Sheppard Powers to DIRTcar Summer Nationals Victory at Lincoln Speedway
Brandon Sheppard —- Photo by Jim Denhamer
LINCOLN, Ill. – July 6, 2015 – Brandon Sheppard methodically worked his way from fourth to the lead on Monday night at Lincoln Speedway to earn his first DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory of the season.
Sheppard, of New Berlin, Ill., worked the low groove early then shifted his line to the top on lap 15 to surge past leader Billy Moyer Jr. Once in front, Sheppard, the 2013 DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion, survived a restart and pulled away to the $5,000 checkered flag in an event that was rain-delayed from June 28.
“We had a really good car,” Sheppard said. “I think picking the right spot in lapped traffic had a lot to do with it. My crew was showing me I had quite a bit of room so we must have had a pretty good car, you can’t ask for much more than that, and the track was really good tonight, really racy.”
Moyer Jr. tried to hold onto the runner-up position but Jason Feger, Brian Shirley, Wendell Wallace and Shannon Babb were able to drive into the top five, leaving Moyer Jr. in sixth. Points-leader Bobby Pierce was caught in an early incident and raced his way back to a 10th-place finish.
The DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour invades Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Ill., on Tuesday night then rolls on Wednesday to Florence Speedway in Union, Ky., and back to Illinois on Thursday at Macon Speedway.
Follow the Summer Nationals and DIRTcar Summit Modified Nationals on Twitter @SummerNationals or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SummerNationals, or visit the series’ websites at www.TheHellTour.com and www.ModifiedNationals.com.
DIRTcar Summer Nationals Statistical Report; Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway; July 6, 2015
A-MAIN (40 LAPS) – 1. (B5) Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL; 2. (25) Jason Feger, Bloomington, IL; 3. (3S) Brian Shirley, Chatham, IL; 4. (6M) Wendell Wallace, Batesville, AR; 5. (18) Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, IL; 6. (21JR) Billy Moyer Jr., Batesville, AR; 7. (24) Ryan Unzicker, El Paso, IL; 8. (C8) Timothy Culp, Sheridan, AR; 9. (89F) Daren Friedman, Forrest, IL; 10. (32) Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL; 11. (10S) Scott Schmitt, Tonica, IL; 12. (45) Kyle Hammer, Clinton, IL; 13. (124) John Hahler, New Florence, MO; 14. (38L) Ryan Little, Springfield, IL; 15. (33H) Billy Hough, Thomasboro, IL; 16. (33B) Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, IL; 17. (1W) Donny Walden, Towanda, IL; 18. (4G) Bob Gardner, East Peoria, IL; 19. (21B) Rich Bell, Sheffield, IL; 20. (25L) Steve Lance Jr., Cuba, IL; 21. (11E) Brandon Eskeu, Ashland, IL; 22. (1M) Jim Moon, New Florence, MO.
HEAT RACE WINNERS: Jason Feger, Billy Moyer Jr. and Jim Moon.
