8/16/2025
Brandon Sheppard Triumphs in Topless 100 Preliminary at Batesville, Finishes Fifth in Finale
Port Royal’s The Rumble by the River Up Next
SHINNSTON, W.Va. (08/18/25) – The 43rd annual Topless 100 weekend began on a high note for Brandon Sheppard, who swept his preliminary program by leading every lap of his 25-lap feature on Friday in the Valvoline / Seubert Calf Ranches No. 1 Rocket1 Racing / Ace Metal Works Super Late Model.
While Saturday’s 100-lap finale kept him from the elusive Topless 100 crown, Sheppard still salvaged a top-five finish and left Arkansas’ Batesville Motor Speedway encouraged by the strides his Rocket1 Racing team has made throughout the summer.
“I have always liked this place,” Sheppard said. ”You know, it’s a little ways from home, so I didn’t get to come here very often over the years. The crew has been trying to make me comfortable and find the balance I’m looking for. I knew we’d get there, and I also knew it would take some time. Since we brought it out, it’s been lights out. Of course, we can still miss the setup or make a mistake with the tires or whatever the case may be, but this car has been really good ever since we broke it out. I am super proud to be part of this team and proud to be part of the Rocket family.”
Sheppard’s strong weekend opened Friday when the 3/8-mile oval split the 45-car Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) field into twin groups for preliminary programs. He set the tone early by topping his group in time trials before cruising to a convincing heat race win. He capped the flawless night by leading every lap of the $5,000-to-win preliminary feature — his sixth victory of the 2025 campaign.
On Saturday, Sheppard rolled off from the pole of the $50,000-to-win Topless 100 finale and paced the opening 37 circuits before a shredded right-rear tire slowed his charge. After visiting the infield hot pit again around lap 70, he restarted at the back of the field and mounted an impressive rally to salvage a fifth-place finish. He trailed Jonathan Davenport, Chris Madden, Devin Moran, and Dan Ebert in the final rundown of the 100-lap affair.
Sheppard remains in fifth in the latest LOLMDS point standings.
Complete results from the Topless 100 weekend can be found at www.LucasDirt.com.
Sheppard and the Rocket1 Racing team now turn their attention to Pennsylvania, where the LOLMDS invades Port Royal Speedway for The Rumble by the River. Action begins Friday with a $10,000-to-win preliminary, leading into Saturday’s $50,000-to-win finale at “The Speed Palace.”
Full event details are available at www.PortRoyalSpeedway.com.
Rocket1 Racing would like to thank all of their marketing partners, which include Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Collins Brothers Towing Of St.Cloud, Rocket Chassis, Ace Metal Works, Durham Racing Engines, Five Star RaceCar Bodies, Gunter’s Honey, Performance Grading, Stiles Marine & Maintenance, Hoosier Racing Tire, Fox Racing Shox, Keyser Manufacturing, Petroff Towing, On Time Body & Graphic, Franklin Enterprises, Bubba Army, Sweet Manufacturing, Sunoco Race Fuels, Accu-Force Shock Service, ATL Fuel Cells, Aurora Rod Ends, Barnes Dry Sump Oil Systems, Bazell Race Fuels, Beyea Custom Headers, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Brinn Transmissions, Sharp Advantage Safety Products, CP Carrillo, Dohm Cycles, Fibreworks Composites, Hardrock Powder Coating, Howe Racing Enterprises, Jones Racing Products, Kenny’s Components, MSD, E3 Spark Plugs, Tel Tac, Performance Bodies, Peterson Fluid Systems, Powers Performance, Performance Rod & Custom, QuickCar Racing Products, MatMan Designs, Allgaier Performance Parts, Rocket Pre-Owned Motors, Show Trucks Unlimited, Simpson, Stealth Carburetors, Strange Oval, Suave Talk, Total Power Valvoline Pro-V Racing, Walker Performance Filtration, Wiles Driveshafts, Wilwood Brakes, Winters Performance Products, Wrisco Aluminum, Xceldyne Valvetrain, and MyRacePass Marketing Services.
For the latest news and team updates, visit Rocket1 Racing’s official website at www.Rocket1Racing.com. Fans can also stay connected by subscribing to the official Rocket1 Racing mailing list at https://pages/Rocket1Racing.
Article Credit: Heath Lawson image
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