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Sheppard Grabs First Win of 2021 in Cherokee Prelim

Brandon Sheppard and the Rocket1 Racing team returned to the World of Outlaws Late Model Series circuit on Friday at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C.

The 42-car field was split into two groups, running two 25-lap feature events on the opening night of the Rock Gault Memorial doubleheader. After qualifying third in his group and record a runner-up finish in his heat race, Sheppard was locked into the sixth-starting spot for the $5,000-to-win feature.

Brandon pulled into second with 15 laps to go and using the high lane around the 3/8-mile oval began to track down race-long pacesetter, Dale McDowell. Sheppard caught McDowell with two laps to go. He rocketed around the outside of him in Turn 3, using a slower car as a pick to get by.

“Towards the end we got to lap traffic and luckily my tires must’ve been just right at the end because I could roll the middle and top pretty good compared to early in the race,” said Sheppard. “We’ve been on the struggle bus for most of the year, but I knew not to count ourselves out.”

Persistent rain showers creating a high-water table and saturated grounds at Cherokee Speedway forced World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series and track officials to postpone Saturday’s Rock Gault Memorial finale. A make-up date was not immediately announced.

Sheppard currently sits second in the latest World of Outlaws Late Model Series standings.

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