Pierce Goes Flag to Flag at Tri City

Friday night, Fred and I setr sail for Tri City Speedway in Pontoon Beach,Il. for the Mars/UMP $5,000 to win late model challenge. 27 late models checked in as part of a five class, 105 car field. Late model qualifying was lead by Jonathon Davenport with a lap of 14.745 seconds. The three heat races were lined up straight up by qualifying times, with Davenport topping Jason Feger, Tony Jackson Jr, and Tim Manville in heat one. Polesitter Brian Shirley capyured heat two ahead of Billy Moyer, Kevin Gundaker, and Austin Rettig. The third ten lapper went to outside row one starter Bobby Pierce besting Michael kloos, Jim Shereck, and Joe Godsey. Veteran Terry Phillips had advanced from sixth to fourth in heat two when he appeared to fold under the front of his car, suffering heavy front end damage, ending his night. The biggest field was the UMP B modifieds, with 35 cars signed in. Because of the number of cars, five heats races were run, with the top four transfering to the main feature. The remaing 15 cars were scheduled to run a full length second feature similar to what Lee County Speedway did with the hobby stocks in the Lynn Richard era. with the winner having the option to take the winners check or tag the tail of feature number one. Chuck Goodman took the win and elected to move on in what turned into a time shortened event. Following the prliminaries, and with intermission waved, the twelve four cylinders came to the track for their feature. Dallas Lugge took the win. Next up was the 21 car B mod 15 lapper. Trey Harris benefitted from a three car tussle up front to take the win in a race slowed only three times for caution periods. Goodman started in 21st and crossed the line in sixth. It was now time for the late model 40 lap headliner. Pierce and Davenport filled out row one, with Pierce jumping out from the pole and quickly charging to the top side of the 3/8 mile banked oval. Davenport settled into second, with row two starters Shirley and Feger side by side before Feger took the spot on lap two. Pierce was stretching his advantage before the caution waved on lap three as Allen Murray collected the tractor tire in turn one. Murray seemed convinced he was squeezed entering the turn. Davenport took the inside line on the Delaware restart, and Feger moved to second at the green, with Billy Moyer following him to third using the top groove. The front three began to pull away, with Pierce running high in turns one and two, and low in three and four. Feger pounded the cushion, and Moyer elected a middle line. As the leader caught slower traffic, Feger closed the gap quickly as Pierce was forced to change his line. Lap 14 saw the font runners in heavy traffic, but Pierce moved skillfully, and by lap 18 he once again had a comfortable lead. Moyer found his way past Feger just before the halfway mark, and at at lap 20 Shirley also slipped around Feger. Jason fought back into third, and the second and final caution waved on lap 34 for Billy Laycock, erasing Pierces big advantage. As the field was being reset, Feger pulled to to the infield, his night finished. If the yellow had come in the final five laps, the field would have restarted single file, but with six to go, it was a Delaware reallignment. Moyer elected the outside, putting Shirley on the bottom. As racing resumed, Moyer stayed glued to Pierce for a couple laps, trying to use the high groove in turn four to make his move, but he could not get the job done. Meanwhille Shirley found himself in a battle with tenth starting Manville. At the checkers, it was a flag to flag win for Pierce, who was easily the class of the field. Moyer came home second followed by Shirley, Manville, and Davenport. Jackson Jr. in the #40th car was sixth ahead of Gundaker,eighth row starter Logan Martin, Peyton Looney. Raymond Merrill was credited with tenth, the first car one lap down. The modifieds and street stock features were up next, but we headed for the slight detour home as the clock read 10:30. I see this morning that Mike Harrison topped the 17 mods for I believe his 30th feature win of 2017, while Terry McCann was first in the street stocks. All in all, it was a good night of racing at Tri City, as Kevin and Tammy Gundaker presented up with a smooth, racy track and a timely show. With Quincy Raceways taking the week off, this was likely my only night of racing for the weekend, so we will see what Labor Day weekend brings!