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Runner-up finish in World of Outlaws stop at Circle City

Brandon Sheppard and the Rocket1 Racing team are busily preparing their Valvoline No. 1 Seubert Calf Ranches/ Durham Racing Engines-powered XR1 Rocket Chassis Super Late Model for four days of racing this week at the famed Eldora Speedway. (Jacy Norgaard photo)

Spanning June 9-12, over $253,000 in first-place money is on the line as the facility hosts both the 26th and 27th annual Dirt Late Model Dreams.

Sheppard, who won the $125,000 top prize in the 2019 edition of the event in the Rocket1 Racing No.1, is chomping at the bit for the opportunity.

“Eldora is just something special and to win there puts you in an elite group. Winning the 2019 Dirt Late Model Dream with this team is arguably the biggest moment of my racing career so far. We had two big events there (Eldora) last year, but they weren’t the Dream or the World, and there were no fans there because of the pandemic. Heading back there this week, knowing it’s the Dirt Late Model Dream and that fans will be packing the place, gets me fired up,” Sheppard said. “Our team may not have as many wins as we’d like at this point in the year, but we’re heading into Eldora with a great car, and we are focused on going after two more Dream titles.”

A busy four days of competition is scheduled for Ohio’s Eldora Speedway. This Wednesday twin $10,000-to-win programs will be contested as the 27th annual Dirt Late Model Dream comes to life. On Thursday night, a $127,000 finale will be held.

On Friday the 26th annual Dirt Late Model Dream, which was postponed last year by the pandemic, will come to life with twin $10,000-to-win programs. Saturday evening, the crown jewel weekend draws to a close with a $126,000-to-win, 100-lap finale.

Rocket1 Racing is fresh off a weekend of racing with the World of Outlaws (WoO) Morton Buildings Late Model Series in Indiana. Action opened on Friday evening at Circle City Raceway (Indianapolis, Ind.) as the series made its debut at the brand-new facility.

After topping his group in time trials, Sheppard secured his spot into the opening night feature with a heat race victory. Improving two spots on a challenging surface, Brandon scored a runner-up finish behind Dennis Erb Jr. Ryan Gustin, Max Blair, and Frank Heckenast Jr. completed the Top-5 finishers in the 40-lap affair.

The following night at Plymouth Speedway (Plymouth, Ind.), Brandon slipped one spot in his heat race to register a runner-up finish behind Frank Heckenast Jr. Receiving the fifth-starting position for the $10,000-to-win A-Main via the redraw, Sheppard advanced one spot in the 40-lapper to finish fourth. He followed Rick Eckert, Heckenast Jr., and Tyler Bruening across the line with Ryan Gustin coming in fifth.

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