Dirt on Dirt - Pierce, crew top Harrison in Gateway opener

December 4

The Dome at America's Center,

St. Louis, MO

Sanction: Unsanctioned Supers (Gateway Dirt Nationals first prelim) - $10,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, Aaron Clay and track reports (last updated December 4, 10:58 pm)

Pierce, crew top Harrison in Gateway opener

Gateway Dirt Nationals first prelim

Bobby Pierce
Mike Harrison
Brandon Sheppard
Brian Shirley
Nick Hoffman
Ashton Winger
Jason Feger
Ryan Gustin
Dustin Linville
Joey Tanner
Jason Jameson
Chris Simpson
Dylan Thornton
Ethan Dotson
Dustin Sorensen
Scott Bell
Tanner Collins
Tyler Peterson
Trevor Gundaker

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Bobby Pierce and his team celebrate Thursday's Gateway victory.

What won the race: Taking advantage of his team winning the Hellraizer Jacks Pit Stop Challenge, Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., took the command for good on lap four and never looked back for his third career prelim victory at the Kubota Gateway Dirt Nationals presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts and fifth overall triumph inside The Dome at America's Center.

Key notes: Thursday's victory was Pierce's 31st of 2025. It came 1.481 seconds over second-starting Mike Harrison, who led the opening three laps before ceding the lead to Pierce, who dispatched the Highland, Ill., veteran using a barrage of slide jobs. ... Along with Pierce and Harrison, two-time reigning event champ Brandon Sheppard are locked into Saturday's main event. ... Tyler Peterson of Hickson, N.D., pulled off running 16th on lap 18 with a flat right-rear tire. ... Two stoppages slowed the 25-lap feature: lap seven for fence repairs, which drew the red flag for approximately 10 minutes, and lap 15 for debris. ... Tyler Erb lost an engine in time trials and loaded up for the weekend. ... Nick Hoffman was among several drivers who sustained heavy right rear damage in qualifying. Hoffman bounced back with a 10th-to-second charge in the first heat race. ... Carson Ferguson and Seth Daniels scratched from time trials. … The Best Appearing Car Awards will pay $1,000 apiece for Late Models and modifieds, which are on the undercard nightly. … The event will allow Late Model drivers to use multiple tire brands.

On the move: Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., started 12th and finished seventh.

Winner's sponsors: Pierce’s Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Low Voltage Solutions, Rio Grande Waste Services, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Oakwood Tire Center, Churchill Transport, Collins Brothers Towing, K1, Carnaghi Towing & Repair, Toyota of Danville, Floyd’s Waste Systems, PureMax Racing Oil, A Plus Vacuum, Leka Tree Service, Bert Transmissions by Budda, Ted Brown’s Quality Paint & Body Shop, VP Race Fuels, Swift Springs, Bilstein Shocks, Dirt Car Lift and Performance Bodies.

Car count: 62

Fast qualifier: Michael Leach

Time: 11.795 seconds

Polesitter: Bobby Pierce

Heat race winners: Mike Harrison, Brian Shirley, Chris Simpson, Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Dustin Linville

Consolation race winners: Tanner Collins, Ethan Dotson

Provisional starters: Scott Bell

Next series race: December 5, The Dome at America's Center (St. Louis, MO) $10,000

Editor's note: Corrects second heat race results (Jameson finshing ahead of Bell).

From staff reports

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Dec. 4) — Updates and results from Thursday’s Gateway Dirt Nationals first preliminary night, highlighted by a 25-lap, $10,000-to-win Super Late Model feature (results unofficial):

Feature

Taking advantage of his team winning the Hellraizer Jacks Pit Stop Challenge, Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., took the command for good on lap four and never looked back for his third career prelim victory at the Kubota Gateway Dirt Nationals presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts and fifth overall triumph inside The Dome at America's Center.

Feature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Mike Harrison
Row 2: Brian Shirley, Chris Simpson
Row 3: Brandon Sheppard, Dustin Linville
Row 4: Nick Hoffman, Ashton Winger
Row 5: Jason Jameson, Joey Tanner
Row 6: Ryan Gustin, Jason Feger
Row 7: Tanner Collins, Ethan Dotson
Row 8: Dustin Sorensen, Tyler Peterson
Row 9: Trevor Gundaker, Dylan Thornton
Row 10: Scott Bell

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top three transfer)

First consolation: Tanner Collins, Dustin Sorensen, Trevor Gundaker, Kyle Hammer, Chris Carpenter, Mike Spatola, Laela Eisenschenk, Dylan Thompson, Benji Hicks, Daniel Adam, Devin Moran, Hayden Cardwell.

Second consolation: Ethan Dotson, Tyler Peterson, Dylan Thornton, Kyle Hardy, Jon Mitchell, Freddie Carpenter, Kyle Moore, Colten Burdette, Brody Smith, Jacob Magee, Chad Wallace, James Giossi.

Heat race recap

Second-starting Mike Harrison led all eight laps and narrowly fended off late-race challenges from Nick Hoffman to win the first heat race by 0.266 of a second. Hoffman, who started 10th after sustaining heavy right rear damage in time trials, grabbed the second and final transfer spot into Thursday’s 25-lap Dome opener. Jadon Frame suffered heavy right-front suspension damage after tangling with Beckham Malone in the race’s second caution and was credited with 11th; Malone continued to finish ninth. Seth Daniels finished 10th after a couple of spins. … Sixth-starting Brian Shirley was bailed out by a lap-four caution after spinning and led the final five laps to win the second heat by 2.153 seconds over Jason Jameson. Scott Bell finished third after heavy contact with Laela Eisenschenk that sent Eisenschenk spinning in turn three; she finished sixth. Second-starting Michael Page pulled up limp and coasted to the infield on the race’s second restart attempt; he was credited with ninth. Derek Fisher spun a couple of times and placed 10th. … Chris Simpson dominated a green-to-checkered third heat, leading the entire distance and taking the checkers 2.301 seconds ahead of Ryan Gustin, who also punched his ticket into the night’s $10,000-to-win prelim. … Bobby Pierce overcame a couple restarts and led all eight laps to win the fourth heat by 1.617 seconds over third-starting Ashton Winger, who grabbed the runner-up spot from Jon Mitchell on the third lap; Mitchell settled for third. … Blaze Burwell and Shannon Babb both continued after a lap-three incident, finishing 10th and 11th, respectively. … Second-starting Brandon Sheppard took advantage of an early restart and led the entire way of the fifth heat, winning by 2.056 seconds over polesitter Joey Tanner. Jeff Provinzino spun on the opening lap after contact with Kyle Moore as they attempted to race three-wide down the backstretch. Provinzino continued to finish eighth. Tyler Erb scratched after losing an engine in time trials. … Second-starting Dustin Linville got the early jump on polesitter Jason Feger before leading all eight laps en route to winning the sixth and final heat race by 0.348 of a second over Feger. Dylan Thornton overcame a mid-race spin to finish fourth following contact with Dave Hess Jr.; Hess settled for eighth. … The six prelims combined for 37 minutes of on-track action.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top two transfer)

First heat: Mike Harrison, Nick Hoffman, Trevor Gundaker, Devin Moran, Dylan Thompson, Benji Hicks, Michael King Jr., Michael Leach, Beckham Malone, Seth Daniels, Jadon Frame.

Second heat: Brian Shirley, Jason Jameson, Scott Bell, Tanner Collins, Chris Carpenter, Kyle Hammer, Laela Eisenschenk, Carter Schlenk, Michael Page, Derek Fisher.

Third heat: Chris Simpson, Ryan Gustin, Hayden Cardwell, Dustin Sorensen, Mike Spatola, Daniel Adam, Ryan Montgomery, Jack Riggs, Darin Weisinger Jr., Corey DeLancey.

Fourth heat: Bobby Pierce, Ashton Winger, Jon Mitchell, Tyler Peterson, James Giossi, Freddie Carpenter, Carson Ferguson, Justin Shaw, Kip Hughes, Blaze Burwell, Shannon Babb.

Fifth heat: Brandon Sheppard, Joey Tanner, Ethan Dotson, Kyle Moore, Chad Wallace, Colten Burdette, Kaede Loudy, Jeff Provinzino, Chris Fetter. Scratched: Tyler Erb.

Sixth heat: Dustin Linville, Jason Feger, Kyle Hardy, Dylan Thornton, Brody Smith, Jacob Magee, Blair Nothdurft, Dave Hess Jr., Skylar Marlar, Mike Provenzano.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 11.795
2. Scott Bell (45B), East Prairie, Mo., 11.831
3. Chris Simpson (32s), Oxford, Iowa, 11.842
4. Mike Harrison (33), Highland, Ill., 11.861
5. Michael Page (18x), Douglasville, Ga., 11.894
6. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 11.951
7. Benji Hicks (55), Mount Airy, N.C., 11.979
8. Chris Carpenter (18c), Parkersburg, W.Va., 11.985
9. Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 12.062
10. Trevor Gundaker (11T), St. Charles, Mo., 12.102
11. Laela Eisenschenk (15), Fargo, N.D., 12.116
12. Hayden Cardwell (44c), Knoxville, Tenn., 12.136
13. Michael King Jr. (14jr), El Dorado, Ark., 12.137
14. Derek Fisher (38), Olympia, Ky., 12.139
15. Daniel Adam (75A), Peru, Ill., 12.164
16. Jadon Frame (81F), Winchester, Tenn., 12.165
17. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 12.226
18. Dustin Sorensen (19s), Rochester, Minn., 12.262
19. Beckham Malone (23), Rock Hill, S.C., 12.299
20. Kyle Hammer (45), Clinton, Ill., 12.338
21. Ryan Montgomery (12m), Fairmont, W.Va., 12.350
22. Dylan Thompson (99T), Paducah, Ky., 12.357
23. Jason Jameson (12J), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 12.358
24. Jack Riggs (81J), Nolensville, Tenn., 12.444
25. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 12.590
26. Tanner Collins (24c), Franklin, Ga., 12.611
27. Corey DeLancey (c2), Parkersburg, W.Va., 12.672
28. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 12.913
29. Carter Schlenk (lil91), McClure, Ohio, 12.966
30. Darin Weisinger Jr. (11w), Mendon, Ill., 13.079
31. Seth Daniels (s21), Jackson, Ohio, no time
Group B
1. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 12.011
2. Joey Tanner (46), Portland, Ore., 12.195
3. Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 12.302
4. Jon Mitchell (5), Texarkana, Texas, 12.327
5. Tyler Erb (1T), New Waverly, Texas, 12.388
6. Dustin Linville (35), Bryantsville, Ky., 12.392
7. Ashton Winger (12), Hampton, Ga., 12.407
8. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 12.428
9. Jacob Magee (10), Caney, Kan., 12.536
10. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 12.539
11. Jeff Provinzino (28p), Hibbing, Minn., 12.545
12. Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 12.589
13. Tyler Peterson (1tpo), Hickson, N.D., 12.592
14. Kyle Moore (1*), Mansfield, Ohio, 12.638
15. Dave Hess Jr. (44H), Waterford, Pa., 12.645
16. Blaze Burwell (44), Mount Vernon, Ill., 12.687
17. Chad Wallace (34), LaGrange, Ga., 12.725
18. Skylar Marlar (257), Winfield, Tenn., 12.738
19. Freddie Carpenter (c4), Parkersburg, W.Va., 12.745
20. Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., 12.746
21. Kyle Hardy (99H), Stephens City, Va., 12.755
22. James Giossi (11), Hudson, Wis., 12.781
23. Colten Burdette (53c), Parkersburg, W.Va., 12.798
24. Dylan Thornton (13), Orcutt, Calif., 12.808
25. Kip Hughes (60H), Enid, Okla., 12.865
26. Kaede Loudy (126), Rogersville, Tenn., 12.999
27. Blair Nothdurft (76n), Renner, S.D., 13.052
28. Justin Shaw (1cj), Grenwood, Ind., 13.195
29. Chris Fetter (15F), Troy, Mo., 13.300
30. Mike Provenzano (m27), Marseilles, Ill., 13.705
31. Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., no time

Thursday’s schedule

(All times local)
8 a.m. - Competitor parking (late arrivals)
10 a.m. - Registration and credentials open
11 a.m. - Pits open, technical inspection begins
11 a.m. - Fuel storage and fueling lane opens (Cole Street docks)
1 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
2 p.m. - Grandstands open
3 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified group qualifying
5 p.m. - Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (8 laps)
Pit stop challenge
Feature events
- Late Models (25 laps)
- Modifieds (20 laps)
(Pit area cleared, closes one hour after final checkered flag)