DIRTcar UMP Weekly Points Update: Sheppard (Late Models) & Gilpin (UMP Modifieds) Atop National Standings After Week 15
CONCORD, NC (May 11, 2012) – Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill. (Late Models) and Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind. (UMP Modifieds) topped the DIRTcar UMP national points standings after the completion of Week 15 action.
For Sheppard, standing as the circuit’s national Late Model points leader added more good news to a week he will remember for years to come. On Monday the 19-year-old talent’s budding career received a huge boost when he accepted an offer to drive the high-profile Rocket Chassis house car that two-time World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., recently departed to pursue a career in NASCAR.
Sheppard’s stint in the Rocket No. 1 begins next weekend and will include WoO LMS and other special events. Team owner Mark Richards said Sheppard will drive the car through the DIRTcar UMP-sanctioned Dream on June 8-9 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, and then Richards will determine his plan of attack for the remainder of the season.
Sheppard made only one DIRTcar UMP start in his family-owned equipment last weekend, finishing third on May 6 at Quincy (Ill.) Raceways. That was good enough, however, to put him ahead of St. Genevieve, Mo.’s Dewayne Kiefer by eight points (806-798) in the national standings.
Both Sheppard and Kiefer have 14 counted starts toward their 2012 DIRTcar UMP points totals, which are determined in the Late Model division using drivers’ best 35 finishes/points nights. Kiefer made three starts last weekend, finishing second twice –May 5 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., and May 6 at Quincy – and fifth on May 4 at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill.
Gilpin, meanwhile, remained atop the UMP Modified national battle despite seeing his red-hot spring cool slightly last weekend. His only start, on May 5 at Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway, resulted in a subpar 16th-place finish.
Gilpin, who has made 18 counted starts toward a UMP Modified points race that is determined using drivers’ best 25 finishes/points nights, entered last weekend’s action having won six features over the previous eight weeks.
Nick Allen of Wheatfield, Ind., sits second in the UMP Modified national standings, trailing Gilpin by 61 points (1,096-1,035). Allen enjoyed a strong three-race Week 15, winning on May 5 at Shadyhill Speedway in Medaryville, Ind., and May 6 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway and finishing second on May 4 at Kankakee (Ill.) County Speedway.
Other divisional national points leaders through Week 15 are Evan Taylor of Woodlawn, Tenn. (Pro Late Models); Troy Clark of North Vernon, Ind. (Sportsman); 19-year-old Haley Westerfield of Owensboro, Ky.; A.J. Wright of Danville, Ill. (Stock Cars); Jake Hewitt of Troy, Ill. (Factory Stocks); and Jeremy Callahan of Mt. Vernon, Ill. (Sport Compacts).
Log on to www.DirtCar.com for more information on DIRTcar Racing’s UMP circuit and to view complete points standings for all divisions, including the current State points rankings.
The weekly DIRTcar UMP points update is powered by www.MotorStats.com. DIRTcar’s affiliation with the Durham, N.C.-based Web site is providing fans and competitors a more timely and detailed look at the points standings. National and State points standings for all divisions are typically updated by Thursday each week, and new features allow visitors to click on each driver’s name to see a complete race-by-race review of their finishes to date.
DIRTcar Racing UMP National Points Standings (as of May 6, 2012):
Late Models (rank/driver/races counted/points):
1. Brandon Sheppard 14 806
2. Dewayne Kiefer 14 798
3. Scott Schmitt 15 756
4. Jim Moon 15 730
5. Kevin Weaver 12 707
6. Ryan Unzicker 12 696
7. Bobby Pierce 12 667
8. Michael Kloos 9 610
9. Caleb Ashby 12 583
10. Chris Shelton 14 578
11. Jason McBride 11 561
12. Terry English 10 534
13. Mike Hammerle 12 510
14. Mike Spatola III 10 506
15. Frankie Martin 9 503
16. Brian Shirley 9 463
17. Tanner English 8 462
18. Chad Zobrist 8 459
19. Rusty Schlenk 8 454
20. Eric Spangler 8 438
UMP Modifieds (rank/driver/races counted/points):
1. Devin Gilpin 18 1096
2. Nick Allen 15 1035
3. Trent Young 18 948
4. Tyler Nicely 17 855
5. JR Mason 17 845
6. Jamie Lomax 15 838
7. Kyle Bronson 12 808
8. Clint Demoss 16 793
9. Collin Thirlby 16 763
10. Mike Harrison 13 713
11. Aaron Kleine 10 712
12. Ray Bollinger 14 688
13. Jeff Leka 12 686
14. Chad Kinder 11 653
15. Randle Sweeney 12 640
16. Clayton Miller 12 636
17. Bradley Sterrett 11 634
18. Kelby Simmons 12 632
19. Gary Cook Jr. 13 628
20. Chad Evans 14 604
Pro Late Models (rank/driver/races counted/points):
1. Evan Taylor 15 861
2. Clayton Miller 12 803
3. Credence Mott 14 654
4. Michael Zimmerman 12 624
5. Mark Oller 10 578
6. Aaron Heck 12 512
7. Cameron Brown 9 477
8. Kolby Vandenbergh 8 410
9. Bobby Martintoni 7 396
10. Evan Fink 7 385
Sportsman (rank/driver/races counted/points):
1. Troy Clark 10 636
2. Chad Jeseo 7 450
3. Kenny Carmichael Sr. 9 421
4. AJ Clark 9 366
5. Cullen Goodman 7 353
6. Jon Ripperda 5 343
7. Kenny Carmichael Jr. 9 321
8. Jay Corbin 5 307
9. Wayne Carbo 6 295
10. Robbie Speed 4 275
Limited Modifieds (rank/driver/races counted/points):
1. Haley Westerfield 9 376
2. Tracy Denby Jr. 5 365
3. Corey Kellems 8 341
4. Rob Lee 5 325
5. Curt Loddeke 7 302
6. Brett Page 7 295
7. John Wyble 5 286
8. Rick Johnson 4 265
9. Tyler Deibert 4 250
10. Josh Tyler 6 244
Stock Cars (rank/driver/races counted/points):
1. AJ Wright 17 857
2. Dustin Rollins 10 643
3. Darrel Dick 11 625
4. Mike Hodges 10 592
5. Kassidi Gibbs 12 576
6. Mike McKinney 8 507
7. Frank Wright 12 471
8. Tyler Blankenship 7 453
9. Joeseph Hamm 6 415
10. Jeff Semmens 7 407
Factory Stocks (rank/driver/races counted/points):
1. Jake Hewitt 8 549
2. Dennis Bringedahl 8 536
3. Stephen Fohne 9 514
4. Dave Redman 8 456
5. Dustin Mcclintock 9 454
6. Austin Isaak 8 440
6. Mike Epplett 8 440
8. Josh Grabe 8 423
9. Josh Sternberg 8 417
10. Spike Grega 7 390
Sport Compacts (rank/driver/races counted/points):
1. Jeremy Callahan 10 735
2. Blayne Ellis 12 680
3. Jacob Rexing 10 663
4. Vince Shehorn 11 661
5. Zach Bollinger 10 608
6. Christian Lee 9 591
7. Lynn Lash 11 583
8. Tyler Benson 9 568
9. Michael Rittenberry 12 566
10. Eldon Hemken 9 459
