January 9, 2026 | By Spence Smithback, World of Outlaws Late Model Series PR

Bobby Pierce Starting Chase for Third World of Outlaws Championship at Sunshine Nationals

CONCORD, N.C.—One year ago, Bobby Pierce famously dubbed his 2025 campaign that would eventually lead him to his second World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision championship the “Vengeance Tour.”

Now that the “Smooth Operator” is set to begin his quest for title number three in less than two weeks at DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24), does 2026 have a theme yet?

“It’s always a vengeance tour, really,” Pierce said. “Super competitive as always, so hopefully we go and get that third championship.”

Since the No. 32 team’s debut season with the World of Outlaws in 2023, they have reached double-digit Series wins each year, won more than 100 races overall in the past three seasons and have been widely regarded as one of the best Late Model teams in the nation across that span.

For any other team in the pits, it’s easy to use Pierce’s operation as an example to strive toward. But when you’re already at the top of the mountain, staying motivated to continue finding new ways to improve can be a challenge for some. Nevertheless, Pierce keeps on winning and shows no signs of slowing down.

“It’s kind of like a drug. When you win a race, you just want to keep winning more of them,” Pierce said. “That’s for me anyways, and I think my dad too and most of my team. It’s just a really good feeling when you can accomplish your goals, and really, the last couple years, we’ve kind of gone past our goals.

“It’s tough when you race so much through the year, it is a grind and you have to stay motivated. Even if you have a bad night, you want to then go and perform well the next day to redeem yourself. And then if you win, it’s a good feeling, and you just want to get that feeling again. Either way, I feel like it’s pretty easy to stay motivated.”

Should Pierce ever need a refresh amid the never-ending grind of national Late Model racing, one look at the Series record books makes the end goals crystal clear. Less than five years removed from his first World of Outlaws win in 2021, Pierce has already made 42 trips to Victory Lane, placing him in a tie with Billy Moyer for fifth all-time. His next target isn’t far off, as he needs six more to catch Shane Clanton in fourth.

“I was just on the phone with Ruben [Mireles] yesterday, updating something for my profile,” Pierce said. “I was like, ‘Hey, how many wins do I have?’ And he was like, ‘Oh, you’re fifth, tied with [Billy] Moyer. And I’m like, ‘Dang, that’s pretty cool.’ As far as setting records and stuff, that’s definitely somewhat in the back of your mind.

“When you look at the list of guys that I’m starting to catch, it’s kind of getting into another tier of drivers. Like Billy Moyer, he’s the GOAT, so to be tied with him is pretty impressive. It makes me feel very accomplished, it’s a good feeling, and hopefully we can just keep going. Maybe someday, you never know, catch Brandon [Sheppard] and Josh [Richards]. That’ll be a long time from now, but we’ll just keep digging.”

Pierce will travel to plenty of tracks he’s never been to as an Outlaw in 2026, with eight hosting their first Series race and eight more returning to the schedule after a hiatus. One of the most notable additions is the revived Mansfield Speedway for the $57,000-to-win, $5,700-to-start 57 Special on May 29-30. But the largest purse of the season isn’t the only reason that weekend is circled on the calendar – it’s the chance to avenge his near miss at the track in 2018.

“That Mansfield race, that’s interesting because the last time I was there, it was the Dirt Million,” Pierce said. “I was leading that race and a caution came out toward the very end. I got passed by Earl Pearson Jr. and I ran second, so that would have been one of my biggest wins. I’m excited to go back to that place, I know they’ve done a lot to it.”

While the site of the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park isn’t new, the surface at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” will still throw teams a curveball in comparison to recent years. Last spring, a layer of dark gumbo clay was laid down in an effort to bring back the wide, slick racing of Volusia’s past, and the track’s weekly racing program in 2025 delivered exactly that.

Given Pierce’s sluggish start last season with only one top five in five World of Outlaws starts at Volusia between Sunshine Nationals and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, he welcomes the change as a chance to reset and begin his title defense in peak form.

“That dirt that they used to have, as long as its shaped right and stuff, I feel like that track was really fun,” Pierce said. “That dirt that they had on recently, with how the track was graded, it kind of felt like the middle was always fast for such a long time. The track didn’t necessarily widen out really good every night. I feel like it’s going to help really get a bottom and a top going like it used to. I’m looking forward to it.”

Pierce will begin his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.