ABERDEEN, S.D. (July 17, 2018) – Earl Pearson Jr. charged from his eighth starting spot to win Tuesday night’s Bullet SportsWear Shootout at Brown County Speedway.
South Dakota veteran Scott Ward grabbed the lead at the start of the 50-lap main event and had the packed grandstands on their feet. Ward led the first seven laps of the race until Bobby Pierce took control. Ward fought back regaining the top spot a lap later. Pierce then moved ahead again on lap ten.
Pierce and Ward ran one-two until Ward left the track and headed to the pit area on lap 31. The first of two cautions appeared on lap 34 for Brandon Sheppard in turn four. On the restart Jonathan Davenport and Pierce swapped the lead several times. Pearson made his late-race charge to take the lead on lap 42.
With just two laps remaining, Pierce slipped off top edge of the track entering turn one. Pearson forged ahead and went on to his fourth victory of the season. Josh Richards edged out Pierce at the finish line for second. Ricky Weiss finished fourth with Don O’Neal completing the top five.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane, Pearson commented: “First off I want to say hi to all of family and friends back in Jacksonville. What a heck of a race there. We fell back to seventh or eighth there for a while. We had to get to the bottom of the track. When we restarted in third, we got high in turn one and I knew I had to get back down low. Bobby was giving it all he had there up top. I could see him and hear his motor and then he disappeared. It was a good points night for sure.”
Richards got by Pierce on the final lap coming off of turn four. “I hope the fans enjoyed that race. Thanks to everybody who came out tonight. They re-worked and watered the track and that sure helped. I didn’t know after the heats what it would be like if they hadn’t done anything, but thanks to the track crew. It was a great race.”
Pierce was disappointed with his finish, after having such a great run all night until late in the race. “I have raced against Scott [Ward] out in Arizona and I know he is a real good racer. I know the crowd was probably behind him. Once I got around him the car was good up top, and I just stayed there. Then we had the restart and Earl got underneath me and we had a real good race for the lead. I just slipped off the track. I had a stuck throttle from about lap four on. Then the last lap it just about died. I slowed way down. I am not sure, but it was something in the motor, but it ran flawless all night until then.”
The winner’s Ronnie and Terri Stuckey-owned, Black Diamond Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Lucas Oil Products, P&W Sales, Tegeler Wrecker and Crane, David Petersen Motorsports, DriveWFX.com, Midwest Sheet Metal, Papich Construction, Sunoco Race Fuels, Rauen Precision and Machining, 5-Star Shop Service, and Cooper’s Country Meat Packers.
Completing the top ten were Hudson O’Neal, Tim McCreadie, Jonathan Davenport, Jimmy Owens, and Mason Zeigler.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Bullet Sportswear Shootout
Brown County Speedway – Aberdeen, S.D.
Miller Welders Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 13.919 seconds
Fast Time Group B: Bobby Pierce / 13.771 seconds (overall)
Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, All Transfer): Bobby Pierce, Ricky Weiss, Josh Richards, Kyle Bronson, Darrell Lanigan, Pat Weisgram, Justin Duty, Jeff Massingill
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, All Transfer): Scott Ward, Brandon Sheppard, Earl Pearson, Jr., Gregg Satterlee, Jimmy Owens, Clay Daly, Dennis Erb, Jr., Ryan Engels
Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, All Transfer): Jonathan Davenport, Don O’Neal, Kent Arment, Tim McCreadie, Hudson O’Neal, Mason Zeigler, Tad Pospisil, Scott Bloomquist
Lucas Oil Feature Finish (50 Laps):
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 8 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $10,800 |
| 2 | 7 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $6,500 |
| 3 | 1 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $4,300 |
| 4 | 4 | 7w | Ricky Weiss | Headingley, MB | $2,750 |
| 5 | 6 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $3,050 |
| 6 | 15 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $2,500 |
| 7 | 12 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $2,300 |
| 8 | 3 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $2,400 |
| 9 | 14 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $2,000 |
| 10 | 18 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler ® | Chalk Hill, PA | $1,900 |
| 11 | 9 | 9 | Kent Arment | Aberdeen, SD | $1,075 |
| 12 | 17 | 32B | Clay Daly | Salinas, CA | $1,050 |
| 13 | 13 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | $1,725 |
| 14 | 5 | 1S | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $1,000 |
| 15 | 10 | 40B | Kyle Bronson ® | Brandon, FL | $950 |
| 16 | 11 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Indiana, PA | $1,625 |
| 17 | 20 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $900 |
| 18 | 24 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $1,675 |
| 19 | 19 | 15d | Justin Duty | Portland, OR | $850 |
| 20 | 16 | 32w | Pat Weisgram | Aberdeen, SD | $825 |
| 21 | 22 | 6m | Jeff Massingill | Keewatin, MN | $800 |
| 22 | 21 | 04 | Tad Pospisil | Norfolk, NE | $800 |
| 23 | 2 | 37 | Scott Ward | Hayti, SD | $800 |
| 24 | 23 | 1E | Ryan Engels | Watertown, SD | $800 |
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Race Statistics
Entrants: 24
Lap Leaders: Scott Ward (Laps 1 – 7); Bobby Pierce (Lap 8); Scott Ward (Lap 9); Bobby Pierce (Laps 10 – 34); Jonathan Davenport (Lap 35); Bobby Pierce (Laps 36 – 41); Earl Pearson Jr. (Laps 42 – 46); Bobby Pierce (Lap 47); Earl Pearson Jr. (Laps 48 – 50)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Earl Pearson Jr.
Margin of Victory: 4.266 seconds
Cautions: Brandon Sheppard (Lap 34); Gregg Satterlee (Lap 40)
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Hudson O’Neal (Advanced 9 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Clay Daly
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Earl Pearson Jr.
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: Mason Zeigler
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Black Diamond Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Garrett Alberson (Earl Pearson Jr.)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap #16 – 13.6352 seconds)
STEEL-IT Most Laps Led: Bobby Pierce (33 Laps)
Dirty Girl Racewear Farthest Traveler: Kyle Bronson
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Bobby Pierce
Time of Race: 20 minutes 13 seconds
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Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | 5140 | $129,100 |
| 2 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | 5040 | $115,975 |
| 3 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | 4950 | $155,475 |
| 4 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | 4910 | $112,450 |
| 5 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | 4735 | $102,250 |
| 6 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 4710 | $87,100 |
| 7 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | 4705 | $73,500 |
| 8 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 4630 | $85,525 |
| 9 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 4605 | $73,050 |
| 10 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | 4245 | $56,225 |
| 11 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler ® | Chalk Hill, PA | 4240 | $47,875 |
| 12 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Indiana, PA | 4185 | $61,800 |
| 13 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | 4120 | $43,150 |
| 14 | 40B | Kyle Bronson ® | Brandon, FL | 4070 | $62,100 |
*Points are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*