Bob Pierce Directs Parker Racing’s Two-pronged AllStar Attack : Raceway Media

One driver doesn’t want to win another championship. He will, in fact, go out of his way not to do it. The other, an absolute rookie, wants everything he can get.

It’s up to crew chief Bob Pierce to keep on top of Parker Racing’s AllStar Truck Series unique two-pronged attack. Pierce takes his team – three-time Northeast region champion Shawn Parker and rookie Mark Lowrey – to Wall Stadium Saturday night, May 24. It is a “combined” show with the Mid-Atlantic region.

Pierce; who owns a fabrication shop in Rehoboth, MA, joined the Parker team in 1998 after stints with the TransAm and Craftsman Truck series (both with driver Rob Rizzo). “Coming from those two divisions, this is really laid back,” says the 52-year old Pierce. “This is actually fun but that doesn’t mean there are not real race cars and I take it lightly.”

Parker has been very consistent over the past three seasons. “I do most of the work in the garage,” he says. “ I’ve got all my notes now. Little needs to be done at the track.”

Although his “true passion” is drag racing, Pierce has “learned to love” the trucks “especially at the level we’re at right now.” In addition to his involvement with the Parkers, he continues to build drag and oval track chassis.

After winning three championships, Parker doesn’t want a fourth. “We talked about it,” said Pierce. “If we are in contention in the Northeast, maybe we’ll just take off and go run out in Oregon or Milwaukee or Texas.”

Lowrey, a 32-year Afro American with almost no experience, is the challenge. Pierce admits he had “reservations” but now believes Lowrey “is the real thing, fully capable of doing great things this season.” A lot of testing and two races (a ninth and fifth at Waterford Speedbowl) convinced Pierce. Wall, however, will be a new experience for the New York City resident.

After the travel demands of the TransAm and Craftsman series, Pierce was happy to accept an invitation from Ted Parker (Shawn’s Dad) to come aboard in ’99. “I’m glad I went through it,” he says of the national series experience. “I was away from home a lot. Would I do it again? No, I don’t think I would.”

This is the second season Parker Racing has two trucks. “Last year I tried to talk Shawn out of it as did his father,” Pierce says. “We couldn’t do it. We started with a bare chassis and in seven weeks we had a race truck.” At seasons end, Allen Eastman was third in points and Rookie of the Year.

“To make the trucks run right demands a 110 percent effort,” Pierce says. “Doing it with two trucks is very difficult especially for a one man show.” Lowrey, however, is “a thinking driver who stays calm behind the wheel and uses his head. I’m excited about the possibilities this year.”

A welder by trade, Pierce has been driving drag cars since he was 18 and still campaigns a Super Stock ’61 Galaxy (Nostalgia) and an ’86 Mustang LX (open class bracket).

An invitation to join the Rizzo operation (actually starting in SCCA club racing) opened up another world. “Now it’s 14 hour days six days a week but I’m really loving it,” he says.

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