CONCORD, N.C. — Championship contenders Mat Williamson and Matt Sheppard played the lead roles during Friday’s penultimate race of the season for the Super DIRTcar Series big-block modified with Williamson holding the upper hand at the checkered flag.
Williamson, who took the point lead from Sheppard on Thursday night, entered Friday’s World of Outlaws World Finals feature 26 points ahead of the 10-time champion.
Starting from the pole, Williamson led all 30 laps, holding off Sheppard, who raced from fifth starting spot to second during the first 11 laps of the race.
Sheppard challenged Williamson the rest of the distance, including on several restarts, but could not make a pass for the lead.
It was Williamson’s fourth victory at the Dirt Track at Charlotte and his ninth of the season.
“What a race,” Williamson said. “I didn’t know where to be on the race track. It didn’t rubber-up at all. It wasn’t what we usually get here at Charlotte. Tomorrow night, hopefully, we can wrap up the championship.
“Anytime the 9 is behind you, you have to be on your toes. I really had to nail those restarts.”
Sheppard finished second.
“I got up there,” Sheppard said. “We had a really good car. I needed to sneak by him quick, but once the track blew off, it hurt us. We had a really good race car, but once you put someone as good as Mat is on the pole, he’s going to be really tough to beat. We have nothing to hang our head about.
Williamson leads Sheppard by 30 markers entering Saturday’s season finale, as he seeks his second series championship.
Demetrious Drellos finished third, with Jimmy Phelps fourth and Alex Yankowski charging from 14th to finish fifth.
The finish:
Mat Williamson, Matt Sheppard, Demetrious Drellos, Jimmy Phelps Alex Yankowski, Tim Fuller, Ryan Godown, Justin Haers, Jack Lehner, Anthony Perrego, Felix Roy, Tim Sears Jr., Danny Johnson, Peter Britten, Ryan Arbuthnot, Jeff Taylor, Michael Trautschold, Darren Smith, Erick Rudolph, Mike Mahaney, Tyler Siri, Larry Wight, Brian Calabrese, Bob Mogannon, Chris Curtis, Marcus Dinkins, Alex Payne, Daniel Johnson, Louden Reimert, Sebasten Gougeon.