Contact Us
Dirt Late Models  ·  Featured

World Of Outlaws Explains That Late Race Caution During The Prairie Dirt Classic Was Not For Bobby Pierce And Nick Hoffman Contact

July 27, 2026  ·
  John Trent

A late race caution during the Prairie Dirt Classic appeared to come out for contact between Bobby Pierce and Nick Hoffman. However, an explanation from DIRTVision revealed the caution was actually for a slowing Mike Spatola on the front stretch.

On lap 97 the caution flag came out just after Bobby Pierce and Nick Hoffman made contact getting into turn 1. The contact got Pierce sideways, but he was able to save it and get the car straightened out through turn 2. At the same time, Ricky Thornton Jr. nearly climbed the wall as he attempted to evade Hoffman and Pierce, but he too was able to gather it back up and continue through turn 2. 

If you were watching on DIRTVision, announcers Mike Norris and Ruben Mireles shared that the reason for the caution was for the contact between Pierce and Hoffman. Norris said, “And that was the reason for the caution.”

Mireles added, “Driver door was exposed.” Norris then speculated, “I’ll imagine we’ll use a blend rule.” 

However, in an update on Sunday afternoon DIRTVision clarified that the reason for the caution was a slowing Mike Spatola.It was not for the contact between Bobby Pierce and Nick Hoffman and the evasive maneuver of Ricky Thornton Jr.  It posted on X, “*The caution flew for an unpictured slowing Mike Spatola on the frontstretch.”

StockCarReport.com confirmed with a World of Outlaws spokesman that Spatola slowing on the front stretch was indeed the reason for the caution. Spatola was running in the 17th position at the time of the caution. He ended up finishing in 20th and seemingly exited the race under the caution given he finished behind Ricky Thornton Jr., who wrecked out of the race after driving over the wall and into the catch fence on the ensuing restart. Thornton finished in 19th.

Even if the caution was thrown for Pierce, he would have gotten his position back based on the series blend rule. It states, ” Any car that spins, is involved in an incident, and/or has a problem but does not bring out the yellow flag and/or create a caution period, will blend back into the field where the driver is able to do so. If there is an inadvertent caution period, the Series Officials will determine the placement of the car(s) involved. The placement of the car will be where the car blended back into the field.”

However, the series added an addendum to the rule this year noting that if a driver does a 360° they will not blend back in, but will be sent to the rear. This instruction from Race Director Mitchell Hedstrom has been provided to drivers since at least the Outlaws race at Volunteer Speedway in March. 

A month later, DirtonDirt.com shared Hedstrom’s full explanation, “If a caution comes out on a car that does not come all the way to a complete stop, he is able to blend back in where he rolls into the field under yellow.”

He added, “But it no longer includes the 360 portion aspect of it because to do a 360 and go all the way around, you’ll go all the way to the tail just because we don’t want people gassing it back up in front of the field, creating a blockage on the racetrack or creating a bigger safety concern as far as going all the way around and trying to keep their momentum without coming to a stop.”

NEXT: Ricky Thornton Jr. Won’t Compete At Cedar Lake For USA Nationals After Wreck At Prairie Dirt Classic

 

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Author: John Trent