B-Shepp back in Rocket house car
Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., will return to the seat of the Rocket Chassis house car in 2025, taking the reins of an iconic machine he drove to four World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series titles in a six-year span from 2017-22.
Today's announcement by Rocket1 owner Mark Richards comes two days after Sheppard’s year-long stint as the Longhorn Factory Team driver ended with him clinching his fifth career WoO title at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, N.C. The news also revealed that Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who was named Rocket1’s driver in March after Hudson O’Neal's departure, will remain in the Rocket fold in shifting to the Bear Lake, Pa.-based Briggs Transport Racing operation as a teammate to his good friend Boom Briggs.
Sheppard, 31, and the 50-year-old McCreadie will work closely following the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2025.
Noting that Rocket1 Racing is “going through another change,” Richards said in a press release that “the team is excited, our sponsors are excited and we know the sky is the limit for what we can accomplish” with Sheppard, who left the house car after the 2022 season to run family-owned Longhorn entries in a combined effort with Riggs Racing. All Rocket1's sponsors are returning and several new ones will be announced as Sheppard begins his fourth tour of duty with the team.
Sheppard professed his own excitement in returning to the team that helped turn him into a superstar. His family-owned No. B5 program will also field Rocket Chassis that he’ll occasionally field off the Lucas Oil Series.
“My history to date with Rocket1 Racing is pretty spectacular when you step back and take a look at all we’ve been able to do,” Sheppard said. “I’ve learned a lot the past two years and I’m more focused than ever as I look ahead to 2025.”
Richards was also adamant in McCreadie’s continued strong importance to Rocket1 and the Shinnston, W.Va.-based business going forward. He said Rocket1 has established an alliance with Briggs’s program to keep the two teams closely linked.
“Tim took on a tall task this year joining our team after the year started and he did a great job for us,” Richards said. “We’re very grateful for his hard work, and as he moves over to (Briggs’s team) he’ll continue to be an important part of the growth and development we have in motion here at Rocket Chassis.”
McCreadie expressed appreciation for his stretch at Rocket1 and looks forward to joining Briggs.
“After joining Rocket1 Racing we fought an uphill battle all year, but nobody with the team ever gave up and we clawed our way into Championship Four with Lucas Oil,” McCreadie said. “Boom Briggs and everyone with his team are providing me with an opportunity to continue doing what I love."
The 53-year-old Briggs plans to scale back with a limited racing schedule.