Few drivers and teams have pulled off the type of battle-hard victories with the incredible amount of skill and tenacity that Brandon Sheppard and his Rocket1 Racing team have this season. Thanks to his latest conquest, the driver they call The Rocket has not only tied his own record for single season wins but has once again created one of the most exciting racing experiences for World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series drivers available.
On Friday night, Sheppard was back at his winning ways during the start of the Battle at the Border weekend at Sharon Speedway. In one of the most exciting races this tour has seen all year, Sheppard was forced to start on the outside of the top-5, where he had to put up one heck of a fight to take down pole sitter Shane Clanton. Although Clanton jumped out to an early lead from the pole and smoothly lead the first 16 laps, a bit of lapped traffic would begin to slow the driver of the No. 25 and give Ricky Weiss and Chase Junghans a chance to take the race for the lead four wide alongside race winner Sheppard.
While these four drivers put up one heck of a battle, they were the only drivers in contention for the race win. As the laps wound down, Junghans began to lead the way and held the lead back around to the stripe before Weiss got a good run on the bottom and took it away with five laps remaining. At this point, it seemed as though Weiss might have finally had the right combination to get his first-ever World of Outlaws win. However, the Rocket1 Racing car was right behind him and had yet to show his hand. While Weiss began to knock on the door for the race lead, Sheppard was not going to give up on taking his latest win.
Using the lowest lane possible, Sheppard steadily made the winning move under Weiss coming to the white flag and began to open up a gap down the backstretch, sealing the win and adding his name to the World of Outlaws record books for the most wins in a single season.
“This might not have been our only win this season, but it was a very special one,” said Sheppard. “The track was really awesome; in fact, it was one of the better tracks that we have been to this year and although I didn’t know how I would get to the lead once I got to second and Ricky was leading, he slipped up one time and I was able to get in there and show him my nose, getting close enough to him into turn one – and this is what helped me and my Rocket1 Racing team win this race.”
Although Sheppard had a chance to repeat Friday night’s Battle at the Border win with a second on Saturday, Mother Nature would continue to dominate the remainder of this race weekend and leave all other drivers hoping and praying for more opportunities to end The Rocket’s dominance this season.
The champions from the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series return to racing action the three race weekend at three tracks in two states (New York and Pennsylvania) September 19-21. Stay tuned to RacingJunk.com for all of your dirt racing coverage.
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