Bobby Pierce took no prisoners as he rebuked an activist complaining about the term “shootout” in the Tulsa Shootout name.
X user SlfCeline posted, “Maybe we shouldn’t be using “shootout” to describe an event y’know… #TulsaShootout.”
Pierce had none of it and responded, “Don’t zoom in and read the trophy or the massive check. It’s another race w a similar name. A pretty badass race too. Leave my open-wheel friends alone… ‘Merica.”
This past Tulsa Shootout, which took place from January 1st to January 4th at the SageNet Center at Expo Square, was the 40th annual Tulsa Shootout and is the premiere micro sprint competition in the nation. This year’s event boasted 1,855 entries and 1,798 confirmed in the venue according to SpeedSport. That broke 2024’s record which received 1,752 entries and 1,698 were confirmed. it drew in 762 drivers from 438 cities and five countries.
The event founder Emmett Hahn stated, “Sitting here now closing in on 2,000 entries is something I never dreamed of, especially since we changed the classes a few years ago to just Micros and brought it down to six divisions.”
The event boasted some of the best of the best in racing as well as young, rising stars including Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, Ricky Thornton Jr., Blake Hahn, and Frank Flud. Larson and Busch’s sons, Brexton Busch and Owen Larson also competed with Busch getting his first Golden Driller in the Junior Sprints division.
𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦 📹 @brextonbusch and Owen Larson were among the 20 drivers battling for a Golden Driller in Saturday’s #TulsaShootout Junior Sprints A-Main.
Highlights presented by @NosEnergyDrink 👇 pic.twitter.com/Dzzz71fL5b
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 5, 2025
As for the Wild West Shootout, this year’s event, which is currently taking place and just wrapped up its second night, is its 19th anniversary. The current iteration of the event takes place at Vado Speedway Park and features the best-of-the-best in dirt late model racing including Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Mike Marlar, and Garrett Alberson. It also features stout competition with a Modified and X-Mod division.
Pierce has claimed victory in the first two nights and is looking to put on possibly the best season of his career.
Clash of the Dirt Late Model titans!
What a battle between @BobbyPierce32 & @bsheppb5 on Night 2 of the 2025 @WildWShootout!
“The Smooth Operator” also sweeps the first two nights of the #WildWestShootout at @VadoSpeedway. pic.twitter.com/TQioSGhrFW
— FloRacing (@FloRacing) January 6, 2025
What do you make of Pierce shutting down this activist who is offended at the word shootout being used in the titles of racing events?