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Saturday at the UMP Nationals at Eldora, Bobby was crowned the UMP Late Model Rookie of the Year! With the ROY and a tenth place national points finish, Bobby accomplished his goals for the 2011 season.


kankakee sep9Taking advantage of lapped traffic late, Bobby passed the race leader in turn four coming to the checkers to score his fifth win of the season and first at Kankakee Friday night.


On Sunday night at Farmer City, Bobby finished runner-up to Billy Moyer, like his dad a Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer. Bobby edged ahead to grab second late after an exciting three-car battle for the spot throughout the race. Once in second, Bobby hoped for a late caution to bunch up the field as the laps wound down but the race would stay green until the finish and he would come home second after starting seventh. With the conclusion of the season at Farmer City, Bobby finished second in the point standings.


On a hot summer night in July, 14-year-old Bobby Pierce almost did the unthinkable, winning a Summer Nationals race, a big one at that, paying $10,000. In front of a great Fairbury crowd who cheered loudly as the Smooth Operator worked his way from his seventh starting spot to take the lead with nine laps remaining. It looked as if Bobby was going to make headlines as the youngest Summer Nationals winner but it wasn't meant to be. With two laps to go, a slower car hindered Bobby's progress on the bottom of the track. Looking for a way around him, Bobby moved toward the top of the track, a move that ultimately cost him the win. "A lapped car got in my way and I decided to go high which was a dumb move," Pierce said. "I should have just stayed down at the bottom and given him a 'little bumper,' but I just went up high which was the wrong way to go." When he went high it gave the second and third place cars just the opening they needed as they scooted past Bobby before he could make the pass and get back down into the lower groove where he had been running all race long. A disappointing end to an exciting race but another great learning experience as Bobby continues to impress in his second season in Super Late Model competition.


farmercity july15Bobby and his team traveled to Farmer City on Friday for a regular show. Clocking in fifth quick put the #32 in the inside second row of the heat race. Bobby would win the heat, putting him on the pole of the feature. He would then go on and pick up his fourth feature win of the season and second at Farmer City.


Bobby continues to gain experience running with the Summer Nationals tour and Sunday night he made his first visit to the Tri-State Speedway where he would pick up his first career top five finish on the tour. Qualifying second in his group, the Short Cool One started outside of the front row in his heat race. Utilizing the outside groove, the #32 would show the way and pick up the heat win. Starting third in the main event, Bobby would come home in the fifth spot. A great night for Bobby and his team against a good field of Summer Nationals drivers.


Bobby and his team went to Peoria on Wednesday night for a rare mid-week regular show. Bobby started third in the feature and made his move early. On lap two, he dove to the bottom going into turn three making it three wide and grabbed the lead coming out of turn four. From there Bobby held on to take his third feature win of the season.


farmercity june17Bobby and his team traveled to Farmer City on Friday for a regular show. Qualifying fifth quick, the 32 started third in the heat race and improved a spot to finish second. Rolling off third in the feature, Bobby would quickly jump to second on the opening lap running the very bottom. He would settle into the second spot and ride a couple of car lengths behind the leader until lap traffic would slow his progress. Once cleared of the slower cars, Bobby would close back in on the leader. A caution would fly with eight laps to go bunching up the field. A great side-by-side battle for the lead would ensue for the final five laps and coming out of turn four to get the checkered flag, Bobby would edge ahead and grab his second career Super Late Model victory.


Peoria has been a good track for Bobby this season and Monday's $2,000 Spring Fling race was no exception. The Short Cool One was the fast qualifier and went on to win his heat race. In the feature, Bobby would lead early and post a third place finish against some good competition.


Bobby and his team went to Lincoln Friday night for the $2,000 to win Northern Allstars race. Bobby would jump the cushion in qualifying which put him starting on the tail of his heat where he moved up to fourth at the finish, just missing advancing into the feature. The Short Cool One would win the semi, which put him starting 14th in the feature. In the feature, the 32 was on the move, climbing all the way up to fourth when the checkered flag flew.


Friday night Bobby and his team were at Farmer City to complete the rained out feature from last week and take part in a special $2,000 to win show. Bobby would start on the pole of the make-up feature which was a disadvantage as the high line was the preferred way around with the race being ran at the beginning of the evening. The Short Cool One would settle into the second position and ride there for the entire race and come home with a runner-up finish. After finishing fifth in the heat race, Bobby would start the $2,000 to win show towards the back and he would suffer some front end damage early on in the feature and would be forced to pull off before the finish.


Bobby and his #32 team made a last minute decision to head to Farmer City instead of Tri-City Friday night. The Short Cool One would start the evening action in the trophy dash. Starting on the pole, the 32 would stay on the bottom and battle with the high side running Ryan Unzicker, crossing the line in second at the checkers. Bobby saw the line that Unzicker used to win the dash and decided to take his turn at the top side in the heat race. Starting fourth, Bobby quickly worked his way to the front and passed the leader with an impressive high side move a few laps from the finish and took the heat race win by several car lengths. After the heats were complete, the rains came and cancelled the remainder of the program.


Bobby and his #32 team were at the Highland Speedway on Saturday for the $2,000 to win Northern Allstars race. Qualifying third in his group, the Short Cool One would start on the pole of his heat race and went on to take the win. After the feature redraw, the 32 would start fifth in the main event. In the feature, Bobby would post a solid sixth place finish.


On Saturday Bobby and his #32 team visited a track that holds a lot of memories to the Pierce family. This is a place where his mom grew up and followed racing, where his dad won one of his biggest races, the North/South 100, and the place where his dad was inducted into the Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame. With family and old friends on hand to watch Bobby make his debut at Florence, he would not disappoint. Following a fourth place run in his heat, Bobby would post a solid seventh place finish in the 50 lap feature.


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