FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ben Shelton (msrmafia@gmail.com) August 3, 2021 Top-5 Run in Prairie Dirt Classic for Rocket1 Racing Four Nights of WoO Wisconsin Action on Tap this Week SHINNSTON, W.Va. (08/03/21) – Brandon Sheppard and Rocket1 Racing rolled into the famed Fairbury Speedway over the weekend for the 31st edition of the Prairie Dirt Classic. Saturday night’s $50,000-to-win finale found Sheppard recording a fifth-place finish in his Valvoline No. 1 Seubert Calf Ranches/ Durham Racing Engines-powered XR1 Rocket Chassis Super Late Model. “Really late in the race when my car came to me, I was a few spots too far back,” Sheppard said. “We just had to make the most out of it and made a few passes on the restarts and just came up short. It’s disappointing because we had a better car than where we finished. We’ll head to Wisconsin this week to go after some more big checks. Thanks as always goes out to all of our marketing partners and supporters.” Taking part in one the biggest weekends of the year with the World of Outlaws (WoO) Morton Buildings Late Model Series, Rocket1Racing and Brandon Sheppard invaded Fairbury Speedway (Fairbury, Ill.) on Friday afternoon for the 31st annual Prairie Dirt Classic. With the massive 74-car field split into two separate groups for time trials, Sheppard recorded the 11th fastest time in his group. Starting his $3,000-to-win preliminary feature in sixth, Brandon improved three spots in the 25-lapper to register a third-place finish. With his third-place finish in preliminary action on Friday placing him 11th on the starting grid for Saturday night’s $50,000-to-win Prairie Dirt Classic, Sheppard advanced six spots in the 100-lap affair to finish fifth. He followed Kyle Larson, Bobby Pierce, Shannon Babb, and Chris Madden across the line. Brandon now sits 86 points ahead of Chris Madden atop the World of Outlaws point standings. For complete results from these events, please visit www.WorldofOutlaws.com . The upcoming week has the team set for four nights of WoO action in Wisconsin. The week opens on Tuesday evening at Outagamie Speedway with a $10,000-to-win event, which is co-sanctioned with the Dirt Kings tour. On Thursday evening three rounds of WoO action kicks off at Cedar Lake Speedway with a $6,000-to-win affair. On Friday and Saturday the 2021 USA Nationals take center stage with double heat races on Friday evening followed by B-mains and the $50,000-to-win finale on Saturday night. Rocket1 Racing would like to thank all of their marketing partners, which include Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Rocket Chassis, Ace Metal Works, Durham Racing Engines, FiveStar RaceCar Bodies, Gunters Honey, Hoosier Racing Tire, Integra Racing Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, Petroff Towing, Slavic Custom Racing Shirts & Decals, Sweet Manufacturing, Sunoco Race Fuels, Accu-Force Shock Service, ATL Fuel Cells, Aurora Rod Ends, Barnes Dry Sump Oil Systems, Bazell Race Fuels, Beyea Custom Headers, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Brinn Transmissions, Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, CP Carrillo, Dohm Cycles, Edelbrock, Fibreworks Composites, Hardrock Powder Coating, Howe Racing Enterprises, Jones Racing Products, Kenny’s Components, Maxima Racing Oils, MSD, NGK Spark Plugs, Tel Tac, Performance Bodies, Peterson Fluid Systems, Powers Performance, Performance Rod & Custom, Quarter Master, QuickCar Racing Products, Rocket Pre-Owned Motors, Safecraft, Show Trucks Unlimited, Simpson, Stealth Carburetors, Strange Oval, Suave Talk, Total Power Valvoline Pro-V Racing, Walker Performance Filtration, Weld Racing, Wiles Driveshafts, Wilwood Brakes, Winters Performance Products, Wrisco Aluminum, Xceldyne Valvetrain, and MSR Mafia Marketing Services. For the latest information on Rocket1Racing please visit the team website at www.Rocket1Racing.com as well as their social media channels at www.facebook.com/Rocket1Racing, www.twitter.com/Rocket1_Racing, and www.instagram.com/rocket1racing . Official Internet Home of The Midsouth Racing Scene
 

Locust Grove, AR (August 20, 2021) – Jimmy Owens, reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion, picked up his first series win of 2021 on Friday Night at Batesville Motor Speedway. Owens claimed the 30-lap preliminary night feature to kick off the 29th Annual COMP Cams Topless 100 – presented by Nutrien Ag Solutions.

Owens took the lead at the drop of the green flag and led the entire distance for his 76th career series victory. The event was co-sanctioned with the COMP Cams Super Dirt Series - presented by Lucas Oil.

Tim McCreadie came from the fifth starting spot to take second with Nick Hoffman, Brandon Overton, and Ricky Thornton Jr. rounding out the top five finishers.

In a race slowed by only one caution flag, the 49-year-old Tennessee native raced through traffic at a consistent rate to keep McCreadie at bay. McCreadie and Overton closed slightly on Owens in traffic, but neither could get close enough to challenge for the top spot.

Overton, the Sunoco North-South 100 winner a week ago at Florence Speedway, ran as high as second before crossing the finish line in fourth with left front suspension damage. Nick Hoffman started fourth but faded several positions in the early part of the race before recovering to claim the final podium spot.

Owens has climbed to sixth in the championship points standings, after leaving Florida Speedweeks in 15th, looks forward to defending his COMP Cams Topless 100 title tomorrow night. “This was 30 laps tonight, there wasn’t any sense in taking it easy until the end of the race. The car was good. It’s been good all night long. I want to thank the guys for busting their tails. It’s been a long road to get back up here. The car was flawless tonight, maybe we can carry it into tomorrow.”

“This definitely is a boost of morale for the guys,” Owens added. “It makes it a lot better when you go from one race to the next. It was Becky Ramirez’s birthday a few days ago. This one’s for her.”

McCreadie will enter tomorrow night’s $40,000-to-win event with a good starting spot as well after coming in second Friday Night. “The car wasn’t the greatest at the beginning, but that’s what you’re hoping for at the end to get a little better as the race goes on. We will see if we can make it better for tomorrow night. We had a little luck on our side to run second tonight. We have run second this year in a lot of big races. This is a tough series to be in. We have been the most consistent here lately.”

Hoffman’s comeback during the race netted him a third-place finish. “The race car has been really good. Talking to Scott about this weekend I just felt like this place would fit my driving style. We drive a lot alike. He has won a lot of races here. At the beginning I kind of faded a little bit. A lot of it was me just not being aggressive enough at the beginning and then I got rolling at the end. We were really good.”     

The winner’s Ramirez Motorsports, Rocket Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Boomtest Well Service, Tim Short Auto Group, Reece Monument Company, Red Line Oil, Ohlins Shocks, Sybesma Graphics, Sunoco Race Fuels, and Georgia Arms.

Completing the top ten were Hudson O’Neal, Tyler Erb, Jonathan Davenport, Billy Moyer Jr., and Josh Richards.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 
Race Summary 
Topless 100 Prelim
Friday, August 20, 2021
Batesville Motor Speedway – Locust Grove, AR

Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jimmy Owens / 14.734 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Jonathan Davenport / 14.932 seconds

Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 2. 157-Mike Marlar[2]; 3. 12C-Scott Crigler[3]; 4. 90-Brian Rickman[6]; 5. 11H-Spencer Hughes[4]; 6. 4A-Michael Arnold[5]; 7. 6R-Robbie Stuart[7]; 8. 27-Rayce McCord[8]

Summit Racing Equipment Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 21M-Billy Moyer Sr[2]; 3. 40B-Kyle Bronson[3]; 4. 48-Wendell Wallace[6]; 5. 86-Kyle Beard[5]; 6. 1-Earl Pearson Jr[4]; 7. 78S-Steve Stultz[7]; 8. (DNF) 1R-BJ Robinson[8]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 39-Tim McCreadie[1]; 2. 14-Josh Richards[2]; 3. 2S-Stormy Scott[3]; 4. 18-Shannon Babb[5]; 5. R5-Hunter Rasdon[4]; 6. 21XXX-Neil Baggett[6]; 7. (DNS) J8-Jadon Frame; 8. (DNS) 26R-Cole Farmer

Ohlins Shocks Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[2]; 2. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 3. 97-Cade Dillard[3]; 4. 45-Kylan Garner[7]; 5. 92M-Chad Mallett[5]; 6. 18P-Brayden Proctor[6]; 7. 86R-Rick Rickman[4]; 8. 26H-Dustin Holmes[8]

Fast Shafts Heat Race #5 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 0H-Nick Hoffman[1]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 3. 25-Shane Clanton[4]; 4. 75-Terry Phillips[3]; 5. 1ST-Johnny Scott[5]; 6. 997-Travis Ashley[7]; 7. 5A-Austin Vincent[6]; 8. 13N-Derrick Nichols[8]

Lucas Oil Heat Race #6 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 71-Hudson O'Neal[1]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[3]; 3. C8-Timothy Culp[2]; 4. 14M-Morgan Bagley[5]; 5. 91-Chris Jones[7]; 6. 36-Logan Martin[6]; 7. 503-Jason Miles[4]

LINE-X B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 48-Wendell Wallace[2]; 2. 90-Brian Rickman[1]; 3. 86-Kyle Beard[5]; 4. 18-Shannon Babb[3]; 5. 11H-Spencer Hughes[4]; 6. 1-Earl Pearson Jr[8]; 7. R5-Hunter Rasdon[6]; 8. 4A-Michael Arnold[7]; 9. 21XXX-Neil Baggett[9]; 10. 1R-BJ Robinson[13]; 11. J8-Jadon Frame[14]; 12. 78S-Steve Stultz[11]; 13. 6R-Robbie Stuart[10]; 14. 27-Rayce McCord[12]; 15. (DNS) 26R-Cole Farmer

UNOH B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 45-Kylan Garner[1]; 2. 75-Terry Phillips[2]; 3. 14M-Morgan Bagley[3]; 4. 86R-Rick Rickman[10]; 5. 1ST-Johnny Scott[5]; 6. 91-Chris Jones[6]; 7. 36-Logan Martin[9]; 8. 18P-Brayden Proctor[7]; 9. 5A-Austin Vincent[11]; 10. 92M-Chad Mallett[4]; 11. 503-Jason Miles[12]; 12. 13N-Derrick Nichols[14]; 13. 26H-Dustin Holmes[13]; 14. 997-Travis Ashley[8]

Lucas Oil Feature Finish (30 Laps):

Race Statistics
Entrants: 47
Lap Leaders: Jimmy Owens (1-30)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Jimmy Owens
Arizona Sport Shirts CJC – Presented by DirtOnDirt Feature Winner: n/a
Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: Jimmy Owens
Margin of Victory: 2.397 seconds
Stop Tech Brakes Cautions: Morgan Bagley (Lap 8)
Series Provisionals: n/a
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Track Provisionals: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Jimmy Owens, Tim McCreadie, Nick Hoffman
Penske Shocks Top 5: Jimmy Owens, Tim McCreadie, Nick Hoffman, Brandon Overton, Ricky Thornton Jr
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Ricky Thornton Jr (Advanced 5 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Tim McCreadie
Hot Rod Processing Most Laps Led: Jimmy Owens (30 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: Ricky Thornton Jr.
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Jimmy Owens (Lap 1 – 15.374 seconds)
Fast Shafts Tough Break of the Race: Shane Clanton
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Cory Fosvedt (Jimmy Owens)
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Vic Hill Racing Engine
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Tim McCreadie (14.956 seconds)
Time of Race: 10 minutes 30 seconds