Dirt on Dirt - B-Shepp secures title as Madden wins WoO finale

November 9

The Dirt Track at Charlotte,

Concord, NC

Sanction: World of Outlaws Late Model Series (World Finals) - $25,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, Kyle McFadden and series reports (last updated November 12, 7:15 am)

B-Shepp secures title as Madden wins WoO finale

World Finals

Chris Madden
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Mike Marlar
Jonathan Davenport
Daulton Wilson
Nick Hoffman
Drake Troutman
Brian Shirley
Brandon Sheppard
Max Blair
Dale McDowell
Kyle Bronson
Kyle Strickler
Ethan Dotson
Trent Ivey
Tanner English
Bobby Pierce
Max McLaughlin
Dustin Sorensen
Dennis Erb Jr.
Hudson O'Neal
Zack Mitchell
Jimmy Owens
Cade Dillard
Dillon McCowan
Ryan Gustin
Tyler Bruening
Austin Smith
Tim McCreadie
Brent Larson

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Zach Yost

Chris Madden celebrates his $25,000 World Finals victory.

What won the race: With Brandon Sheppard wrapping up his fifth World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series after challenger Bobby Pierce's flat tire, Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., captured Saturday's $25,000 World Finals finale after muscling past Ricky Thornton Jr. on the fourth lap and leading the rest of the 50-lapper. Madden took the checkers 2.2820 seconds ahead of Thornton while Mike Marlar finished third.

Quotable: "It's very special to win here. This is kind of home," Madden said. "It's an awesome place, the atmosphere here, the people, the crowd, family, friends, everybody gets to come here to watch us. To puts us a little small team together here to come over here and compete with these guys, it says a lot for us."

Key notes: A ninth-place finish was good enough for Brandon Sheppard to win an unprecedented fifth WoO championship. He entered the race 22 points ahead of Bobby Pierce and got some breathing room when a flat tire forced Pierce to pit before halfway. ... Sheppard's title came with the Longhorn Factory Team he's departing; his previous four titles came in the Rocket Chassis house car. ... Sheppard went to a backup car Saturday after the team discovered potential engine problems in his primary car. ... Chris Madden, whose bout with diverticulitis midseason forced him off the tour, notched his 39th career WoO victory. ... Madden and runner-up Ricky Thornton Jr. made contact multiple times in the race; Madden spent the final three months of the season working as crew chief for Thornton's Koehler Motorsports team. ... The pair exchanged words in victory lane and the teams were eventually separated by security. ... Third-place finisher Mike Marlar finished fourth or better all weekend, matching Thornton. ... Besides the lap-22 flat tire for Pierce in Saturday's feature, five cautions slowed the 50-lapper, all for single cars (most for flat tires). .... Tyler Bruening slowed on the eighth lap. ... Austin Smith dropped off the pace on the 19th lap. ... Hudson O'Neal drew a lap-32 yellow. ... Fourth-starting Cade Dillard had a flat right-rear tire on lap 41. ... Ryan Gustin drew a lap-43 yellow.

On the move: Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., started 10th and finished fourth.

Winner's sponsors: Madden's Team 22 Inc. Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Engine and carries sponsorship from Drydene, Mohawk Northeast, Victory Circle Auto Sales, Gambler Transport, Brickhouse Tavern, Armor Security, R.J.’s Excavating, Collins Signs, Sterling Lubricants and Bilstein Shocks.

Points chase: 2024 final: 1. Brandon Sheppard (5,632); 2. Bobby Pierce (5,594); 3. Nick Hoffman (5,578); 4. Kyle Bronson (5,442); 5. Cade Dillard (5,392); 6. Ryan Gustin (5,388); 7. Brian Shirley (5,372); 8. Tyler Bruening (5,242); 9. Dennis Erb Jr. (5,158); 10. Dustin Sorensen (5,132).

Current weather: Clear, 52°F

Car count: 66

Polesitter: Ricky Thornton Jr.

Dash winner: Ricky Thornton Jr.

Consolation race winners: Tanner English, Austin Smith, Tim McCreadie

Provisional starters: Ryan Gustin, Tyler Bruening, Dennis Erb Jr., Dustin Sorensen, Max McLaughlin, Brent Larson

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

From staff reports

CONCORD, N.C. — Live updates and results from Saturday’s 18th annual World Finals, highlighted by a 50-lap, $25,000-to-win World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series feature (results unofficial):

Feature

With Brandon Sheppard wrapping up his fifth World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series after challenger Bobby Pierce's flat tire, Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., captured Saturday's $25,000 World Finals finale after muscling past Ricky Thornton Jr. on the fourth lap and leading the rest of the 50-lapper. Madden took the checkers 2.2820 seconds ahead of Thornton while Mike Marlar finished third.

Feature lineup

(50 laps)

Row 1: Ricky Thornton Jr., Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Chris Madden, Cade Dillard
Row 3: Drake Troutman, Daulton Wilson
Row 4: Kyle Bronson, Mike Marlar
Row 5: Ethan Dotson, Jonathan Davenport
Row 6: Nick Hoffman, Dale McDowell
Row 7: Brian Shirley, Brandon Sheppard
Row 8: Max Blair, Jimmy Owens
Row 9: Hudson O'Neal, Trent Ivey
Row 10: Tanner English, Austin Smith
Row 11: Tim McCreadie, Zack Mitchell
Row 12: Dillon McCowan, Kyle Strickler
Row 13: Ryan Gustin, Tyler Bruening
Row 14: Dennis Erb Jr., Dustin Sorensen
Row 15: Max McLaughlin, Brent Larson

Dash results

(Six laps)

First dash: (for starting spots 1-9): Ricky Thornton Jr., Bobby Pierce, Chris Madden, Cade Dillard, Drake Troutman, Daulton Wilson, Kyle Bronson, Mike Marlar, Ethan Dotson.

Second dash (for starting spots 10-18): Jonathan Davenport, Nick Hoffman, Dale McDowell, Brian Shirley, Brandon Sheppard, Max Blair, Jimmy Owens, Hudson O'Neal, Trent Ivey.

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation: Tanner English, Zack Mitchell, Dennis Erb Jr., Cody Overton, Carson Ferguson, Benji Hicks, Logan Seavey, Luke Morey, Danny Snyder, Evan Koehler, Tyler Wyant, Seth Zacharias, Cory Crapser, Carson Brown, Gavin Cowan. Scratched: Payton Freeman.

Second consolation: Austin Smith, Dillon McCowan, Tyler Bruening, Dustin Sorensen, Brent Robinson, Ryan Gustin, Austin Holcombe, Beckham Malone, Daniel Adam, Bryan Bernheisel. DNS: Jordan Koehler, Chris Ferguson, Haiden Cowan, Gray Parton, Brian Ledbetter, Kevin Wilson.

Third consolation: Tim McCreadie, Kyle Strickler, Ben Watkins, Michael Leach, Wil Herrington, Ross Bailes, Ethan Wilson, Jamison McBride, Dustin Walker, Tristan Chamberlain, Dalton Jacobs, Kale Green, Max McLaughlin, Anthony Sanders, Brent Larson. Scratched: Hardy Youmans III.

Dash lineups

(Six laps; finish determines starting positions 1-9 and 10-18 in feature)

First dash
Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 2: Chris Madden, Mike Marlar
Row 3: Cade Dillard, Drake Troutman
Row 4: Daulton Wilson, Kyle Bronson
Row 5: Ethan Dotson
Second dash
Row 1: Nick Hoffman, Brian Shirley
Row 2: Jonathan Davenport, Dale McDowell
Row 3: Brandon Sheppard, Hudson O’Neal
Row 4: Jimmy Owens, Trent Ivey
Row 5: Max Blair

Consolation lineups

(10 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation
Row 1: Tanner English, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 2: Zack Mitchell, Cody Overton
Row 3: Carson Ferguson, Luke Morey
Row 4: Benji Hicks, Logan Seavey
Row 5: Payton Freeman, Evan Koehler
Row 6: Danny Snyder, Gavin Cowan
Row 7: Carson Brown, Cory Crapser
Row 8: Tyler Wyant, Seth Zacharias
Second consolation
Row 1: Jordan Koehler, Tyler Bruening
Row 2: Austin Smith, Dillon McCowan
Row 3: Dustin Sorensen, Ryan Gustin
Row 4: Brent Robinson, Chris Ferguson
Row 5: Bryan Bernheisel, Haiden Cowan
Row 6: Beckham Malone, Daniel Adam
Row 7: Austin Holcombe, Gray Parton
Row 8: Brian Ledbetter, Kevin Wilson
Third consolation
Row 1: Kyle Strickler, Tim McCreadie
Row 2: Ben Watkins, Max McLaughlin
Row 3: Michael Leach, Anthony Sanders
Row 4: Ross Bailes, Wil Herrington
Row 5: Ethan Wilson, Dalton Jacobs
Row 6: Jamison McBride, Tristan Chamberlain
Row 7: Kale Green, Brent Larson
Row 8: Hardy Youmans, Dustin Walker

Saturday’s schedule

(All times local)
11 a.m. - Pits open; pit pass sales begin
Noon - Souvenir and display areas open (midway)
Noon-3 p.m. - Sprint car hall of fame auction (dragway pavilion)
Noon-3 p.m. - Race Day Live radio show (Sage Fruit stage)
3 p.m. - Grandstands open ticket sales begin
3:45 p.m. - Sprint car motor heat
4 p.m. - Opening ceremonies, on-track activity
- Big-block modified heats (8 laps)
- Sprint car heat races (8 laps)
- Late Model dashes (6 laps)
6:30 p.m. - Redraws and flag ceremony
- Big-block modified consolations (10 laps)
- Sprint car C-main (10 laps)
- Sprint car dash (6 laps)
- Sprint car B-main (12 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Feature events
- Big-block modified (40 laps)
- Sprint cars (25 laps)
- Late Models (50 laps)
Postrace champion ceremonies (frontstretch)