Night 2 of the Flo Night In America Super Dirt Late Models was held Saturday night at Senoia Raceway, the final round for the championship series. Last night’s winner, Tyler Erb, sought to sweep the weekend after winning his first-ever Flo Night event in his career. However, there was also a championship to be settled as well, with Hudson O’Neal entering tonight’s finale with a three-point buffer over Brandon Sheppard. Third-place Bobby Pierce was also in the hunt, being 21 points back from the lead.
Pierce took the lead with 45 laps to go and held on from there to not only win the race, but the series championship as well.
“It feels like I’m dreaming man,” Pierce told Flo Racing in victory lane. “When I went to bed last night, of course, I knew we had a shot at this thing, but definitely didn’t think we could get it done. I told my wife today, it might not be the outcome we want tonight, but just go and try to get a good finish. First things first, make the show, get a good starting spot, and see what we got. It was a big team effort. All across the board, set-up calls, tire calls, this win. This is Justin’s (Stehl, Lead Mechanic and Hauler Driver of Bobby Pierce) 100th win with me and 30th win of the season; it’s a great way to get this.
“Last night, I was a little worried because, the race on it, it caught streaky patches on it where it almost rubbered and didn’t. No one said it didn’t. Being on the second day on it, I was a little worried, but man, they did a heck of a job. Never once rubbered up, there’s not a lot of a racetrack we race on for 75 laps when it starts that black and it doesn’t rubber. Hat tip to Senoia Raceway and everyone prepping the racetrack, phenomenal job. Obviously, you say that when you win, but I’m serious. I think I could’ve come from the back and won this thing. Just an awesome job there.”
There were 57 Super Dirt Late Models on the entry list for Saturday’s event.
Feature Race Recap – 75-Laps – $30,000 To Win
Ryan Gustin started on the pole for the feature with Jonathan Davenport on the outside pole. Gustin led the first lap over Davenport as the green flag flew. With 10 laps into the feature, Gustin began lapping the back half of the field. In doing so, Gustin made slight contact with Bubba Roling. With 46 laps to go, Pierce took the lead off Turn 2 from Gustin. With 10 laps to go, Pierce was leading with Gustin, Ricky Thornton Jr, Sheppard, and Nick Hoffman the top five.
The first caution came out with four laps to go for O’Neal, who was slow on the backstretch. O’Neal’s team attempted to change two of the rear tires at the time of the caution, but unfortunately, the team was disqualified for doing so. The final restart flew with four laps to go, and Pierce went on to win the Peach State Classic, as well as the Flo Night In America Series Championship.
Heat Race Recaps – Top Three Transfer – 10 Laps A Piece
Prior to the heat races, a hot lap and two different qualifying sessions with Group A and Group B. For the hot lap session, Davenport was quickest with a time of 13.065 seconds. Gustin set the quick time in Group A with a time of 13.280 seconds, while Dennis Erb Jr was fastest in Group B with a time of 13.604 seconds.
Heat 1 – Gustin was on the pole for the first heat with Dylan Knowles on the outside pole. Gustin, Knowles, and Devin Moran were the transfers.
Heat 2 – Sheppard had the pole for the second heat with Kyle Bronson on the outside pole. A caution flew with five laps to go when Spire Motorsports driver Ross Bailes was seen sideways on the backstretch. Bailes brought his car down to the infield for service after leaving a piece of debris on the track. Sheppard won the heat, with Bronson and Ethan Dotson taking the transfers.
Heat 3 – Carson Ferguson had the pole for the third heat with Cody Overton on the outside pole. A yellow came out with nine laps to go for Joseph Joiner, who was slow on the frontstretch.
Ferguson won the heat, with Josh Rice and Cody Overton moving on.
Heat 4 – Erb Jr started on the pole for the fourth heat with Davenport on the outside pole. Davenport won the heat race with Ricky Thornton Jr., and Erb Jr. transferring.
Heat 5 – Dallon Murty had the pole in the fifth heat, with Pierce on the outside pole. A caution came out with six laps to go for debris on the racetrack. Despite the yellow, Pierce held on to win the heat race with Ashton Winger and Murty taking the top three.
Heat 6 – Shane Clanton started on pole position for the sixth and final heat, with Hoffman on the outside pole. Clanton won the heat with Hoffman and O’Neal taking the final transfers.
Similar to Friday night, there were three 12-lap B-main features with the top two moving on to round out the main event feature. Sam Seawright, Dan Ebert, Tyler Erb, Roling, Reece Solander, and Garrett Alberson rounded out the final transfers.
For those who may have missed the feature, you can watch the highlights below.
Official Race Results Following Night 2 at Senoia Raceway
- Bobby Pierce
- Ryan Gustin
- Ricky Thornton Jr
- Kyle Bronson
- Jonathan Davenport
- Brandon Sheppard
- Tyler Erb
- Nick Hoffman
- Devin Moran
- Ethan Dotson
- Carson Ferguson
- Ashton Winger
- Dallon Murty
- Dennis Erb Jr
- Dan Ebert
- Hudson O’Neal
- Josh Rice
- Reece Solander
- Dylan Knowles
- Bubba Roling
- Garrett Alberson
- Sam Seawright
- Cody Overton
- Shane Clanton
Up Next – With the Flo Night in America Championship now complete, the next big event for the Super Dirt Late Models takes place Thursday, Dec 3 to Saturday, Dec 5, with the Gateway Dirt Nationals, live on Flo Racing.
