CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – Wasting time wasn’t an option for Bobby Pierce at Atomic Speedway Saturday night.
With his experience at the track, he knew how quickly its surface could change and how quickly he needed to pass Chris Madden if he wanted to win. Pierce seized his opportunity, sliding by Madden on lap 32 to earn his 12th World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series win of 2023.
Madden, the pole sitter, stormed to the lead on lap 1 while Pierce and Brian Shirley battled for second. Shirley snuck under Pierce to take the position and became Madden’s first challenger for the lead as the two approached traffic.
After chasing Madden for a few laps, the Chatham, Illinois driver dove underneath him in turn 4, nosing ahead to lead lap 13. That was the only lap Shirley would lead, though, as Madden’s momentum allowed him to reclaim the position the next time around.
While the top two battled in traffic, Pierce lurked behind them on the outside lane.
It wasn’t long before Pierce found an opportunity to get by Shirley, as he found a burst of speed down the backstretch and ahead in turn 3 to grab second on lap 23.
As Madden dealt with traffic, Pierce closed in, hoping to find an opportunity. His first chance came on lap 30. With a lap car on the top of the racetrack, Pierce moved under Madden, pulling even in turns 1 and 2. But at that point, Madden was better, keeping his momentum in the middle. However, it wouldn’t be long until Pierce got another chance — one he wouldn’t waste.
On lap 32, Pierce thundered down the backstretch, again pulling even with Madden. And with the same move he used to pass Shirley, Pierce slid in front of Madden to take the lead in turn 3.
From there, Pierce outdueled Madden through traffic to earn the $15,000 win — his 32nd overall triumph of the 2023 season.
Pierce said he thought the track might take rubber late in the race and knew he had to pass Madden before that happened.
“It was getting really clean in turn 3,” Pierce said. “I wanted to be patient because I knew we were pretty good, and staying green was really helping my situation. I knew how clean it was getting, and this track can rubber up. It never really did. It almost did there at the very end, but you never know. I wanted to get by (Madden), and traffic was really hairy. It was a lot of fun, though, slicing and dicing around.”
Madden crossed the line second, with Shirley in third, Dennis Erb, Jr. in fourth, and Brandon Sheppard in fifth.
The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models make their final trip to the Midwest with a trip to Indiana’s Brownstown Speedway on Friday, October 6. Then, the series returns to Illinois’ Fairbury Speedway on Saturday, October 7. For more information, visit WorldofOutlaws.com.
World Of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series
Atomic Speedway – Chillicothe, OH
Race Results – September 30, 2023
1. 32-Bobby Pierce
2. 44-Chris Madden
3. 3S-Brian Shirley
4. 28-Dennis Erb Jr
5. B5-Brandon Sheppard
6. 157-Mike Marlar
7. 97-Cade Dillard
8. B1-Brent Larson
9. 9-Nick Hoffman
10. 68-Adam Stricker
11. 96V-Tanner English
12. 19R-Ryan Gustin
13. 71C-RJ Conley
14. 55-Jesse Wisecarver
15. 40B-Kyle Bronson
16. 25-Shane Clanton
17. 14W-Dustin Walker
18. 11-Gordy Gundaker
19. 71R-Rod Conley
20. 30-Todd Cooney
21. 20-Jimmy Owens
22. 1-Shane Bailey
23. 29C-Clint Keenan[
24. 17-Zack Dohm
