"This bloke can drive. In Aucklander Ben Harding's 800 horse-powered car he's got one of the best in the country. Start Bobby from the back of the field and he will still win," Flynn said.
Pierce, who became the youngest winner of the Eldora Speedway's World 100 in September, pointed out the super saloons are similar to the Super Late Model cars he races in the states.
"The fans here really enjoy it. They almost worship me because of what they've heard about what I do back home ... it's not that bad, I enjoy it," Pierce said.
A son of racer and chassis builder Bob Pierce, Pierce, started from the back of the 23-strong field in his first heat in Auckland and finished sixth. In his second heat he started off grid two and the left front suspension broke on the second lap.
"In my last heat I started from the back again and got up to second. Five more laps and I would have won," Pierce said.
He has no doubt more Americans will appear in the New Zealand series in the future and more Kiwis will travel to the States to race in his series.
"I'll definitely be back again. Bay Park's Chris Cowling has had a crack at our series back home and I'm looking forward to seeing others have a go."
He heaped kudos on Harding for allowing him to use his car, series promoter Grant Flynn of Hawke's Bay and Waikaraka, Meeanee and Palmerston North promoters Bruce Robertson and Bryan Puklowski did in securing the deal for him to race in the series.
"I know the series is one of the best in the country and I believe it can take off even more," Pierce said.
"I like the way all the drivers throw candy out to the spectators during the parade before the meeting. We don't do that back home. Something we do back home which might work here is allowing spectators to purchase pit passes which allows them to go into the pits during the entire meeting."
Along with his mum and girlfriend Maddy, Pierce, has enjoyed several of the North Island's tourist attractions including the Huka Falls jet, the Whakarewarewa geysers and the luge at Rotorua.
"I could do the luge all day," Pierce said.
Angie and Maddy will have the opportunity to race in the adult ministock class at Ohakea's Harrisville Speedway on Sunday.
The day after Pierce returns home he will attend a racing industry show in Indianapolis. Two days afterwards he will be back into Super Late Model racing in St Louis.
Will he have much trouble readjusting after racing the super saloons?
"I might have on the first couple of laps and then after that I'll be fine ... it's just like riding a bike."
Four Hawke's Bay drivers, Grant Flynn and his brother, two-time national champion Steve Flynn, Mick Quin and Johnny Browne, will be in tonight's 23-strong field. Grant Flynn is the best placed of the Bay drivers in 10th place after the first three rounds.
Rotorua-contracted New Zealand champion Mark Osborne of Canterbury is first equal with Bay Park's Mark Hutchings. Other classes in action tonight will be superstocks, ministocks, production saloons and sidecars.
