10/21/2015
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Davenport Crowned National Champion; Sheppard Claims Rookie of the Year
WAYCROSS, GA (October 21, 2015) - Jonathan Davenport capped off a record-breaking season on Saturday night at Portsmouth Raceway Park, clinching his first-career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Championship. The Blairsville, GA native, who was the 2012 Rookie of the Year, finished 55-points ahead of Scott Bloomquist in the 2015 championship standings.
“What an incredible year! It’s been awesome to battle Scott [Bloomquist] for the championship. I feel like he [Bloomquist] is as good now as he has ever been, and we beat him at his best. It sure means a lot to me to accomplish what we have. Kevin, LeRoy, and Brian work so hard week after week, I can’t thank them enough for everything they have done.”
Davenport reached victory lane on eleven (11) different occasions and finished in the top five in nineteen (19) series point events in 2015. Piloting the TS Crane Service, Sundance Services, Sundance Flowback Well Testing, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, JRi Shocks, Bryson Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis – powered by a Rumley Racing Engine, Davenport becomes the fifth different champion since the national tour began in 2005.
Jonathan Davenport will collect over $75,000 in cash and other prizes at the series year-end Championship Gala. In the final championship point standings, Scott Bloomquist (TN) finished second, followed by Jimmy Owens (TN), Don O’Neal (IN), and Earl Pearson Jr. (FL), rounding out the top five in series standings. Sixth through eleventh are: Brandon Sheppard (IL), Jared Landers (AR), Dennis Erb Jr. (IL), Steve Francis (KY), Eddie Carrier Jr. (WV), and Chris Brown (TX).
Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, IL clinched the 2015 Lucas Oil Products Rookie of the Year title over fellow contender, Chris Brown of Spring, TX. Sheppard battled against the toughest competition in the nation each and every week at new venues across the country, and not only claimed “Rookie of the Year” honors, but finished sixth in the overall championship standings.
Sheppard ended his rookie season with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series with one (1) win, seven (7) top five finishes, nineteen (19) top ten performances, and will collect $10,000 at the year-end awards banquet. “There’s definitely been some ups and downs with this tough competition, but overall it’s been an amazing year. We’ve enjoyed competing on the Lucas Oil tour and we are looking forward to returning in 2016. I’m so grateful to my sponsors: Kid’s Castle Learning Center, Valvoline, Keyser, Integra, Sunoco, Petroff Towing, Pro Power Engines, Champion Spark Plugs, Sheppard Auto Sales, and Rocket Chassis. I also couldn’t have done this without my dad, grandpa, my crew Joe and Aaron, and Chuck back at the shop.”
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields
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