MINERAL WELLS, W. Va. — There was an Illinois feel in the air on Friday night at West Virginia Motor Speedway.

When the five-eighths-mile layout was reconfigured into the current three-eighths-mile short track, the goal was to create the kind of elbows-up racing found at places like Fairbury Speedway, Farmer City Raceway and other bullrings across the state.

The track brought in Chad Bauman, who has handled track prep at Fairbury and other major events, to give them the best possible racing surface.  And when the feature went green, some of the best from the “Land of Lincoln” were at the front chasing a trophy.

Bobby Pierce, Dennis Erb Jr. and Brandon Sheppard all started in the top four on the first night of the RACEFEST Summer Championship, but they all trailed Hudson O’Neal on the pole. The “New Deal” led the first half of the 40-lap feature until Pierce came knocking with a Turn 1 slide job. O’Neal fended off that move and got the lead back, but Pierce tried the same move again the following lap and made it stick.

Moments later, O’Neal’s chances of victory were dashed when he spun while working his way through slower traffic. That moved Erb and Sheppard up to second and third, respectively, setting up the all-Illinois battle to the finish.

The final 10 laps saw Sheppard trade several sliders with Pierce, while Erb gave Pierce everything he could handle running his signature low line. Neither of them could find a way around the No. 32 though, as Pierce pocketed his 10th win of the season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision, the 52nd of his career and his first at West Virginia.

“The owner [Mike Hurley], I’m pretty sure he told me last night you’ve kind of got to get up on the wheel, and that’s definitely what it was tonight,” Pierce said. “Had to get up on the wheel and get it done, it was a lot of fun. Had some hellacious racing there between Hudson and Brandon and Dennis on the bottom there. I told Dennis before the race, ‘Hey, this is right down your alley, right? It’s on the bottom.’ The top really came in tonight, towards the end I think you probably could have been about anywhere.”

Erb crossed the line in a season-best second ahead of Tyler Erb, who worked his way to third at the finish. Sheppard and Ethan Dotson rounded out the top five.

The finish:

Feature (40 Laps): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[2]; 2. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[3]; 3. 1-Tyler Erb[5]; 4. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[4]; 5. 74X-Ethan Dotson[10]; 6. 22-Chris Ferguson[21]; 7. 9M-Tim McCreadie[7]; 8. 22*-Drake Troutman[8]; 9. 9-Nick Hoffman[13]; 10. 17-Zack Dohm[19]; 11. 14-Trey Mills[9]; 12. 55E-Eli Johnson[23]; 13. 17SS-Brenden Smith[24]; 14. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[22]; 15. 19-Dustin Sorensen[20]; 16. 12-Ryan Montgomery[14]; 17. 71R-Rod Conley[26]; 18. 75-Eddie Carrier Jr[6]; 19. 19R-Ryan Gustin[17]; 20. 1Z-Logan Zarin[11]; 21. 11-Josh Rice[12]; 22. 58V-Daulton Wilson[15]; 23. 71-Hudson O’Neal[1]; 24. B1-Brent Larson[18]; 25. 93-Carson Ferguson[16]; 26. 53C-Colten Burdette[25]

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RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia’s new paid family leave law will give domestic violence survivors something many say they have never had before: time, protection, and a pathway to safety.

Starting in December 2028, eligible workers in Virginia will be able to take paid leave not just for family or medical needs, but also for what the law calls “safety services” tied to domestic violence or abuse. That could include attending court hearings, accessing protective orders and creating a safety plan.

Rupa Murthy, CEO of YWCA Richmond, said the new law is a huge step forward for survivors trying to rebuild their lives.

“This is a moment in history that Virginians will never forget,” Murthy said.

“Even on their darkest day, they have this moment, this bright spot to be able to reduce that barrier to ensure that they can stay employed and seek safety,” Murthy said.

The YWCA says financial abuse is one of the most common forms of control survivors experience. Many victims rely on shared bank accounts or fear eviction and homelessness if they leave.

Murthy says she often sees people forced to choose between their paycheck and their safety.

“Many times, survivors are losing their jobs immediately when they leave a domestic violence situation,” Murthy said. “They can’t go to work, they don’t show up for a shift, they lose their job. This law is going to change that.”

While advocates praise the legislation, they say additional resources are still needed to support victims — especially with the YWCA seeing a 25% increase in survivors needing sheltering services this year. The organization is now working alongside local leaders to develop a Family Justice Center in Richmond, designed to help people access legal, medical, and counseling services in one place.

For now, advocates hope the new law sends a clear message to survivors across Virginia.

“They are not alone. This entire state is behind them,” Murthy said.

Although the paid family leave program does not begin until 2028, advocates say education and outreach between now and then will be critical to helping employees and employers understand how the new protections work.

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