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Sheppard notches 13th win this season

Points leader dominant in shortened race

Sentinel photo by TIM SHUMAKER
Brandon Sheppard (1) takes the lead over Tyler Erb in turn two of the World of Outlaws Late Model race Saturday evening in Port Royal. Sheppard won the shortened race, his 13th of the season.

PORT ROYAL — Brandon Sheppard dominated the World of Outlaws late model’s return to Port Royal Speedway Saturday night earning his 13th series win of the season and $10,000.

A thunderstorm hit the track as late model practice laps were completed. The rain caused about a three-hour delay in the racing program. It was the first Outlaw late model race at Port Royal since 2008.

“The longer the race went there it got a little bit black in the groove,” Sheppard said. “We stayed a little bit freed-up to run the cushion. I think a little bit of an adjustment, we would have been a lot better. My guys worked hard to give me a good car. It was a little bit treacherous out there and nothing fell off of it. They build a hell of a piece at Rocket Chassis and it’s a pleasure to drive.”

Sheppard, the series points leader from New Berlin, Ill., started second and drove into the lead to start the 40-lap main event -which was shortened by 10 laps thanks to the rain delay.

Sheppard’s pace was slowed by a caution with three laps completed erasing his 1.629-second lead. Pennsylvania’s Jason Covert raced by Tyler Erb and into second on the restart.

One more lap was completed before another caution.

Sheppard controlled the restart and built a two-second lead with 10 laps completed.

A caution for Andy Haus erased Sheppard’s lead with 14 laps completed. It was a close call for second place Covert as Haus was sideways in turn four just in front of him. Sheppard was unchallenged once again on the restart as third place Erb was under pressure from Devin Moran and Chris Madden.

Covert wasn’t letting Sheppard get away as the lead was 1.323 with 24 laps completed. They were a straightaway ahead of a great race for third as Austin Hubbard joined that battle.

Coleby Frye brought out a caution with 24 laps completed as his car overheated.

Sheppard set the pace over Covert, Erb, Madden and Hubbard for the restart with 16 laps remaining.

Madden raced into third on the restart as Sheppard continued to dominate. York’s Rick Eckert was up to fifth.

With 10 laps to go, Covert began to cut into Sheppard’s lead as he reached lapped traffic.

Sheppard cleared one lapped car, but Covert was there as they raced into turn one with four to go. The lead was 0.437 at the line with three to go.

Nick Dickson made contact as he tried to block Covert racing into turn one. Dickson spun and then flipped when he hit the cushion bringing out the red flag. He was okay.

As fog rolled-in around the speedway, Sheppard drove away once again controlling the finals laps winning by 1.836 seconds.

“I knew he was catching me on the bottom,” said Sheppard. “I knew I just had to get to lapped traffic and start getting through them as quick as I could. The half-miles haven’t been my best tracks, but they stuck behind me and supported me and did a heck of a job on this racecar.”

Covert held off Madden for second. Eckert passed Hubbard to finish fourth. Moran, Mason Zeigler, Kyle Hardy, Jeff Rine and Dale Hollidge rounded out the top 10.

The 36-car field was split into two qualifying groups. Sheppard set overall fast time in the second group with a lap of 17.589, while Jeff Rine was quickest in group one with a time of 17.615.

Rine, Madden, Erb and Covert won the eight-lap heat races. Jared Miley and Dan Stone won the twin Last Chance Showdowns.

In the 25-lap Sprint car feature, it was Lewistown’s Daryl Stimeling grabbing the early race lead over Nicole Bower.

Brock Zearfoss of Jonestown was blasting through the field from the 11th starting spot and was by far the fastest car.

A two-car pass moved him into fourth with eight laps completed. Zearfoss raced by Mike Wagner into turn three and was third with 10 laps completed. A few laps later, he took second from Bower.

The first caution of the event slowed the pace with 15 laps completed as Sammy Swindell slowed to a stop on the frontstretch.

Zearfoss ducked under Stimeling on the restart and raced into the lead off turn two and streaked away building a 5.214-second lead in only five laps.

He was in heavy lapped traffic in the final two laps, but still won by 6.671 seconds over Stimeling. He earned a total of $3,500, including a $300 bonus for winning after starting inside row six.

Wagner finished third and Bower fourth. Point leader Dylan Cisney raced from mid-pack to finish fifth after dropping out of his heat race. Logan Wagner, Blane Heimbach, TJ Stutts, Joey Hershey and Trenton Sheaffer rounded out the top 10.

AJ Flick, Jared Esh and Stimeling won heat races for the 24 Sprint cars.

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