Brandon Sheppard (left) and Bobby Pierce (right) both took home World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series victories over the weekend. Photos: Buck Monson
Brandon Sheppard and Bobby Pierce both made trips to victory lane in World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series competition over the holiday weekend.
Sheppard scored the win on Friday night at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wisconsin, while Pierce took the victory on Saturday night at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minnesota.
On Friday, Sheppard scored his second series victory of the week, taking home a $20,000 payday in a weather postponed event at Mississippi Thunder Speedway.
“The team has been working their tails off, they deserve it,” Sheppard said. “We all deserve it. It’s been a long year. It’s finally starting to come our way.
“Back when we won the prelim here, we were doing a lot of different stuff to the car than what we’re doing now. I’ve tried a lot of stuff and been through a bunch of different set ups on this thing, just to get a lot of stuff out of my head that I was curious about. We got everything out of the way as far as that goes and have a pretty good program going.”
Brian Shirley bolted to the early lead with Sheppard in tow. While they ran one-two, defending Series champion Dennis Erb, Jr. closed in. What has forming to be a three-horse battle was tamed by the first caution of the night on lap 14.
Tyler Erb slowed in front of current points leader Bobby Pierce, causing Pierce to run into the back of Erb’s car and puncture Pierce’s right front tire. It made a bad night worse for Pierce, who qualified 22nd and started 16th in the feature.
When the race resumed, Sheppard stayed within striking distance of Shirley before taking the lead on lap 17. As the race played out Ryan Gustin moved up to challenge Sheppard, with the two battling side-by-side for several laps. But Sheppard prevailed, while Gustin eventually lost second place to Pierce.
Over the closing laps, Pierce closed on the leader, but Sheppard held him at bay to score the victory.
Gustin finished in third, with Kyle Bronson in fourth and Chris Madden in fifth.
On Saturday, Bobby Pierce scored his 11th series victory of the season at Deer Creek Speedway. But not in a preferred way.
Pierce had no brakes for the final 15 laps of the 50-lap grind, having to hold off Brandon Sheppard to score the $20,000 triumph.
“Going off into the corner, you don’t know if it is going to steer,” Pierce said about driving with no brakes. “Especially if I was running the top like that. You use so much brake around the corner with these cars, you’re pedaling. It helps the car turn. It helps the car slow down. It just does a lot of stuff. So, no brakes is like driving with a blind fold.”
Pierce’s luck went a bit smoother for him earlier in the evening, able to win his Heat Race and draw the pole for the 50-lap feature.
Dustin Sorensen led the first lap of the feature, but Pierce took command on the next lap, and three laps later held a commanding straightaway advanate.
With 20 to go, Pierce had a solid command of the race. Then, his brakes started to fade. To make up for it, he had to change from running the top to running the bottom, which gave Brandon Sheppard a chance to close from second.
Sheppard needed a slip from Pierce to pounce on, but none came. Pierce drove through the hindrance to score his 15th career series victory.
Sorensen finished third, with Kyle Bronson, and Ryan Gustin rounding out the top five.
Up next, the World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series returns to Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio on September 29-30. For more details, visit WorldofOutlaws.com.
World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series
Mississippi Thunder Speedway – Fountain City, WI
Race Results – September 1, 2023
1. B5-Brandon Sheppard
2. 32-Bobby Pierce
3. 19R-Ryan Gustin
4. 40B-Kyle Bronson
5. 44-Chris Madden
6. 3S-Brian Shirley
7. 9-Nick Hoffman
8. 97-Cade Dillard
9. 16-Tyler Bruening
10. 28-Dennis Erb, Jr.
11. B1-Brent Larson
12. 96V-Tanner English
13. 76-Blair Nothdurft
14. 2S-Stormy Scott
15. 25-Shane Clanton
16. 11-Gordy Gundaker
17. 30-Todd Cooney
18. 90-Lance Matthees
19. 14W-Dustin Walker
20. 49-Jake Timm
21. 1-Tyler Erb
22. 15-Nick Anvelink
23. 77-Jordan Yaggy
24. 28S-Dustin Sorensen
World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series
Deer Creek Speedway – Spring Valley, MN
Race Results – September 2, 2023
1. 32-Bobby Pierce
2. B5-Brandon Sheppard
3. 28S-Dustin Sorensen
4. 40B-Kyle Bronson
5. 19R-Ryan Gustin
6. 97-Cade Dillard
7. B1-Brent Larson
8. 44-Chris Madden
9. 28-Dennis Erb Jr
10. 25-Shane Clanton
11. 2S-Stormy Scott
12. 3S-Brian Shirley
13. 49-Jake Timm
14. 16-Tyler Bruening
15. 15-Nick Anvelink
16. 9-Nick Hoffman
17. 11-Gordy Gundaker
18. 76-Blair Nothdurft
19. 11G-James Giossi
20. 22-Nick Panitzke
21. 96V-Tanner English
22. 90-Lance Matthees
23. 30-Todd Cooney
24. 14W-Dustin Walker
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