5/22/2022
Brandon Sheppard
Brandon Sheppard grabs a pair of second-place finishes with LOLMDS
Rocket1 Racing and Brandon Sheppard invaded Iowa over the weekend for a trio of events in their Valvoline / Seubert Calf Ranches No. 1 Ace Metal Works / XR1 Rocket Chassis / Durham Racing Engine Super Late Model. (Heath Lawson photos)
The team enjoyed a great week with three runner-up finishes in three events. With Sheppard’s consistency, the Illinois’ driver was able to add to his advantage atop both the Castrol FloRacing Night in America and Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series standings.
“Man, I love those Iowa dirt tracks. It’s always a blast to race there and reminds me a lot of the tracks I started my career on back in Illinois,” Sheppard said. “We came up short of a win in our three races last weekend, but it’s hard to be bummed about three second-place finishes. I’m proud of our whole team and where we are at right now.
“A big thanks to everyone at Rocket1 Racing and all of our great marketing partners for making this all possible.”
For the fifth round of the Castrol FloRacing Night in America mini-series, Rocket1 Racing and Brandon Sheppard traveled to Marshalltown Speedway (Marshalltown, Iowa) on Wednesday evening to enter the Seubert Calf Ranches No. 1 Late Model into battle.
Following the fourth-fastest time in his group, Sheppard dropped one spot in his heat race to finish third. Earning the seventh-starting position for the $22,022-to-win A-Main, Brandon weaved through the field five spots in the 50-lapper to score a second-place finish. He followed Hudson O’Neal across the line with Mike Marlar rounding out the podium.
Sheppard leads the latest Castrol FloRacing Night in America point standings by 78 markers.
On Friday evening Rocket1 Racing visited 300 Raceway (Farley, Iowa) for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) sanctioned Truck Country 50. After getting behind the eight-ball in time trials, Sheppard advanced two spots in his heat race to finish sixth. Passing four cars in the 50-lap feature, Brandon reeled a second-place finish, which came behind Tyler Erb with Ricky Thornton Jr. rounding out the podium.
After Mother Nature moved Saturday’s event to Sunday, Brandon stopped at 34 Raceway (West Burlington, Iowa) for the CRST Transportation Solution 50. With a heat race victory placing him on the pole for the $15,000-to-win A-Main, Sheppard dropped one spot in the 50-lapper to finish second. He followed Tim McCreadie across the line with Earl Pearson Jr., Garrett Alberson, and Hudson O’Neal completing the Top-5 finishers.
Brandon holds a 130-point lead atop the latest LOLMDS point standings.
Full results from the weekend are available at www.FloSeries.com and www.LucasDirt.com.
This weekend – May 26-28 – Rocket1 Racing and Sheppard will set their sights on their first-ever Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 triumph. The three-race weekend begins on Thursday night at Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, Mo.) with the $6,000-to-win ninth annual Cowboy Classic and continues on Friday night with the $6,000-to-win Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson.
The crown jewel weekend culminates on Saturday with the $50,000-to-win, Show-Me 100 finale.
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