BARBERVILLE, FL — Feb. 15, 2019 — For the third consecutive night at Volusia Speedway Park, Brandon Sheppard found a way to the front of the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series Feature on Friday and parked his Rocket Chassis in Victory Lane at the DIRTcar Nationals.
Sheppard, the 2017 series champion, started third and ran down Tim McCreadie and Chris Madden on Laps 8 and 9, drove under them to grab the lead on Lap 10, then weaved through traffic until a caution with 11 to go.
Mike Marlar, the 2018 series champion, had fallen as far as 27th before mounting a methodical charge through the field and powering into the runner-up spot with 7 laps to go. But that was as far as Marlar could go in the 50-lapper as Sheppard smoothly worked through the field over the closing laps for the 40th victory of his World of Outlaws career. Brian Shirley was the final victim of Marlar’s charge and settled for third with Don O’Neal and Darrell Lanigan rounding out the top five.
“I don’t even know what to say, my team has been working its tail off,” said Sheppard, of New Berlin, Ill. “This track is just awesome. They’ve nailed it every night we’ve been here. The track’s been spot on. If the fans didn’t think this week has been a good show then I don’t know what they’re looking for.
“I didn’t know where to go, to be honest. I felt pretty good wherever I went, but those guys behind you can see your weak spots, where you’re slowing up and where they’re gaining on you.”
Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds: Larry Wight couldn’t race any higher on the Volusia half-mile, blasting the cushion all night long to charge from ninth to victory in the Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds 30-lap Feature. Wight, the defending NAPA Super DIRT Week champion from Phoenix, N.Y., had his right side higher than anyone else and used it to move into the top-five by Lap 4. He then found teammate Pat Ward as both went by leader Matt Sheppard on the high side on Lap 17.
Once Ward moved to the point, he could not hold off Wight’s charge, and with 9 to go Wight made one more daredevil move on the cushion and surged past Ward on the outside. Sheppard recovered to finish second followed by Ward, Peter Britten and Erick Rudolph.
“There was enough of a cushion where you could really drive in hard, and as long as the car would turn off the cushion to run the middle off of turn four it seemed like I could make up a lot of ground,” Wight said.
DIRTcar Nationals Race Report; Volusia Speedway Park; Feb. 15, 2019
World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series (50 laps): 1. Brandon Sheppard ($10,000); 2. Mike Marlar; 3. Brian Shirley; 4. Don O’Neal; 5. Darrell Lanigan; 6. Dale McDowell; 7. Chase Junghans; 8. Shane Clanton; 9. Kent Robinson; 10. Scott Bloomquist; 11. Dennis Erb Jr.; 12. Donny Schatz; 13. Cade Dillard; 14. Brandon Overton; 15. Boom Briggs; 16. Brent Larson; 17. Chris Madden; 18. Kyle Bronson; 19. Jonathan Davenport; 20. Chris Ferguson; 21. Tyler Erb; 22. Tim McCreadie; 23. Ricky Weiss; 24. Devin Moran; 25. Gregg Satterlee; 26. Blake Spencer; 27. Kyle Hardy; 28. Tanner English.
Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds (30 laps): 1. Larry Wight ($2,000); 2. Matt Sheppard; 3. Pat Ward; 4. Peter Britten; 5. Erick Rudolph; 6. Anthony Perrego; 7. Billy Pauch; 8. Brett Hearn; 9. Rick Laubach; 10. Mat Williamson; 11. Justin Haers; 12. Danny Johnson; 13. Jessey Mueller; 14. Will Thomas; 15. Kyle Coffey; 16. Darwin Greene; 17. Jim Britt; 18. Ryan Godown; 19. Demetrios Drellos; 20. Jack Lehner; 21. Scott Hitchens; 22. Tyler Siri; 23. Billy Decker; 24. Kyle Sheldo; 25. Yan Bussiere; 26. Tim Fuller.