HIGHLAND, Ill. — Brandon Sheppard didn't let a little adversity get him down Friday at Highland Speedway.
Surviving a second-lap scramble that damaged his car's left-rear corner, then soldiering on after a caution robbed him of his first attempt to grab the lead from Bobby Pierce, the New Berlin, Ill., driver eventually led the final 14 laps of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals feature at Highland Speedway for a $10,000 payday.
"Our car was just phenomenal," said Sheppard, who drove his family-owned ride to his third series victory of 2021 and 27th of his career. "This B5 car just digs at these short tracks. And this is a little bit of rough, kind of race all over this place, and it was a helluva racetrack, especially for as much rain as they had."
Oakwood, Ill.'s Pierce, who led the first 36 laps, finished 3.093 seconds behind at the checkers in failing to grab his 12th series victory of 2021 as the series concluded a three-week break. New father Tanner English of Benton, Ky., was third followed by Garrett Alberson of Las Cruces, N.M., and 15th-starting Ashton Winger of Hampton Ga.
"Man, we got tore up really bad on (the second) lap, I don't know. (Outside front-row starter Blaze Burwell) looped it in front of me there and I slowed down and got hit from behind there," Sheppard said. "I thought we were done. I thought for sure the left-rear tire was flat because (Michael) Kloos got up on my tire there. I figured it was going to get cut down."
Inside, the fifth-starting Sheppard survived the scramble, steadied himself and by the 13th lap broke into the top three. He grabbed second on a lap-21 restart and began tracking down the low-running Pierce, eventually darting past him on the backstretch on the 30th lap.
Alas, as the frontrunners exited turn four, Pierce's attempt to answer Sheppard's move shot his car to the right and apparent contact with Jeff Roth's slower car sent Roth for a spin that drew a caution, resetting Pierce as the leader.
Sheppard didn't give up though, continuing to dog Pierce until taking command on lap 37. Another caution appeared, but this time officials ruled Sheppard as the lead and he cruised the rest of the way.
"I'm glad we kept our nose clean, for the most part, after that first lap, and we were able to get up through there," Sheppard said. "We know there's a lot of tough competition here and Bobby's one of the best of the best, and to pass him when he's leading is really tough. But I found a little bit different line back there when I was racing with them guys that he probably didn't see, just because he was leading. ... It just really worked out."
Pierce wasn't too disappointed in falling to his fellow home-state standout.
“I’m happy to walk away with a second-place finish. Me and Brandon had a hell of a battle," he said. "Just a missed communication with the signal where he was running kind of bit us. We had just as good a car as him. He played the ruts better than me and bounced through them right. But all in all a good night at Highland.”
Six cautions slowed the action in the 50-lapper, including the second-lap scramble that involved several drivers with Daryn Klein and Brandon Lance among retirees.
Other cautions appeared for Adam Tischhauser (lap 21), the Roth spin (lap 30) and twice on lap 34, first when Jason Zobrist spun in turns one and two and again on the restart when Mitch McGrath spun in turn four after losing the fifth spot. The final caution appeared on lap 37 for a Todd Rehg-Brian Wolfmeier tangle in turn four.
Notes: Sheppard's victory was his first on the series at Highland. ... His previous 2021 series victories came back-to-back on July 3-4 at Fayette County Speedway in Brownstown, Ill., and Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway. ... Tanner English's third-place run came in his first race as a father. His wife Mallorie delivered little Banks Wilder English on Aug. 10. It also came the same day his father Terry English was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in Union, Ky. ... Ten of 22 starters completed 50 laps. ... Adam Tischhauser had apparent rear end issues as pace laps began, but he was able to start the main event on the tail. ... The series made its 23rd visit to Highland.
Feature lineup
Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Blaze Burwell
Row 2: Garrett Alberson, Tanner English
Row 3: Brandon Sheppard, Shannon Babb
Row 4: Michael Kloos, Mitch McGrath
Row 5: Adam Tischauser, Chad Zobrist
Row 6: Jason Zobrist, Joe Godsey
Row 7: Jason Feger, Rusty Griffaw
Row 8: Ashton Winger, Todd Rehg
Row 9: Dan Jacober, Paul Kuper
Row 10: Tim Lance, Daryn Klein
Row 11: Brian Wolfmeier, Jeff Roth
Consolation results
(12 laps; top three transfer)
Finish: Todd Rehg, Dan Jacober, Paul Kuper, Tim Lance, Jeremiah Hurst, Thomas Hunziker, Jason Suhre, Josh Heuiser, Jimmy Miller, Brian Wolfmeier, Brent McKinnon, Brandon Lance, Daryn Klein, Jeff Roth.
Heat race results
(10 laps; top five transfer)
First heat: Blaze Burwell, Tanner English, Michael Kloos, Chad Zorbrist, Jason Feger, Todd Rehg, Jeremiah Hurst, Brent McKinnon, Jimmy Miller, Jeff Roth.
Second heat: Bobby Pierce, Brandon Sheppard, Mitch McGrath, Jason Zobrist, Rusty Griffaw, Dan Jacober, Paul Kuper, Josh Heuiser, Brian Wolfmeier, Daryn Klein.
Third heat: Garrett Alberson, Shannon Babb, Adam Tischauser, Joe Godsey, Ashton Winger, Tim Lance, Jason Suhre, Thomas Hunziker, Brandon Lance.
Time trials
Driver (car no.), hometown
- Blaze Burwell (44), Mount Vernon, Ill., 13.203
- Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 13.257
- Garrett Alberson (59), Las Cruces, N.M., 13.309
- Tanner English (81E), Benton, Ky., 13.343
- Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 13.420
- Adam Tischhauser (T4), Mulberry Grove, Ill., 13.430
- Chad Zobrist (78), Highland, Ill., 13.510
- Mitch McGrath (74), Waukesha, Wis., 13.529
- Joe Godsey (14G), Edinburgh, Ind., 13.532
- Jeff Roth (14R), Bentonville, Ark., 13.562
- Daryn Klein (10), Fairview Heights, Ill., 13.568
- Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.580
- Todd Rehg (17), Shiloh, Ill., 13.588
- Brian Wolfmeier (5), House Springs, Mo., 13.676
- Jason Suhre (4), Highland, Ill., 13.677
- Michael Kloos (6K), Trenton, Ill., 13.687
- Rusty Griffaw (16), Festus, Mo., 13.692
- Tim Lance (48), Brimfield, Ill., 13.753
- Paul Kuper (14k), Aviston, Ill., 13.802
- Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.802
- Ashton Winger (12), Hampton, Ga., 13.860
- Jeremiah Hurst (58), Dubuque, Iowa, 13.879
- Jason Zobrist (87), Highland, Ill., 13.881
- Brent McKinnon (26M), Carlyle, Ill., 13.982
- Josh Heuiser (1H), St. Jacob, Ill., 14.037
- Brandon Lance (248), Brimfield, Ill., 14.045
- Jimmy Miller (18), Highland, Ill., 14.109
- Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 14.605
- Dan Jacober (7), Highland, Ill., no time
Friday's schedule
6 p.m. - Drivers' meeting
6:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps/time trials (3 laps)
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Pro mod hot laps
- Street stock hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (10 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Pro mod heats
- Street stock heats
- Late Model consolation (8 laps; if necessary)
- Modified consolation (10 laps; if necessary)
- Late Model last-change race (12 laps; if necessary)
- Pro mod consolation (if necessary)
- Street stock consolation (if necessary)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model feature (50 laps)
- Modified feature (30 laps)
- Pro mod feature
- Street stock feature
