ST. LOUIS — Saturday’s Castrol Gateway Dirt Nationals was one to remember for Brandon Sheppard.
After starting on pole, Sheppard lost the lead initially to Gordy Gundaker. However, a restart with 29 laps to go was the break the reigning World of Outlaws Late Model Dirt Series champion needed to retake the point.
While Bobby Pierce charged his way to second, it wouldn’t be enough to catch Sheppard’s No. 5 machine as he scored a second straight win inside the Dome at America’s Center.
“Been a lot of change in the past year, hell, the past three years there’s been a lot of crazy things happening in my career, up, down, everything in between,” Sheppard said. “To be able to come back out here with Rocket, Fox Shocks and everybody that’s helped me get to where I am… to be able to come out here first night out and make it happen for them on a stage like this.
“For as small as the track is, it’s probably underrated as far as the prestige that it has. Especially close to my heart because we’re an hour-and-a-half from the house.”
Sheppard went a step further in his praise for the St. Louis event as he compared it to Ohio’s Eldora Speedway, which hosts dirt late model’s World 100.
“Tight-corner, bullring, up on the wheel, right against the wall, let ‘er eat. In my playbook, it’s right up there with Eldora,” Sheppard said.
“Obviously it’s always going to be the most prestigious one, but there’s just something that’s different about this dome, underneath this dome with this big, huge crowd right up in your face… elbows-up racing, people fighting in the pit area, my dad included.”
Sheppard’s father, Steve Sheppard, was a part of the entertainment following the 40-lap event as he tangled with Tyler Carpenter. Following their on-track skirmish, punches were thrown between Sheppard and Carpenter’s crew members. The elder Sheppard finished 10th.
Altercation aside, Brandon Sheppard was proud of his father’s outing in the event.
“To see him make the show, by the way, was just… I had tears in my eyes up in the stands because he’s been here quite a few years,” Sheppard said. “This is kinda what he grew up racing but racing on two (wheels). Obviously this is smaller than anything still, but… I watched him growing up. I know he can still get it done.
“He just doesn’t have all the opportunities to do it like I did because he sacrificed his career for me to do it. Anytime that I can repay him and give him a car that’s good enough to make the show or give him something that’s enjoyable for him to drive, which I did not do because the first day I had him all messed up and he still almost made the show,” Sheppard continued.
“I knew going into today that it was gonna be better. I think if we can get him a little bit more seat time this year and get him to some MARS races or some local stuff around the house that I think he can turn some heads still.”
