Red hot Pierce Continues to Roll through Summer Nationals; Takes Heartland Tour Week Championship

Bobby Pierce holds off Brandon Sheppard for win at Tri-State Speedway – Jim Denhamer Photo

Bobby Pierce holds off Brandon Sheppard for win at Tri-State Speedway – Jim Denhamer Photo

HAUBSTADT, Ind. – June 26, 2016 – If the weather and Brandon Sheppard had anything to say about it, Bobby Pierce would have been left jilted on Sunday night at Tri-State Speedway but Pierce was able to hold off both as he claimed his fifth Summer Nationals victory of the season and the Heartland Tour Week title.

Ryan Unzicker led through the first 12 laps of the night’s rain-shortened feature, but it was Pierce and Sheppard who stole the show. Pierce took the lead on lap 13 and Sheppard took over second two laps later. What commenced was an intense back-and-forth battle between the two drivers for the lead.

Sheppard took the lead on multiple occasions but Pierce battled back each time – officially Sheppard never led a lap.

As the battle continued, rain began to fall on Tri-State on lap 36 and the caution flag flew two laps later as the rain turned heavy. DIRTcar officials called the race at lap 38, giving Pierce his fifth win of the season and 12th of his career. Pierce also claimed the Heartland Tour week bonus.

“Oh man, that was probably one of the craziest races I’ve been in,” Pierce said. “Me and Sheppy throwing some awesome sliders, and between lapped traffic and everything, it was just crazy.”

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals takes Monday off as the grueling tour grinds on on Tuesday at Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway.

Follow the Summer Nationals and Summit Modified Nationals on Twitter at Twitter.com/SummerNationalsor on Facebook at Facebook.com/SummerNationals. Stay up-to-date with the latest news from the series throughout the lead up and the summer on the series’ websites at TheHellTour.com andModifiedNationals.com.

Super Late Models – A-Main
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 1 32    Bobby Pierce    Oakwood , Il
2 3 B5    Brandon Sheppard    New Berlin, Il
3 2 24    Ryan Unzicker    El Paso, Il
4 4 C8    Timothy Culp    Sheridan , Ar
5 6 6K    Michael Kloos    Trenton , Il
6 5 157    Mike Marlar    Winfield , Tn
7 8 18    Shannon Babb    Moweaqua , Il
8 10 7R    Kent Robinson    Bloomington , In
9 7 27M    Rodney Melvin    Benton , Il
10 11 25    Jason Feger    Bloomington , Il
11 17 78    Chad Zobrist    Highland , Il
12 9 4G    Bob Gardner    East Peoria, Il
13 20 B1    Brent Larson    Lake Elmo, Mn
14 15 11    Gordy Gundaker    St Charles, Mo
15 12 24S    Jeremy Sneed    Bluford , Il
16 18 27C    Chris Cowling    Tauranga , Nz
17 14 96    Tanner English    Benton , Ky
18 16 61    Caleb Ashby    Cunningham , Tn
19 13 5N    Dustin Nobbe    Batesville , In
20 21 99C    Tom Collini    Erlanger , Oh
21 23 41J    Jarryd Holshouser    Boaz , Ky
22 19 15R    Richard Frost    Clarksville , Tn
23 22 26M    Brent Mckinnon    Carlyle , Il

Super Late Models – Heat Race 3
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 1 24    Ryan Unzicker    El Paso, Il
2 2 6K    Michael Kloos    Trenton , Il
3 4 4G    Bob Gardner    East Peoria, Il
4 3 24S    Jeremy Sneed    Bluford , Il
5 6 11    Gordy Gundaker    St Charles, Mo
6 5 27C    Chris Cowling    Tauranga , Nz
7 7 99C    Tom Collini    Erlanger , Oh

Super Late Models – Heat Race 2
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 1 32    Bobby Pierce    Oakwood , Il
2 2 157    Mike Marlar    Winfield , Tn
3 4 18    Shannon Babb    Moweaqua , Il
4 3 25    Jason Feger    Bloomington , Il
5 6 96    Tanner English    Benton , Ky
6 5 78    Chad Zobrist    Highland , Il
7 7 B1    Brent Larson    Lake Elmo, Mn
8 8 41J    Jarryd Holshouser    Boaz , Ky

Super Late Models – Heat Race 1
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 1 B5    Brandon Sheppard    New Berlin, Il
2 3 C8    Timothy Culp    Sheridan , Ar
3 4 27M    Rodney Melvin    Benton , Il
4 5 7R    Kent Robinson    Bloomington , In
5 2 5N    Dustin Nobbe    Batesville , In
6 7 61    Caleb Ashby    Cunningham , Tn
7 8 15R    Richard Frost    Clarksville , Tn
8 6 26M    Brent Mckinnon    Carlyle , Il