytona Beach with his wife and kids. … Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., has two cars unloaded: he’ll run the makeup feature with the machine he raced in Tuesday’s feature (he’s replaced the distributor that caught fire on the lap-17 restart) and pilot his other Longhorn in the 20-lap semifeature. … Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., is also planning to run two cars, reserving the vehicle he repaired after Tuesday’s major crash for the held-over feature and his primary World of Outlaws Longhorn for his 20-lapper. … Mike Marlar’s Skyline Motorsports crew was up until 3 a.m. replacing the rearend and other suspension parts that were damaged in Tuesday’s feature melee. … Ashton Winger of Hampton, Ga., has opted to switch to his second Jeff Mathews-owned Rocket Chassis after the car he drove on Tuesday sustained light frame damage in the feature tangle. … Teenager Tristan Chamberlain of Richmond, Ind., was knocked from contention while contending for a transfer spot in a Tuesday B-main due to a broken rearend. … Matt Cosner of Ridgeley, W.Va., is still sore from the bruised ribs he suffered last Thursday at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla., so he’s calling in a replacement to drive his No. 66c: Mason Zeigler of Chalk Hill, Pa., who had previously discussed racing some Speedweeks events in Cosner’s second car. Cosner’s father said Zeigler wasn’t able to make it down for Wednesday’s action but is scheduled to fly to Florida on Thursday morning to finish out the week.

Time trials

Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 15.441
2. Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 15.758
3. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 15.839
4. Logan Zarin (1z), Moon Township, Pa., 15.888
5. Ethan Dotson (174), Bakersfield, Calif., 15.900
6. Mike Benedum (25B), Salem, W.Va., 15.911
7. Austin Smith (11), Rome, Ga., 15.913
8. Ashton Winger (12), Hampton, Ga., 15.927
9. Blair Northdurft (76), Renner, S.D., 15.952
10. Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., 15.974
11. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 16.028
12. Stacy Boles (11B), Clinton, Tenn., 16.194
13. Max McLaughlin (22*), Mooresville, N.C., 16.226
14. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 16.291
15. Jason Fitzgerald (14jr), Middleburg, Fla., 16.426
16. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 16.473

Wednesday’s schedule

(All times local)
Noon - Ticket sales, will call, pit pass sales begin
1 p.m. - Pits open
3 p.m. - Pits cleared and re-open
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
4:45 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5:30 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model group qualifying (2 laps)
- Modified group qualifying (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- First Late Model semifeature (20 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Second Late Model semifeature (20 laps)
- Modified consolation (10 laps)
- Third Late Model semifeature (20 laps)
- Modified feature (30 laps)
Postponed from Monday, Feb. 12
- Late Models (30 laps)