Bobby captured the $12,000 World of Outlaws Sooner State Showdown in a thrilling 40-lap feature Friday night at Arrowhead (OK) Speedway, marking his first win in Oklahoma and his 14th different state victory with the Outlaws.
Starting from fifth, Bobby faced early adversity as he fell back to sixth, but by lap five, he was already moving forward, taking fifth place and beginning his march on the top side of the track. By lap 11, he executed a move down the backstretch to grab fourth, and on lap 13, he was already running third.
Navigating through lapped traffic became crucial in the middle stages of the race. Bobby showcased his skill on lap 21, sliding into second out of turn two using a lapped car as a pick. From there, he quickly closed the gap on the leader, eventually making the decisive move for the lead on lap 33 with a textbook slider out of turn two.
A caution on lap 36 set up a five-lap shootout, but Bobby was unfazed. Leading by 1.5 seconds before the yellow, he navigated the final laps flawlessly, pulling away to a two-second victory.
“It’s awesome to be here in Oklahoma, get the win. I was really looking forward to this track. Been looking forward to it for a long time now. Just never knowing how a track’s going to race. A lot of times it comes to you quickly, but we definitely needed the laps last night. This track’s a little tricky in certain spots and just had to learn it. Had to make a notebook,” Bobby said after the win.
Bobby credited his team for the turnaround, noting, “We changed the setup quite a bit there before the feature. I wasn’t really happy with it after the heat race and it was a lot better. I can’t thank my crew enough. My dad, Jeff, Austin, Justin, Darian, my mom, Abby, selling shirts, all these fans coming out.”
Wrapping up the night, Bobby reflected on Arrowhead Speedway itself: “Arrowhead Speedway, what an awesome facility. Can’t wait to come back again and can’t wait to race again tomorrow.”