BRANDON, S.D. — Bobby Pierce held off a hard-charging Devin Moran in the final laps to win back-to-back with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Huset’s Speedway.
Pierce was in control from the start of Friday’s 40-lap main event but a stumble in turn four allowed Moran to close in the final laps.
Pierce would cross the finish line in first for his seventh win in his last eight starts. Moran finished in second by .615 seconds as he recorded his 13th consecutive top four finish.
Tim McCreadie rounded out the podium after passing Daulton Wilson on the final lap dropping Wilson to fourth at the finish. Lucas Oil Late Model Championship points leader Ricky Thornton Jr. rounded out the top five.
For the second night in a row, Pierce jumped out to the lead this time from the pole. McCreadie moved into second on lap one and stayed behind Pierce for several laps until Wilson took the runner-up spot away from McCreadie on lap 20.
Wilson held the runner-up spot behind Pierce until lap 28 when Moran was able to clear him. At that point, Moran was several car lengths back from Pierce until Pierce rode the berm on lap 33 allowing Moran to cut a full second off his lead. Pierce was able to hold off Moran in the closing laps to pick up his second straight win at Huset’s.
“It woke me up, that’s for sure,” said Pierce whose sizable lead nearly evaporated with seven laps to go.“It was getting choppy on entrance in three and I think I just bottomed out, and when it started, I couldn’t get it back and was stuck up there for a second. I didn’t think I was ever going to get out. I finally realized it was Devin [Moran] in second and I didn’t know what he had on for tires, but whatever he did he was gaining on us for sure and he was the best car at the end, so we got lucky.”
Moran, who has not finished outside of the top four in any race since June 20th at Lernerville, came home second.
“We were running fourth at about the halfway point. I kept trying to look at the scoreboard, but you are always on the wheel here. I got by Daulton [Wilson] and then a few laps later I was able to get by Timmy [McCreadie]. When Bobby got up on that cushion, I thought I had a real chance to catch him. We were good off turn two and I was able to gain more ground on him. Our car was more maneuverable I think at end than he [Pierce] was. I can’t wait for Saturday night,” said Moran who will be seeking his first career Silver Dollar Nationals.
McCreadie was able to sneak past Wilson on the final lap to get to third.
“We were good early and then we got shuffled back a few spots on those restarts. We were able to finally get rolling again there at the end. We just needed it to stay green longer than it did there a couple of times. I was able to roll to the outside of the 18D car there on the last lap. We are getting closer. Hopefully Saturday night we can bring home a win for the team and all the sponsors.”
Justin Zeitner charged from 11th and led the second half of the 30-lap Malvern Bank SLMR Series feature, which showcased three different leaders.
The finish:
Feature (40 Laps): 1. 32P-Bobby Pierce (1); 2. 99-Devin Moran (5); 3. 1-Tim McCreadie (4); 4. 18D-Daulton Wilson (6); 5. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr (10); 6. B5-Brandon Sheppard (13); 7. 58-Garrett Alberson (2); 8. 76N-Blair Nothdurft (3); 9. 17SS-Brenden Smith (8); 10. 71-Hudson O’Neal (15); 11. 25C-Chad Simpson (9); 12. 93F-Carson Ferguson (18); 13. 111-Max Blair (14); 14. 49-Jonathan Davenport (22); 15. 1T-Tyler Erb (20); 16. 20-Jimmy Owens (7); 17. 99B-Boom Briggs (16); 18. 6-Clay Harris (17); 19. 93-Cory Lawler (25); 20. 07-Ben Sukup (23); 21. 10-Junior Coover (24); 22. 15C-Curt Schroeder (19); 23. 7-Ross Robinson (11); 24. 157-Mike Marlar (26); 25. 37-Scott Ward (21); 26. 7T-Drake Troutman (12).