American Late Model Series
Eldora Speedway
October 4, 2014
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Pierce wire to wire for $5K UMP Fall Nationals victory at Eldora Speedway



ROSSBURG, OHIO (October 4) - Bobby Pierce put an exclamation mark on his 2014 UMP National Points Championship by dominating the UMP Late Model Feature during the Saturday finale of the DIRTcar Fall Nationals presented by Allstar Performance.

Despite having nearly a half-track lead negated by multiple cautions, Pierce was never seriously challenged for the victory and lapped up to 10th place in the 40 lap affair.

A wide top-to-bottom race track produced a near non-stop 40-lap finale as only one caution flag slowed the pace with a handful of laps remaining.

It was the fast pace that played right into the hands of second generation Pierce who rim-rode the high banks inches from the concrete wall.  

Pierce fell short to Duane Chamberlain (IN) in the opening heat race for the 43 Late Models on hand, but a successful re-draw at the scales turned that frown upside-down as he drew the pole starting position for the $5,000 to win finale.

From that pole position Pierce shot into the lead, as Mason Ziegler (PA), Frank Heckenast, Jr. (IL) and Scott James (OH) followed in pursuit.   None of that trio had anything for the high-flying Pierce, so they engaged in their own little battle.

By the eighth tour around the one-half mile clay oval, Pierce was into lapped traffic and the front runners began threading their way through the pack, using every available inch of the track.

Heckenast developed mechanical issues and had to retire to the pit area, leaving Zeigler holding off James and a fast-moving Kent Robinson (IN) from his 12th starting slot.

Matt Miller (OH) and Jeep VanWormer (MI) soon joined the fray that found the frozen fans focusing in on the battle for second-fifth.   As they one-by-one were able to get by Ziegler the hottest battle on the track soon developed between James and Robinson.   They traded spots repeatedly for several laps before Robinson was able to trigger the move he needed to bolt into second.

With that move made, he zeroed in on Pierce, but the number of available laps to get the job done ran out and had to settle for second behind the jubilant Pierce.   James hung on to finish third, with Miller and VanWormer completed the top five.

A-Main
1 1 32P Bobby Pierce Oakwood, OH
2 10 7R Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN
3 3 83 Scott James Bright, IN
4 7 3 Matt Miller Whitehouse, OH
5 9 55 Jeep Vanwormer Pinconning, MI
6 2 25Z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA
7 5 11S Rusty Schlenk Jackson, MI
8 12 31 Nick Latham Winchester, OH
9 11 11R James Rice Verona, KY
10 6 20C Duane Chamberlain Richmond, IN
11 18 99M Devin Moran Dresden, OH
12 19 75 John Gill Mitichiel, IN
13 4 95J Jerry Bowersock Wapakoneta, OH
14 25 49 Brian Ruhlman Clark Lake, MI
15 23 00 Randy Korte Highland, IL
16 13 B7 Ben Adkins W Portsmouth, OH
17 14 M14 Brandon Thirlby Traverse City, MI
18 21 20D Doug Drown Wooster, OH
19 20 88 Andrew Reaume Blenheim, ONT
20 27 15A Phil Ausra Dowangiac, MI
21 15 77K Steve Kester Holland, OH
22 17 11D Brian Diveley Springfield, IL
23 24 1B Jeff Babcock Wayne, OH
24 22 20JH Jacob Hawkins Fairmont, WV
25 16 15S Dan Schlieper Sullivan, WI
26 26 15H Jon Henry Ada, OH
27 8 99JR Frank Heckenast Jr Frankfort, IL



B-Main #1
1 20D Doug Drown
2 00 Randy Korte
3 1 Josh Richards
4 49 Brian Ruhlman
5 15H Jon Henry
6 18G Andrew Gordon
7 94 Bill Bray
8 76 Butch Kruckeberg
9 33 Don Gordon
10 42* Bob Mayer
11 27 Lauren Longbrake
12 117 Kevin Reeve

B-Main #2
1 20JH Jacob Hawkins
2 1B Jeff Babcock
3 15A Phil Ausra
4 3C Charlie Laplant
5 3G Brian Gray
6 13P Justin Pauley
7 RH21 Gregg Haskell
8 6B David Baldwin
9 1BM Ben Mott
10 53JM John Miller
11 1 Tj Dolhun

Heat #1
1 20C Duane Chamberlain
2 32P Bobby Pierce
3 55 Jeep Vanwormer
4 B7 Ben Adkins
5 11D Brian Diveley
6 94 Bill Bray
7 27 Lauren Longbrake
8 117 Kevin Reeve
9 42* Bob Mayer
10 33 Don Gordon
11 1 Josh Richards

Heat #2
1 11S Rusty Schlenk
2 83 Scott James
3 7R Kent Robinson
4 M14 Brandon Thirlby
5 99M Devin Moran
6 20D Doug Drown
7 0 Randy Korte
8 15H Jon Henry
9 49 Brian Ruhlman
10 18G Andrew Gordon
11 76 Butch Kruckeberg

Heat #3
1 99JR Frank Heckenast Jr
2 3 Matt Miller
3 11R James Rice
4 77K Steve Kester
5 75 John Gill
6 1B Jeff Babcock
7 20JH Jacob Hawkins
8 15A Phil Ausra
9 RH21 Gregg Haskell
10 3G Brian Gray
11 1 Tj Dolhun

Heat #4
1 25Z Mason Zeigler
2 95J Jerry Bowersock
3 31 Nick Latham
4 15S Dan Schlieper
5 88 Andrew Reaume
6 3C Charlie Laplant
7 13P Justin Pauley
8 53JM John Miller
9 1BM Ben Mott
10 6B David Baldwin