Florence Speedway waits in silence for the highly-anticipated North/South 100 after four furious 25-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series preliminary Features finished with Bobby Pierce (2), Mike Marlar, and Ricky Thorton Jr. putting their names in the win column. Saturday (August 12), the stage is set for the 75,000-to-win, 100-lap crown jewel: The 41st North/South 100.

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The racing has been ferocious for the first two days of the event but one driver has stood out above the rest of the Lucas Oil stars and hometown heroes. Bobby Pierce, from Oakwood Illinois, punched through to Victory Lane for a pair of preliminary Feature wins. The “Smooth Operator” has proved to be the favorite going into the North/South 100 finale tallying back-to-back 25-lap, $5,000 wins on the Boone County, Kentucky dirt. 

“I really want another one pretty badly.”

Pierce started Thursday's race chasing down Michael Chilton who started on the pole for the first Feature. They traded sliders early but Pierce claimed the top spot at the halfway point. 

On the early battle, Pierce noted, “Chilton gave me a run for the money early in the race. He drove a heck of a race. I eventually got the bottom to stick and the car was really good. The start was questionable there but we got back around him.”

🏁 @BobbyPierce32 claims Feature 1!@lucasdirt | @FlorenceSpdwy

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— FloRacing (@FloRacing) August 11, 2023

Pierce also held off a charge by Ryan Gustin in the closing stages: “I didn't know how good Gustin was. The track got really smooth and I had a really consistent line there that I liked. With it being a green/white at the end it was less nervewracking than a green/white/checkered. I only had to hit my marks for a lap there.”

Feature win number two came on Friday night (August 11). Pierce battled lapped traffic with intensity and kept finding the retaining wall. 

“It was tough. I kept washing out on the front stretch which made it really hard for me. I about knocked the wall down one time. I was in a death slide like I had there at Deer Creek when I lost that prelim race there and hit the wall. It made it interesting. It made it fun. It helped me catch J.D. [Jonathan Davenport] there. The middle was getting slicker and slicker. That's why I was able to get to him. There isn't much cushion up there so I was using the wall a lot.”

🏁 @BobbyPierce32 punches through to win the final North/South 100 prelim!@lucasdirt | @FlorenceSpdwy

📺 https://t.co/ehVTs76JrN pic.twitter.com/C6sYAkKcbZ

— FloRacing (@FloRacing) August 12, 2023

“I just started sending up there and it worked out.”

Mike Marlar picked up his second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the year in the second Feature of Thursday night at Florence. The classy veteran spoke highly of his team and the elite level of competition on hand.

“Tough field. Everybody’s here.”

“With this kind of competition, you just don’t know. Sometimes it goes and sometimes it doesn't. Today it did. I qualified really good. But I was a little off. We stayed close to the game plan there and it came back to life for the Feature.”

Marlar was able to exercise patience and let the car come to him. His approach may set up him for a late-race charge in the 100-lap finale Saturday night. 

“I attribute a lot to the new tire rule we have,” Marlar said. “There are comers and goers. My setup may be a little unique to some of them. When you get it right it trucks.” 

🏁 @MikeMarlar tops the podium while second and third go at it on the final lap of B Feature!@lucasdirt | @FlorenceSpdwy

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— FloRacing (@FloRacing) August 11, 2023

Fan-favorite Ricky Thornton Jr. has quickly risen to the top rank of dirt late model racing. He has his sights firmly placed on the $75,000 grand prize. 

“It is a pleasure to drive this thing all the time. They give me the best car out here each week. Dalton was pretty good there early. I just maintained around the bottom. Once the middle slowed down a little bit I feel like my pace was able to pick up. I didn’t think I was able going to get by.

🏁 One for the “Swifties” - It’s the @RThornton20rt Era!@lucasdirt | @FlorenceSpdwy

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— FloRacing (@FloRacing) August 12, 2023

Thorton attributes his recent success to a more versatile setup “I’ve been married to the top and now I have a car that’s good enough so that it isn’t married to the top. It’s been a dream come true racing late models full time. This year’s been crazy. There’s a lot of hard work that goes into it.” 

All that action leads to tonight’s North/South 100. Watch it live!