Dirt on Dirt - B-Shepp survives scrape to win $7,000 at Ocala

February 25

Ocala Speedway,

Ocala, FL

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Wieland Winternationals) - $7,000

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden, series and track reports (last updated February 25, 10:33 pm)

B-Shepp survives scrape to win $7,000 at Ocala

Wieland Winternationals

Brandon Sheppard
Hudson O'Neal
Devin Moran
Brandon Overton
Clay Harris
Drake Troutman
Brian Shirley
Garrett Alberson
Carson Ferguson
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Dallon Murty
Dennis Erb Jr.
Brenden Smith
Blair Nothdurft
Dan Ebert
Dillon McCowan
Ross Robinson
Daulton Wilson
Garrett Smith
Cody Overton
Kyle Bronson
Michael Leach
Josh Rice
Tyler Erb

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Brandon Sheppard celebrates his third Speedweeks victory of the season.

What won the race: Surviving a scrape with race-long leader Kyle Bronson who abruptly slowed on the seventh lap, polesitter Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., paced the rest of Wednesday's 30-lap Wieland Winternationals second round at Ocala Speedway. Sheppard carved through lapped traffic in the closing circuits and beat Hudson O'Neal by 0.583 of a second for the $7,000 payday, his 34th career full-field Lucas Oil Series victory and second of the season.

Quotable: “We definitely had some stuff messed up on the front end there from the contact with Kyle (Bronson). I felt terrible about that,” said Sheppard, who didn't realize that Bronson's rearend broke before the two cars came together. “It looked like he missed (the line) a little bit and I was kinda filling the gap on the bottom."

Key notes: Sheppard secured his third Georgia-Florida Speedweeks victory this season and the 25th of his career, breaking a tie with Don O'Neal for sole possession of fourth on the all-time win list. ... It was his second career Ocala victory and first since 2017. ... Sheppard has led 37 of the 60 feature laps contested thus far at Ocala, including the first 13 on Tuesday when his stumble in lapped traffic allowed Devin Moran to assume command and go on to victory. ... O'Neal slipped by Brandon Overton for second on lap eight and pressured Sheppard in the late going, drawing close on lap 27 before fading back amidst lapped traffic over the final two circuits. ... Kyle Bronson led the opening six laps before breaking a rear end and slowing abruptly as they came to complete the seventh lap; Sheppard, hot on Bronson's heels, made contact with Bronson's left-rear and nearly spun into the infield as the yellow flag flew. ... Moran finished third close behind O'Neal. ... Clay Harris placed fifth, his fourth straight top-five finish. ... Drake Troutman gained eight spots and finished sixth with his car's left-side sheet metal flapping in the wind. ... Ricky Thornton Jr. improved seven spots to round out the top 10. ... Besides the lap-seven yellow for Bronson's issue, the race was slowed by three other cautions: lap four when 13th-running Tyler Erb slapped the turn-three wall and slowed; lap six when Josh Rice slowed just as ninth-running Dallon Murty made contact with the turn-two wall (Murty soldiered on to an 11th-place finish); and lap 19 for Ross Robinson's flat right-rear tire. ... The 30-lapper lasted 17 minutes with 16 starters completing the distance. ... Ocala's Lucas Oil action continues with Thursday's 40-lap, $10,000-to-win event with series points on the line.

On the move: Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., started 20th and finished seventh.

Winner's sponsors: Sheppard's Rocket Chassis has a Durham Racing Engine and sponsorship from Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Collins Brothers Towing of St. Cloud, Five Star RaceCar Bodies, Rocket Chassis, Ace Metal Works, Gunter’s Honey, Hoosier Racing Tire, Fox Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, Petroff Towing, Performance Grading, Stiles Marine & Maintenance, Sunoco Race Fuels and Rocket Preowned Motors.

Points chase: Before Ocala Thursday: 1. Brandon Overton (690); 2. Hudson O’Neal (685); 3. Devin Moran (675); 4. Brandon Sheppard (650); T5. Carson Ferguson (575); T5. Clay Harris (575); 7. Josh Rice (550); T8. Cory Hedgecock (545); T8. Dan Ebert (545); T10. Garrett Alberson (535); T10. Brian Shirley (535).

Current weather: Clear, 55°F

Car count: 40

Fast qualifier: Garrett Alberson

Time: 14.141 seconds

Polesitter: Brandon Sheppard

Heat race winners: Brandon Sheppard, Clay Harris, Kyle Bronson, Hudson O'Neal

Consolation race winners: Ricky Thornton Jr., Dillon McCowan

Next series race: February 26, Ocala Speedway (Ocala, FL) $10,000

Editor's note: Corrects Sheppard's lap led total (24 sted 23).

From staff reports

OCALA, Fla. — Live updates from Wednesday’s Wieland Winternationals second round at Ocala Speedway, highlighted by a 30-lap, $7,000-to-win feature for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Surviving a scrape with race-long leader Kyle Bronson who abruptly slowed on the seventh lap, polesitter Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., paced the rest of Wednesday's 30-lap Wieland Winternationals second round at Ocala Speedway. Sheppard carved through lapped traffic in the closing circuits and beat Hudson O'Neal by 0.583 of a second for the $7,000 payday, his 34th career full-field Lucas Oil Series victory and second of the season.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Brandon Sheppard, Kyle Bronson
Row 2: Clay Harris, Hudson O'Neal
Row 3: Brandon Overton, Garrett Alberson
Row 4: Dallon Murty, Devin Moran
Row 5: Blair Nothdurft, Carson Ferguson
Row 6: Brenden Smith, Daulton Wilson
Row 7: Dennis Erb Jr., Drake Troutman
Row 8: Cody Overton, Tyler Erb
Row 9: Ricky Thornton Jr., Dillon McCowan
Row 10: Ross Robinson, Brian Shirley
Row 11: Josh Rice, Garrett Smith
Row 12: Michael Leach, Dan Ebert

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

First consolation: Ricky Thornton Jr., Ross Robinson, Josh Rice, Michael Leach, Justin Weaver, Brody Smith, Dave Loudin, Freddie Carpenter, Chase Junghans, Adam Boyd. Scratched: Daniel Hilsabeck, Max Blair.

Second consolation: Dillon McCowan, Brian Shirley, Garrett Smith, Dan Ebert, Ryan Montgomery, Jadon Frame, Clay Stuckey, Cory Lawler, Eli Johnson, Frank Heckenast Jr., Preston Luckman. Scratched: Cory Hedgecock.

Heat race recap

Second-starting Brandon Sheppard fired off from the outside pole and led all eight laps in winning the night’s first heat race by 1.199 seconds over polesitter Brandon Overton. Blair Nothdurft started and finished third while fifth-starting Dennis Erb Jr. grabbed fourth from Michael Leach on the second lap to clinch the fourth and final transfer spot into the 30-lap main event. … Clay Harris got the early jump on pole-starting Dallon Murty, leading all eight laps and winning the second heat by 0.819 over Murty. Brenden Smith held serve in finishing third while Cody Overton overcame contact on the race’s first two start attempts to complete the top-four finishers. The first caution flew on the opening lap when the younger Overton appeared to over-rotate at the entrance of turn one, collecting Smith and Max Blair, while sending Brody Smith spinning to avoid contact. Another stoppage came on the ensuing restart when Overton made contact with Ross Robinson, sending Robinson spinning in turn one and collecting Daniel Hilsabeck. Robinson continued to finish fifth, with Brody Smith in seventh; Blair and Hilsabeck retired after the early race contact. … Kyle Bronson fired off from the outside pole and secured a flag-to-flag victory in the third heat, crossing the line 1.596 seconds ahead of fast qualifier Garrett Alberson. Fourth-starting Carson Ferguson slipped by Drake Troutman on the opening lap, relegating Troutman to finish fourth. … Polesitter Hudson O’Neal used a turn-three slide job to pass Devin Moran on the second lap and paced the final seven circuits in winning the fourth and final heat race by 1.129 seconds over Moran, who led the opening lap. Daulton Wilson and Tyler Erb joined O’Neal and Moran in punching their ticket into the night’s $7,000-to-win non-points race.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Brandon Sheppard, Brandon Overton, Blair Nothdurft, Dennis Erb Jr., Michael Leach, Josh Rice, Justin Weaver, Chase Junghans, Freddie Carpenter, Dave Loudin.

Second heat: Clay Harris, Dallon Murty, Brenden Smith, Cody Overton, Ross Robinson, Ricky Thornton Jr., Brody Smith, Adam Boyd, Daniel Hilsabeck, Max Blair.

Third heat: Kyle Bronson, Garrett Alberson, Carson Ferguson, Drake Troutman, Brian Shirley, Garrett Smith, Frank Heckenast Jr., Preston Luckman, Clay Stuckey, Cory Hedgecock.

Fourth heat: Hudson O'Neal, Devin Moran, Daulton Wilson, Tyler Erb, Dillon McCowan, Dan Ebert, Ryan Montgomery, Jadon Frame, Cory Lawler, Eli Johnson.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 14.288
2. Dallon Murty (13), Chelsea, Iowa, 14.303
3. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 14.318
4. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 14.373
5. Blair Nothdurft (76n), Renner, S.D., 14.411
6. Brenden Smith (19m), Dade City, Fla., 14.440
7. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 14.457
8. Cody Overton (15k), Evans, Ga., 14.490
9. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 14.504
10. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 14.517
11. Justin Weaver (32J), Clearspring, Md., 14.555
12. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 14.584
13. Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., 14.603
14. Ross Robinson (7), Georgetown, Del., 14.629
15. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 14.733
16. Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 14.836
17. Freddie Carpenter (c4), Parkersburg, W.Va., 14.884
18. Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 14.910
19. Dave Loudin (12L), Volga, W.Va., 15.165
20. Adam Boyd (6B), Riverview, Fla., 15.464
Group B
1. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 14.141
2. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 14.216
3. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 14.269
4. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 14.315
5. Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 14.317
6. Daulton Wilson (58v), Fayetteville, N.C., 14.321
7. Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., 14.347
8. Tyler Erb (1T), New Waverly, Texas, 14.423
9. Garrett Smith (10), Madison, Ga., 14.423
10. Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 14.561
11. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 14.563
12. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 14.709
13. Preston Luckman (77), Coos Bay, Ore., 14.714
14. Jadon Frame (81F), Winchester, Tenn., 14.754
15. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 14.756
16. Ryan Montgomery (12m), Fairmont, W.Va., 14.766
17. Cory Hedgecock (79), Loudon, Tenn., 14.828
18. Cory Lawler (93L), Hanover, Pa., 15.083
19. Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 15.358
20. Eli Johnson (55), Clewiston, Fla., 15.715

Wednesday’s schedule

(All times local)
1:30 p.m. - Pits closed and cleared
2 p.m. - Pits reopen
2:30 p.m. - Tech and registration opens
5 p.m. - Grandstands open
5:15 p.m. - Tech and registration closes
5:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model Feature (30 laps)