Dirt on Dirt - Flag-to-flag Sheppard bags $7,000 at Deer Creek

July 5

Deer Creek Speedway,

Spring Valley, MN

Sanction: World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series (NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 second Friday prelim) - $7,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated July 6, 3:24 pm)

Flag-to-flag Sheppard bags $7,000 at Deer Creek

NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 second Friday prelim

Brandon Sheppard
Bobby Pierce
Ryan Gustin
Tyler Erb
Kyle Bronson
Nick Hoffman
Tyler Bruening
Cade Dillard
Dennis Erb Jr.
Chase Junghans
Brian Shirley
Dustin Sorensen
Max McLaughlin
Blair Nothdurft
Lance Hofer
Jake Timm
Cody Overton
Brent Larson
Chad Mahder
Billy Moyer
Tristan Chamberlain
Frank Heckenast Jr.
Derrick Stewart
Dustin Walker

presented by

Photo slideshow Feature highlights Video recap Related story Race history

Tyler Rinken

Brandon Sheppard (center) is flanked by Bobby Pierce (right) and Ryan Gustin (left).

What won the race: Repelling race-long challenges from first prelim winner Ryan Gustin, pole-starting Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., hung on to score a flag-to-flag victory in Friday's second 30-lap NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 prelim at Deer Creek Speedway. Sheppard secured his third World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series victory of the season and the 86th of his career, further extending his all-time lead.

Quotable: “It was really just about making the right choices in (lapped) traffic there, I could’ve made the wrong move and they could’ve drove by me really easy,” Sheppard said. “Luckily we had a really maneuverable race car and could pretty much put it wherever we wanted to on the track. I didn’t get to run the middle-bottom in (turns) three and four as much as I would’ve liked to, just to see how we were for tomorrow.”

Key notes: Sheppard regains sole possession of the series points lead after entering the second prelim tied with Nick Hoffman. ... Fifth-starting Bobby Pierce passed Gustin on the last lap as he was mired in lapped traffic, taking the checkers 0.416 of a second behind Sheppard. ... Gustin, winner of the night's earlier rain-postponed 30-lapper, stalked Sheppard the entire way and drew alongside a couple of times before slipping to third in the closing laps. ... Tenth-starting Tyler Erb grabbed fourth from Kyle Bronson on the final lap. ... Chase Junghans advanced six spots and rounded out the top 10. ... The second Gopher 50 prelim went green-to-checkered without incident and lasted just eight minutes, with 19 drivers completing the distance and all 24 running at the finish.

On the move: Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., started 13th and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Sheppard’s Sheppard Riggs Racing Longhorn Factory Chassis carries sponsorship from Hoist Hydration, Dude Wipes, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Realtree, Coltman Farms Racing, Riggs Drilling Solutions, Valvoline, I-Beam Sliding Doors, University of Northwestern Ohio, Paulson Rock Products, Stussy Construction, Sheppard Auto Sales & Salvage, Go Lithium, Bilstein, VP Racing Fuels, Night Owl Design and BSheppGear.com.

Points chase: After Deer Creek Friday: 1. Brandon Sheppard (3,204); 2. Nick Hoffman (3,192); 3. Cade Dillard (3,058); 4. Bobby Pierce (3,046); 5. Kyle Bronson (3,020); 6. Tyler Bruening (2,986); 7. Ryan Gustin (2,974); 8. Dennis Erb Jr. (2,968); 9. Brian Shirley (2,922); 10. Dustin Sorensen (2,860); 11. Max McLaughlin (2,820); 12. Brent Larson (2,774).

Current weather: Few Clouds, 63°F

Car count: 32

Fast qualifier: Ryan Gustin

Time: 13.906 seconds

Polesitter: Brandon Sheppard

Heat race winners: Ryan Gustin, Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Bruening, Kyle Bronson

Consolation race winners: Blair Nothdurft

Provisional starters: Tristan Chamberlain, Dustin Walker

Next series race: July 6, Deer Creek Speedway (Spring Valley, MN) $50,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. (July 5) — Live updates and results from Friday’s second 30-lap, $7,000-to-win preliminary feature for the World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series-sanctioned NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 at Deer Creek Speedway (results unofficial):

Feature

Repelling race-long challenges from first prelim winner Ryan Gustin, pole-starting Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., hung on to score a flag-to-flag victory in Friday's second 30-lap NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 prelim at Deer Creek Speedway. Sheppard secured his third World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series victory of the season and the 86th of his career, further extending his all-time lead.

Fifth-starting Bobby Pierce passed Gustin on the last lap as he was mired in lapped traffic, taking the checkers 0.416 of a second behind Sheppard. Gustin, winner of the night's earlier rain-postponed 30-lapper, stalked Sheppard the entire way and drew alongside a couple of times before slipping to third in the closing laps.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Bruening
Row 2: Ryan Gustin, Kyle Bronson
Row 3: Bobby Pierce, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 4: Cade Dillard, Brian Shirley
Row 5: Max McLaughlin, Tyler Erb
Row 6: Cody Overton, Lance Hofer
Row 7: Nick Hoffman, Jake Timm
Row 8: Billy Moyer, Chase Junghans
Row 9: Blair Nothdurft, Brent Larson
Row 10: Dustin Sorensen, Derrick Stewart
Row 11: Frank Heckenast Jr., Chad Mahder
Row 12: Tristan Chamberlain, Dustin Walker

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top six transfer)

Finish: Blair Nothdurft, Brent Larson, Dustin Sorensen, Derrick Stewart, Frank Heckenast Jr., Chad Mahder, Tristan Chamberlain, Jordan Yaggy, Chad Simpson, Shannon Babb, Johnathan Huston, Keith Hammett, Parker Foster. Scratched: Dustin Walker, Tyler Stevens, Justin Green

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Ryan Gustin, Bobby Pierce, Max McLaughlin, Nick Hoffman, Brent Larson, Dustin Sorensen, Chad Mahder. Scratched: Justin Green

Second heat: Brandon Sheppard, Cade Dillard, Cody Overton, Billy Moyer, Dustin Walker, Tristan Chamberlain, Tyler Stevens. Scratched: Chad Simpson

Third heat: Tyler Bruening, Brian Shirley, Tyler Erb, Jake Timm, Blair Nothdurft, Frank Heckenast Jr., Keith Hammett, Johnathan Huston.

Fourth heat: Kyle Bronson, Dennis Erb Jr., Lance Hofer, Chase Junghans, Derrick Stewart, Shannon Babb, Jordan Yaggy, Parker Foster.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 13.906
2. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 13.927
3. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 14.114
4. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 14.161
5. Max McLaughlin (22*), Mooresville, N.C., 14.167
6. Tyler Stevens (2), Searcy, Ark., 14.167
7. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 14.180
8. Cody Overton (97jr), Evans, Ga., 14.253
9. Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., 14.255
10. Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 14.303
11. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 14.319
12. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 14.376
13. Chad Mähder (55c), Bloomer, Wis., 14.424
14. Dustin Walker (14w), Polk, Mo., 15.756
15. Justin Green (19J), Sheboygan Falls, Wis., no time
16. Chad Simpson (25), Mount Vernon, Iowa, no time
Group B
1. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 14.287
2. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 14.330
3. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 14.386
4. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 14.403
5. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 14.444
6. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 14.473
7. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 14.551
8. Lance Hofer (11H), Fountain City, Wis., 14.572
9. Jake Timm (49), Winona, Minn., 14.588
10. Jordan Yaggy (77), Rochester, Minn., 14.601
11. Keith Hammett (29), Brookland, Ark., 14.631
12. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 14.687
13. Blair Nothdurft (76), Renner, S.D., 14.745
14. Derrick Stewart (43), Ainsworth, Iowa, 14.836
15. Johnathan Huston (42), Columbus Junction, Iowa, 15.375
16. Parker Foster (35), Winona, Minn., 15.714

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
10:30 a.m. - All gates open
Noon - Drivers’ meeting
12:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Modified heat races (8 laps)
WoO redraw
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (10 laps)
Feature races
- Late Models (30 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)
All grounds cleared and secured
5 p.m. - Gates reopen
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Modified heat races (8 laps)
WoO redraw
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (10 laps)
Feature races
- Late Models (30 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)
Fireworks show and Dylan Scott concert