Brandon Sheppard
After over one year of not visiting a World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Model Series victory lane, the winningest driver in series history returned to his winning ways on Saturday night. Brandon Sheppard took the lead with 22 laps remaining in the feature then held off all challengers to take the checkered flag ahead of the field in the My Place Hotels Quad Cities 150 at Davenport Speedway.
The Longhorn Chassis driver from New Berlin, Illinois earned $30,000 for his efforts on the track located in Davenport, Iowa in a race shown live by DirtVision.com.
A total of 37 cars were signed in for competition
Qualifying Results: Heat race lineups were set based off of points earned from preliminary races held on Thursday and Friday.
Heat 1 Results: 1. Bobby Pierce, 2. Cade Dillard, 3. Brian Shirley, 4. Chad Simpson
Heat 2 Results: 1. Brandon Sheppard, 2. Shane Clanton, 3. Ryan Gustin, 4. Trevor Gundaker
Heat 3 Results: 1. Chris Madden, 2. Nick Hoffman, 3. Tanner English, 4. Shannon Babb
Heat 4 Results: 1. Dennis Erb Jr., 2. Kyle Bronson, 3. Jason Feger, 4. Frank Heckenast Jr.
Last Chance Showdown 1 Finish: 1. Tyler Bruening, 2. Chris Simpson, 3. Brent Larson
Last Chance Showdown 2 Finish: 1. Cody Laney, 2. Matt Lux, 3. Gordy Gundaker
WoO Redraw Results: 1. Madden, 2. Erb, 3. Sheppard, 4. Pierce, 5. Hoffman, 6. Dillard, 7. Bronson, 8. Clanton
Feature Re-cap: At the start of the 80-lap feature it was Madden who took the lead followed by Erb, Pierce, Sheppard and Dillard. But the action would immediately be halted due to a caution for a tangle involving Larson, Gundaker and Chris Simpson.
Pierce moved into the second spot on the restart as Madden continued to lead. Dillard took third away from Erb on lap 7 behind Madden and Pierce.
Pierce had moved into position to challenge Madden for the lead just before a lap 8 yellow flag for the slowing car of Simpson slowed the pace. On the restart, Sheppard entered the top-5 then got by Erb for furth on lap 10.
Once again, Pierce offered a challenge to Madden for the lead but a lap 13 caution for Hoffman interrupted the action. The top-5 of Madden, Pierce, Dillard, Sheppard and Erb held station after the restart but another yellow flag would wave for Gundaker on lap 15.
Pierce threw a slider on Madden to briefly take the lead on the lap 15 restart only to have Madden return the favor in the next set of turns. Pierce remained right on the rear spoiler of Madden over the next several laps.
Dillard, Erb and Sheppard raced three-wide for positions 3-5 on a lap 27 restart with Dillard winning out over Erb and Sheppard. Madden continued to use the top side of the track as Pierce employed the low line around the speedway. Pierce’s efforts finally paid off on lap 36 as the wrested the lead away from Madden.
Erb followed Pierce’s lead and took the runner-up position from Madden one lap later. Sheppard also joined in by passing Madden for third on lap 42. Madden then surrendered the fourth spot to English just past the race’s halfway mark.
Pierce began to slip away with 30 laps remaining as Erb and Sheppard wrestled for second. Sheppard emerged from that battle with second on lap 53 while Shirley took fourth from English.
Clanton fell off the pace on lap 55 to bring out a caution. Pierce led Sheppard, Erb, Shirley and English at the time, On the restart, Erb and English got by Sheppard for second and third but Sheppard would come back to take third from English,
Erb was challenging Pierce for the lead when the No. 32 suffered a flat right rear tire to bring out a yellow flag on lap 58. That elevated Erb to the lead with Sheppard and Madden in tow.
Sheppard used an extreme low line to grab the lead on the lap 58 restart with English, Erb and Madden following. Sheppard had a lead of almost two seconds ahead of English until Feger stopped on the track to bring out a caution on lap 71.
Gustin made a three-wide move on Madden and Shirley to blast his way to third as the laps clicked away. He then closed in on Sheppard and English in hopes of stealing a win.
But in the end, it was Sheppard who would score his 82nd career WoO Late Models victory.
Feature Results: 1. Brandon Sheppard, 2. Tanner English, 3. Ryan Gustin, 4. Chris Madden, 5. Brian Shirley, 6. Dennis Erb Jr., 7. Frank Heckenast Jr., 8. Chad Simpson, 9. Bobby Pierce, 10. Kyle Bronson, 11. Cade Dillard, 12. Tyler Bruening, 13. Todd Cooney, 14. Shane Clanton, 15. Brent Larson, 16. Nick Hoffman, 17. Jason Feger, 18. Dustin Walker, 19. Chris Simpson, 20. Cody Laney, 21. Matt Lux, 22. Shannon Babb, 23. Gordy Gundaker, 24. Trevor Gundaker
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