WACO, Texas — The final night of the All Star Shootout fueled by IMCA.TV saw Matthew Day race to a feature victory, a $500 bonus and the tour title.
The Farmersville hotshoe hustled to the $1,000 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature win Sunday at Heart O’ Texas Speedway. The bonus accompanied his second checkers of the tour, which also provided the tiebreaker as Day and one-time All Star winner William Gould tied atop the Modified point standings.
Gould had brought a five point advantage over Day coming into the finale, started inside him on the front row and led the first 15 laps before getting caught up with a lapped car.
Day motored by, stayed in charge after a lap 17 restart and led the rest of the way. Gould rallied after contact with another car turned him all the way around and raced back to sixth, behind Day, Kaleb Emerson, Tate Butler, Jake Upchurch and Chris Morris.
“We were able to figure some stuff out and get some ground made up tonight,” said Day, after a disappointing 11th in the Saturday show at Kennedale Speedway Park. “I didn’t know if we’d be able to come all the way back but everything worked out and we were able to do it.”
He’d already been eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Day had been the Southern SportMod champion of the inaugural Shootout in 2021.
Jason Batt was the $750 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car winner, taking that win ahead of tour champion Shelby Williams. Jeff Shepperd earned $750 for his feature win and earned the All Star Shootout title for Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMods as well.
Batt led every lap and beat Williams to the stripe by just less than a second in making himself eligible for B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying. Gould made his way from 12th starting to third.
And Shepperd became the fifth different winner in as many Southern SportMod races, making up a four point deficit coming into the night to take the tour title.
He used the higher line to pass Kyle Wilkins for the lead at halfway, then outran Wilkins and Cody Smith following a late restart.
Champions Day and Williams become eligible to qualify for their respective races of champions at the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Shepperd is eligible to qualify for the ROC at the Southern SportMod Super Nationals, also in September.
All five nights of the All Star Shootout were broadcast by SPEED SPORT affiliate and tour presenting sponsor IMCA.TV.