Photo Credit - Mike Ruefer
Bobby Pierce visited victory lane 38 times in 2024 and starts 2025 in a familiar spot. Vado Speedway Park put on another spectacular race to kick off The Wild West Shootout. Pierce took advantage of a mistake by Garrett Alberson after a restart to take the lead for the $25,000 payday. Alberson finished second with Brandon Sheppard rounding out the podium. Cade Dillard and Tyler Erb rounded out the top 5.
47 drivers signed in with Garrett Alberson topping the field in qualifying. He would go on to take the win in his heat race along with Pierce, Dillard, and Chase Junghans. Ross Bailes and Clay Stuckey took the B Main wins to lock themselves into the 50 lap feature. Chase Junghans drew the pole starting spot.
All 25 starters paraded around the track with a Scott Bloomquist flag as the track held a special tribute to the Hall of Fame driver. Arizona Sport Shirts will be selling the flags with proceeds going to his daughter Ariel.
At the drop of the green Alberson blasted out to the early race lead. He would lead the first 29 laps when the caution waved for third place running Mike Marlar with a flat right rear.
On the restart Alberson slipped up on the exit of turn 2 allowing second place running Pierce to make his winning move. Pierce would later say that he went a different direction on tires and would need a good restart to have a chance at victory.
Pierce would stretch his lead out until he caught the rear of the field. He came up on two cars battling for position slowing him up just enough for Alberson to make things interesting. Pierce split the racing duo to get a comfortable lead with the laps winding down. Pierce would take the checkers nine tenths ahead of the home state driver Alberson.
They will do it all again tonight with $10,000 going to the winner. Catch all the action live on FloRacing.
Night 1 Wild West Shootout
BOBBYPIERCE
Alberson
Sheppard
Dillard
Erb
Dotson
Troutman
Sorensen
Marlar
McCowan
Mahder (Hard Charger)
Winebarger
Beard
Jackson Jr
Brown
Neal
Stuckey
Hucovski
Riggs
Daniels
Smith
Whisler
Junghans
Shaw
Bailes
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