Things got wild out West…
Last night, the green flag dropped on night two of the Wild West Shootout at Arizona Speedway. Ricky Weiss started in 7th position.
Watch the video of the race and the pit lane altercation below.
Weiss dove to the bottom on the first lap. They were 4 wide for the 2nd position. Weiss made light right rear to left front contact with David Breazeale. The contact pointed Weiss up the hill, slightly.
Weiss then made heavier right front to left front contact with Chase Junghans. Junghans was sent all the way up the banking to the cushion. However, they all survived turn 4 and Weiss drove from 7th to 2nd, in the first lap.
39 to go, Pierce was leading and Weiss was running him down. In no time, Weiss was there on the back bumper of the new Dunn Motorsports driver.
Weiss drove hard to the bottom in turn 4 as Pierce was glued to the top. Weiss slid up the banking and took command of the lead. He takes over the lead at the line.
But, Pierce pointed it to the bottom off turn 4. The slider was returned in turn 1. However, Pierce took it a bit easier on the entry, he never cleared Weiss. The #32 slid up the banking until he was rubbing the right rear on the left front of Weiss. A bit of contact pushed Weiss up the banking and Pierce was back in the lead off turn 2.
Turn 3, Weiss to the bottom. It’s a replay of the previous lap. Weiss clears Pierce by 2 car lengths on the bottom, he then slides up the banking and all the way to the wall. Weiss back to the lead. But, Pierce isn’t done.
Bobby Pierce again pointed the nose from the top to the bottom. Another crossover off the exit of turn 4. Pierce attempts the same slider in turn 1. This time he drove it to the bottom with a little more aggression. The car bounced, contact was made again but Pierce was back to the lead.
He opened up a multi car length lead over Weiss. Clay Daly was running the same line as Bobby Pierce. He was behind him in turn 4, a bobble from Pierce sent him over the cushion. He gased it and jacked it to the right to avoid the wall. He got it pointing straight again but Weiss just evaporated the gap.
They are even off turn 4, Weiss on the bottom. Pierce, with all his momentum gone is set to enter turn 1 on the high side. At the line, Weiss leads by 3/4’ths of a car length but they are side by side heading into turn 1.
As they enter turn 1, Weiss tried to take over the top. He turned right, thinking he was clear of Pierce. But, Pierce was still hanging on by a nose.
Weiss was jackknifed and sent into the wall just before the entry to turn 1. Weiss slid against the wall, hard on the brakes but the pit entrance gate brought him to a halt. After winning in night 1, Weiss was sent off on the hook in night 2.
Pierce crew confrontation
As Weiss was sent off on a wrecker, there was a confrontation in the pit infield. The later half of the altercation is posted below.
The beginning portion of the altercation has yet to surface on video. However, several people have told me that someone approached Bob Pierce Sr and gave him a shove. I’ve been told two different names, as far as who pushed him, so I’ll leave both names out until I know for certain.
After that, Bob Pierce raised his hands toward the man that approached. But, Ciara Pierce, sister to Bobby Pierce was moving a little quicker. She jumped in front of her father then began to chase the man off while screaming, “Fuck you!”
She caught up with him and gave him a push. The man than ran backwards, further away from C. Pierce. Everybody knows that you can’t hit a woman.
Though, in this particular situation, that woman happens to be a professional bodybuilder. She doesn’t need a handicap. If we’re being realistic, Ciara Pierce would beat the brakes off most of us.
Post race
Bobby Pierce ended up losing the lead as they went back green. Don Shaw went on to pick up the $5,000 win as Pierce finished in 3rd.
After the race, Pierce offered an explanation from his side of the on-track contact.
Bobby Pierce comments
“It was just a hard racing deal,” Pierce commented after the race.
“I was still alongside, but I just think he didn’t know I was still there. He was going for the cushion and I was already aimed for it. By the time I realized he was coming up, it was too late to back off. I hate that it happened.”
Ricky Weiss comments
“Well I raced him clean I ran through the slick 6-8 times left him a lane completed slide jobs cleared him by a mile only to have it returned back while driving over my nose or into my left door,” Ricky Weiss told RacingNews.co on Monday morning.
“But knew we were that much faster so was taking my time. Bobby slipped up in turn 4 and opened the door. I had him cleared by 2 car lengths which is very clear in video and he just decided to never lift, brake or turn and dump me.”
Ciara Pierce altercation video
Wild West Shootout
Night #2: Highlight Video
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Related: Wild West Shootout Results: Night 1
Related: Wild West Shootout Results: Night 2
Links
Ricky Weiss | Bobby Pierce | Wild West Shootout | Arizona Speedway