ST. LOUIS — Bobby Pierce led all 40 laps to win the ninth annual Kubota Gateway Dirt Nationals Saturday night inside The Dome at America’s Center.
Driving the familiar No. 32 late model, Pierce, who won Thursday’s preliminary feature, was the class of the field in becoming the first three-time winner of the event.
Pierce banked a whopping $70,000 for beating Friday night winner Ricky Thornton Jr. to the checkered flag by 2.15 seconds on the temporary fifth-mile race track.
Brandon Sheppard finished third, with Jason Feger and Nick Hoffman completing the top five.
It was Pierce’s 32nd dirt late model triumph of the season.
“You just dream of things like this,” Pierce said. “Ever since this event came around, it was a spectacle from the beginning. I’ve watched it grow to what it is now. We got a packed house. I don’t see it stopping from growing. I think one day this place will probably be full from the tippy top. Thanks to these fans for making this all possible. We just won the Gateway Dirt Nationals three times.”
The finish:
Bobby Pierce, Ricky Thornton Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Jason Feger, Nick Hoffman, Ashton Winger Brenden Smith, Zack Dohm, Devin Moran, Carson Hocevar, Ethatn Dotson, Josh Rice, Dylan Thornton, Tyler Carpenter, Mike Harrison, Dan Ebert, Trevor Gundaker, Jonathan Davenport, Dustin Sorensen, Brian Shirley, Mark Whitener.
