(July 13, 2024) Hartford, OH – Bobby Pierce continued his dominant form, winning his eighth World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models Feature of 2024 at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OH. The Oakwood, IL native battled through the pack to claim victory in a 50-lap showdown against fellow Illinois drivers Brandon Sheppard, Dennis Erb Jr, and Brian Shirley.
Tactical Racing and Key Moves
Starting from the second row, Pierce quickly maneuvered past Shirley and positioned himself behind Erb and Sheppard. As Sheppard took the lead from Erb on the high side, Pierce followed suit, getting by Erb and setting his sights on Sheppard.
Pierce’s first attempt to overtake Sheppard was thwarted by a lapped car, but his persistence paid off. When Sheppard jumped the cushion in Turns 1 and 2, Pierce seized the opportunity to pass him on the bottom of Turn 3, taking the lead at the halfway point.
Pierce expanded his lead to over three seconds, navigating through lapped traffic with ease and securing his 26th career Series triumph. This win made him the first driver since Sheppard in 2020 to win four consecutive races.
Competitors’ Reactions
Brandon Sheppard
Sheppard, who finished second for the third time in four races, extended his lead in the Series standings to 52 points over Nick Hoffman. “It was tough out there,” Sheppard said. “We were rolling good in the first half, but once the fresh dirt went away, I was super free. I’m getting tired of finishing second, but you can’t complain about finishing second. Bobby’s the best in the country, so we gotta step up our game.”
Ryan Gustin
Gustin secured his fourth third-place finish in the last five races. Despite fading late in the run, Gustin remained positive about his performance. “We faded pretty bad late in the run. Those guys could take off and we couldn’t, it just wasn’t our night. It’s nice to be on the podium for sure, but we’re here to win,” Gustin stated.
Upcoming Event
The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models will return to Illinois for the 34th Annual Prairie Dirt Classic at Fairbury Speedway on July 26-27. The top dirt Late Model drivers will compete for a $50,000 payday. For more information on the event and the remaining 2024 schedule, visit the World of Outlaws website.
For those unable to attend, all the action will be streamed live on DIRTVision.
CASE Late Model Feature Results (50 Laps)
- Bobby Pierce [3]
- Brandon Sheppard [2]
- Ryan Gustin [6]
- Brian Shirley [4]
- Kyle Bronson [10]
- Dennis Erb Jr [1]
- Cade Dillard [8]
- Dustin Sorensen [13]
- Tyler Bruening [5]
- Chub Frank [19]
- Dave Hess Jr [11]
- Nick Hoffman [23]
- Michael Norris [9]
- Brent Larson [16]
- Max McLaughlin [21]
- Cody Overton [12]
- Dustin Walker [17]
- Logan Zarin [18]
- John Garvin Jr [7]
- Andy Boozel [15]
- Eric Wilson [24]
- Alex Ferree [20]
- Ryan Scott [22]
- Tristan Chamberlain [14]
