World of Outlaws Dairyland Showdown

Two days ago, Bobby Pierce left Victory Lane at Independence Motor Speedway with a few final words:

“Let’s go get another one Thursday.”

He stayed true to his word. In Thursday’s opening night of the Dairyland Showdown at Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Pierce rallied to the front and never looked back for win number seven of 2026 with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision and his third in a row.

“It was challenging,” Pierce said. “I feel like that race, I could have ended up first, I could have ended up fifth or worse. I think with about 10 to go, I really stalled out, I was the same speed as the lap traffic. We had just enough to get the job done, luckily no cautions came out at the end.”

Mississippi Thunder has developed a reputation for producing some of the best racing on the World of Outlaws schedule, and the Fountain City, WI facility didn’t disappoint on Thursday. Bilstein Pole Award winner Drake Troutman pulled away early, but the race was on behind him between Tim McCreadie, Ryan Gustin and Pierce. The three drivers used every inch of the racing surface to throw sliders and swap spots while Nick Hoffman loomed behind. By the halfway point of the 30-lap contest, Pierce had gotten clear of all of them and had his sights locked on Troutman.

It was around that time that Troutman began exploring the middle groove as he caught traffic, leaving the cushion open for Pierce to hammer his signature line. With 12 to go, Pierce was on Troutman’s tail when he tried a short slider to get to the front off Turn 4. Troutman repaid the favor in Turn 1, but Pierce had enough momentum to pull the crossover and get to the lead for good. Troutman didn’t let Pierce get too far away, but he never got close enough to make another bid for the lead before the checkered flag.

“Started with Gustin, getting by him, I had to shoot it in there and get going,” Pierce said. “When I caught Troutman for the lead, I think he was starting to maybe try to switch around. I knew I had to get the lead before he changed his line too much and found that top side. Honestly, I don’t even remember how I passed him. Bottom, top, I don’t remember. Lot of stuff going on in that race.”

Troutman settled for second after leading the first 18 laps, bringing him to 65 laps led on the season, the most of any driver who has yet to win a race. Rounding out the podium was Gustin with his best result since Hendry County Motorsports Park in February, while Hoffman and McCreadie completed the top five.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision remains at Mississippi Thunder Speedway for the second night of the Dairyland Showdown on Friday, May 1. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

RACE NOTES:

Tyler Erb set the Dirt King Simulators Fastest Hot Lap.

Tim McCreadie won the Simpson Quick Time Award.

Tim McCreadie won Heat 1.

Drake Troutman won STAKT Products Heat 2.

Ryan Gustin won Keyser Manufacturing Heat 3.

Bobby Pierce won Jarrett Rifles Heat 4.

Derrick Stewart and Chad Simpson won the Last Chance Showdowns.

Drake Troutman won the Bilstein Pole Award.

Tyler Bruening won the FOX Factory Hard Charger Award.

Trey Mills won the MD3 Rookie of the Race Award.

Drake Troutman was the WELD Racing Second-Place Finisher.

Ryan Gustin was the WIX Filters Third-Place Finisher.

Nick Hoffman was the ARP Fourth-Place Finisher.

Tim McCreadie was the MSD Fifth-Place Finisher.

Trey Mills was the Swift Springs Sixth-Place Finisher.

Tyler Erb was the Penske Racing Shocks Seventh-Place Finisher.

Dustin Sorensen was VP Racing Fuels Eighth-Place Finisher.

Cade Dillard was the Lifeline Ninth-Place Finisher.

Ethan Dotson was the COMP Cams 10th-Place Finisher.

Michael Leach was the Quarter Master 11th-Place Finisher.

Jake Timm was the Cometic Gaskets 12th-Place Finisher.

Tyler Bruening was the Quarter Master 13th-Place Finisher.

Sam Mars was the ARP 14th-Place Finisher.

Chad Simpson was the Arizona Sport Shirts 18th-Place Finisher.

Feature (30 Laps): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[4]; 2. 22*-Drake Troutman[1]; 3. 19R-Ryan Gustin[3]; 4. 9-Nick Hoffman[7]; 5. 9M-Tim McCreadie[2]; 6. 14-Trey Mills[5]; 7. 1-Tyler Erb[11]; 8. 19-Dustin Sorensen[8]; 9. 97-Cade Dillard[14]; 10. 74X-Ethan Dotson[10]; 11. 09-Michael Leach[6]; 12. 49-Jake Timm[12]; 13. 16-Tyler Bruening[19]; 14. 28M-Sam Mars[9]; 15. 15D-Justin Duty[13]; 16. 43-Derrick Stewart[17]; 17. 38T-Dylan Thornton[16]; 18. 25-Chad Simpson[18]; 19. 11-Gordy Gundaker[20]; 20. B1-Brent Larson[26]; 21. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[24]; 22. 58V-Daulton Wilson[21]; 23. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[23]; 24. 1Z-Logan Zarin[25]; 25. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[22]; 26. 32S-Chris Simpson[15]