For the first time in his career, Brandon Sheppard is a Castrol Gateway Dirt Nationals winner.
On Saturday night at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo., the No. B5 Longhorn chassis driver led all 40 laps of the $30,000-to-win finale.
“This one’s for my Momma — my great grandma — I lost her last week,” Sheppard said in victory lane. “This one feels good, been trying a long time. I guess this year was my year.”
After starting on the outside front row, Sheppard immediately took control of the feature ahead of polesitter Jason Welshan. He held off initial challenges from Thursday night’s prelim winner Nick Hoffman in the early laps, with the No. 9 dirt late model driver struggling to find his way past Sheppard.
But while Sheppard was cruising out front, third-place starter Ricky Thornton Jr. was on the move from fifth with 19 to go after experiencing some trouble in the early laps.
The No. 20rt dirt late model driver beat-and-banged his way past Chris Simpson, Devin Moran and Hoffman during the final laps and quickly began to reel in Sheppard when the No. B5 hit lapped traffic on the one-fifth-mile track.
With one to go, Thornton Jr. made his move, dove to the inside in turn one and threw a slider on Sheppard, but the Sheppard Riggs Racing driver shot the gap and continued down the straightaway unscathed.
At the checkered flag, it was Sheppard who held on for the victory. It marked the first Gateway Dirt Nationals win for the Illinois native in his seventh career appearance at the event.
Thornton Jr. finished second, while Tanner English completed the podium.
Feature Results (40 Laps)
1. Brandon Sheppard, 2. Ricky Thornton Jr., 3. Tanner English, 4. Devin Moran, 5. Chris Simpson, 6. Tyler Erb, 7. Freddie Carpenter, 8. Mike Harrison, 9. Nick Hoffman, 10. Jadon Frame, 11. Kyle Hardy, 12. Jason Welshan, 13. Ryan Montgomery, 14. Shannon Babb, 15. Bob Gardner, 16. Spencer Hughes, 17. Jacob Magee, 18., Chad Zobrist, 19. Tyler Carpenter, 20. Jimmy Owens