It just doesn’t seem to matter what track or who the competition is, Brandon Sheppard and the Rocket1 Racing team are just plain dominant.
Even when pitted up against the most seasoned drivers of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals on Friday night at the Indiana’s Terre Haute Action Track, Sheppard didn’t flinch.
For the ninth time this season on the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series tour, Sheppard earned the win and extended his lead in the overall championship.
The New Berlin, Illinois racer blasted to the lead in the Series’ second-ever visit to historic half-mile track and methodically paced the field over a hard-charging Bobby Pierce and Darrell Lanigan, who garnered his 10th top-10 finish of the season.
Setting fast time in his qualifying group, winning his heat race and redrawing the pole, Sheppard took off like a rocket and, at one point, opened up a near-four-second advantage over his competition.
Leading all 30 caution-free laps for $10,000, Sheppard made it look easy. He entered several waves of lapped traffic but disposed of each one with ease, giving him the separation he needed to build a cushion around his large lead.
This victory also gave Sheppard his second Summer Nationals win of the year – the other coming just 10 days ago at Jacksonville Speedway.
“It’s a dream season,” Sheppard said. “I hope we can keep it rolling.”
Billy Moyer finished in third, with Shannon Babb in fifth.
Brian Shirley, Mike Marlar, Ricky Weiss, Frank Heckenast, Jr. and Shane Clanton rounded out the top ten.
Next on the schedule for the Outlaws is the beginning of the Northern swing, as the Series visits the state of Iowa for the first time this year at Independence Motor Speedway on Friday, July 5, and then goes to Minnesota for a clash at the Deer Creek Speedway on Saturday, July 6.
For more information, visit WorldofOutlaws.com.
WoO Morton Buildings Late Model Series
Terre Haute Action Track – Terre Haute, IN
Race Results – June 28, 2019
1. 1-Brandon Sheppard
2. 32-Bobby Pierce
3. 29-Darrell Lanigan
4. 21-Billy Moyer
5. 18-Shannon Babb
6. 3S-Brian Shirley
7. 157-Mike Marlar
8. 7W-Ricky Weiss
9. 99JR-Frank Heckenast, Jr.
10. 25-Shane Clanton
11. B1-Brent Larson
12. 97-Cade Dillard
13. 28-Dennis Erb, Jr.
14. 99B-Boom Briggs
15. CJ1-Rusty Schlenk
16. 25F-Jason Feger
17. 18J-Chase Junghans
18. 6-Blake Spencer
19. 14S-Steve Godsey
20. 31AUS-Paul Stubber
21. 25H-Chuck Hummer
22. 10-Paul Parker
