Bobby Pierce scored the victory in Saturday night’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race at Deer Creek Speedway. Photo: LOLMDS Media
Bobby Pierce edged Hudson O’Neal at the finish line to win Saturday night’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minnesota.
The winning margin was 0.002 seconds which equaled the closest finish in series history.
Pierce earned $50,000 for his biggest win thus far in 2023 and earned an additional $1,000 from NAPA Auto Parts for his first career victory in the crown jewel event.
O’Neal was ahead at the white flag, but he bobbled in turn two allowing Pierce to close on him heading into the last two turns. Pierce through a slider on O’Neal heading into turn four to take the lead. O’Neal would turn down the track and the two-drag raced to the finish with Pierce scoring the victory.
Brandon Sheppard came home in third followed by Chris Madden in fourth, and Blairsville, Georgia’s Jonathan Davenport in fifth.
“I think everything had to play its part there. All the glory to the Holy Spirit and everything there,” Pierce said. “I had to have everything go my way. It was just one of those deals where Hudson just pushed, it was just bad timing on the last lap. I have had it happen to me plenty of times when you get to those last couple of laps and you’re leading, and you just want the race to be over. He (O’Neal) made a little push and every time he would pull me off two I knew three and four was going to be the one I was going to slide him. I am not going to lie I was scared to send that slider in there after what happened Thursday night.”
Tim McCreadie, Garrett Alberson, Earl Pearson, Jr., Dustin Sorensen, and Chad Simpson rounded out the top 10.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Deer Creek Speedway – Spring Valley, MN
NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 – July 8, 2023
1. 32-Bobby Pierce
2. 1H-Hudson O’Neal
3. 5-Brandon Sheppard
4. 44-Chris Madden
5. 49-Jonathan Davenport
6. 39-Tim McCreadie
7. 58-Garrett Alberson
8. 46-Earl Pearson, Jr.
9. 28S-Dustin Sorensen
10. 25-Chad Simpson
11. 99-Devin Moran
12. 76-Brandon Overton
13. 32C-Chris Simpson
14. 20RT-Ricky Thornton, Jr.
15. 15J-Justin Duty
16. 18D-Daulton Wilson
17. 16-Tyler Bruening
18. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck
19. 25C-Shane Clanton-DNF
20. 99B-Boom Briggs-DNF
21. 8-Dillon McCowan-DNF
22. 1T-Tyler Erb-DNF
23. 157-Mike Marlar-DNF
24. 111B-Max Blair-DNF
25. 7-Ross Robinson-DNF
26. 11-Spencer Hughes-DNF
27. 14G-Trevor Gundaker-DNF
28. 2S-Stormy Scott-DNF
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