PORTSMOUTH, Ohio - Brandon Sheppard captured the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned 39th Annual Dirt Track World Championship on Saturday night at Ohio’s Portsmouth Raceway Park.
He earned $100,000 for his third career DTWC victory and also marked his 25th victory of 2019.
Sheppard was one of four different race leaders in the 100-lap event. Mike Marlar finished in second, with 2019 Eibach Rookie of the Yea, Tyler Erb finishing in third.
Josh Richards came home in fourth with and Dennis Erb, Jr. in fifth.
Zebulon, Georgia’s Shane Clanton took the lead at the start of the race and led the first five laps until Jimmy Owens passed him for the top spot. Owens then held the point for several laps before yielding the point to Sheppard.
Sheppard briefly gave up the lead to Richards on lap 68, but the very next lap Sheppard regained the point for good. Sheppard withstood a caution with ten laps to go and then controlled the last ten laps of the race by distancing himself from both Marlar and Tyler Erb for his third $100,000 win of the year.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the fourth time this year, Sheppard thanked his team for a special year.
“The year we have had has been unbelievable,” he said. “My guys are the best of group of guys I have ever worked for. My guys are the best at what they do. They give me the best equipment night in and night out. I just go do my job with it. Thanks to Mark Richards, Steve Baker, and all of my crew, Austin Hargrove, Joel Rogers, and Danny White. It’s been a dream year. It looks like they had a heck of crowd and to do it in front of them is special.”
Sheppard’s other $100,000 victories this season came in the Dirt Late Model Dream at Eldora Speedway ($125,000) and the Dirt Million at Mansfield Motor Speedway ($101,000).
“I want to thank everyone who helps me, especially my family back home, dad, and grandpa,” Sheppard said. “Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am at today. When I started my career, I never thought I would be a three-time Dirt Track World Champion.”
Bobby Pierce, Scott James, Scott Bloomquist, Hudson O’Neal, and Kyle Bronson rounded out the top ten.
Dale McDowell won the Jim Dunn Memorial Non-Qualifiers race by holding off Jared Hawkins for the win. Brandon Overton led early in the race, but he tangled with a car that he was trying to lap, and was knocked out of the race lead.
McDowell then led the rest of the race. Hawkins tried to make it close but just couldn’t overtake McDowell as the checkers waved. Hawkins finished in second, followed by R.J. Conley in third, Doug Drown in fourth and Brandon Fouts in fifth.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Portsmouth Raceway Park – Portsmouth, OH
Dirt Track World Championship – October 19, 2019
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 5 | 1s | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $100,000 |
| 2 | 4 | 01 | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN | $20,000 |
| 3 | 9 | 1t | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $10,800 |
| 4 | 3 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $7,800 |
| 5 | 12 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $5,000 |
| 6 | 10 | 32p | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $3,500 |
| 7 | 13 | 83 | Scott James | Lawrenceburg, IN | $3,200 |
| 8 | 17 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $3,000 |
| 9 | 16 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $3,500 |
| 10 | 14 | 40b | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $3,200 |
| 11 | 22 | 1m | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $3,150 |
| 12 | 15 | 72c | Jason Covert | York Haven, PA | $2,400 |
| 13 | 24 | 21 | Billy Moyer, Jr. | Batesville, AR | $3,050 |
| 14 | 11 | 50 | Shanon Buckingham | Morristown, TN | $3,000 |
| 15 | 1 | 22f | Chris Ferguson | Mount Holly, NC | $2,250 |
| 16 | 6 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $3,000 |
| 17 | 20 | 8H | Jacob Hawkins | Fairmont, WV | $2,150 |
| 18 | 23 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $2,900 |
| 19 | 18 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $2,075 |
| 20 | 25 | c9 | Steve Casebolt | Richmond, IN | $2,060 |
| 21 | 26 | 17t | Shannon Thornsberry | Martin, KY | $2,050 |
| 22 | 8 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $2,740 |
| 23 | 21 | 7w | Ricky Weiss | Headingley, MB | $2,030 |
| 24 | 2 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | $2,020 |
| 25 | 19 | 2s | Stormy Scott | Las Cruses, NM | $2,810 |
| 26 | 7 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $3,100 |
