Crowned $2,000 Independence Week Champion
NEW BERLIN, Ill. (07/06/21) – Brandon Sheppard visited Victory Lane twice over the holiday weekend in his family-owned Dennis G. Woodworth Attorney at Law No. B5 Valvoline/ The Goddard School for Early Childhood Development/ Pro Power Racing Engines/ Rocket Chassis Super Late Model.
Both victories came in DIRTcar Summernationals action with a $10,000 win at Fayette County Speedway on Saturday and a $5,000 victory on Sunday at Lincoln Speedway. Additionally, based on his consistency throughout the week he was rewarded with a $2,000 prize for topping the Independence Week points with the series.
“Early in the week we weren’t bad, but we were battling some mechanical issues. We got those resolved before the Fayette County Speedway event, and got the win there. The next night at Lincoln we weren’t that great in the feature, but we were able to get the lead when Brian (Shirley) had an issue and went on to get another win,” Sheppard recounted. “Overall, it was a fun week of racing with our family-owned team.
“We’re going to run one more Hell Tour event in the No. B5 this Wednesday at Spoon River Speedway before we get back to Outlaws racing on Friday in Minnesota.”
Making his 2021 DIRTcar Summer Nationals debut behind aboard his family-owned Valvoline No. B5 Late Model, Brandon Sheppard trekked to Beaver Dam Raceway (Beaver Dam, Wis.) on Wednesday for the eighth round of the Hell Tour. In a field of 22 cars, Sheppard followed the 10th fastest lap in time trials with a second-place finish in his heat, which came behind Frank Heckenast Jr. Starting the $5,000-to-win A-Main in fourth, Brandon improved two spots in the 40-lapper to register a runner-up finish. He trailed Bobby Pierce to the checkers with Ashton Winger, Brian Shirley, and Tanner English rounding out the Top-5.
The following night at Davenport Speedway (Davenport, Iowa) on the quarter-mile oval, Brandon grabbed the fourth-and-final transfer spot in his heat, which positioned him 13th on the starting grid for the A-Main. Wheeling his way into a podium spot, Sheppard marched forward 10 spots to place third. He followed Bobby Pierce and Frank Heckenast Jr. across the line with Tony Jackson Jr. and Shannon Babb rounding out the Top-5.
For the third stop of the week on Friday at the Dirt Oval at Route 66 Raceway (Joliet, Ill.), Sheppard locked his spot into the $10,000-to-win A-Main with a third-place finish in his heat race. Fading one spot in the 30-lap affair, Brandon recorded a sixth-place finish.
On Saturday evening at Fayette County Speedway (Brownstown, Ill.), Brandon topped the speed charts in his time trial group before picking up a 10-lap heat race victory. Dominating all 50 laps of the feature, Sheppard cruised to his sixth win of the season, which came over Tanner English, Shannon Babb, Jason Feger, and Mitch McGrath. He pocketed $10,000 for his 25th Hell Tour triumph.
Concluding his week with the Summer Nationals on Sunday, Sheppard traveled to Lincoln Speedway (Lincoln, Ill.) for the 12th round of the Hell Tour. After registering the second-fastest time in his group behind Brian Shirley, Brandon streaked to a heat race victory, sending him into the redraw.
Receiving the second-starting position for the feature alongside Shirley, Sheppard inherited the lead on the 15th lap when Shirley suffered mechanical issues. He fought off an ill-handling car in the remaining distance of the 40-lapper to capture his second victory in as many nights and seventh of the season. He finished ahead of Bobby Pierce, Jason Feger, Tanner English, and Frank Heckenast Jr. to claim $5,000.
For complete results from these events, please visit www.DIRTcarSummerNationals.com.
This Wednesday Brandon will enter the $5,000-to-win DIRTcar Summer Nationals event at Illinois’ Spoon River Speedway in his family-owned No. B5. On Friday and Saturday Sheppard returns to the driver’s seat of the Rocket1 Racing No. 1 for a pair of World of Outlaws (WoO) Morton Buildings Late Model Series events at Jackson Motorplex (Jackson, Minn.)
He continues to lead the latest WoO standings in pursuit of his fourth-series title.
For more information on this weekend’s events, please visit www.DIRTcarSummerNationals.com and www.WoOLMS.com.
Brandon Sheppard would like to thank all of his marketing partners, which include Dennis G. Woodworth Attorney at Law, Valvoline, The Goddard School for Early Childhood Development, Keyser Manufacturing, 34 Raceway, Budda Dirt Cars Transmission Sales & Service, Mark Richards Racing, Inc., Print Worx, Sheppard Auto Sales, Speedwerx, Bill West Enterprises, Fromme Enterprises, Hoosier Racing Tire, Integra Racing Shocks, Performance Bodies & Parts, Peterson Fluid Systems, Pro Power Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis, Shepp’s Bar & Grill, Simpson, Strange Oval, Stealth Racing Carburetors, Sunoco Race Fuels by Corrigan, Waterman Racing Components, Weld Racing, Wiles Racing Driveshafts, Wilwood Brakes, XS Power, and MSR Mafia Marketing Services.
For the latest information on Brandon Sheppard and his family-owned team, please visit their official website at www.SheppardRacing.com.
Ben Shelton, Owner
MSR Mafia Marketing Services – www.MSRmafia.com
Midsouth Racing Scene – www.MidSouthRacing.com