Brandon Sheppard Wins Three Speedweeks Events at East Bay
Prepares for 51st Annual DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia

SHINNSTON, W.Va. (02/13/22) – Brandon Sheppard and Rocket1 Racing enjoyed a successful week of racing at Florida’s East Bay Raceway Park with their Valvoline / Seubert Calf Ranches No. 1 Ace Metal Works / XR1 Rocket Chassis / Durham Racing Engine Super Late Model.

Sheppard stormed to three feature wins at the storied 1/3-mile oval.

“We spent all of last year working on a lot of new stuff. We found things that work, and we found things that didn’t, but we made a lot of gains toward this season, and we’ve already seen results with four wins for the Rocket1 Racing entry already. We had a shot at another win on Saturday night, but things didn’t shake out quite right for us, but I’m still pleased with what we accomplished,” Sheppard said. “My team and my sponsors give me every single thing I need to be successful, and it’s so exciting and such an honor to be the guy, who gets to drive this No. 1.

“I’m looking forward to Volusia (Speedway Park), and hopefully we can add more wins to the tally over the course of the next week.”

Rocket1 Racing and Brandon Sheppard were back in action with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) at East Bay Raceway Park (Gibsonton, Fla.) on Monday evening for the Wrisco Winternationals opener. With a massive field of 70 cars entered, Brandon grabbed the third-and-final transfer spot in his heat, which placed him 17th on the starting grid for the $5,000-to-win feature. Breaking into the Top-10, Sheppard gained eight spots in the 30-lap affair to place ninth.

With a rainout on Tuesday shifting action to Wednesday evening, Sheppard topped the speed charts in time trials before cruising to a heat race win. After surrendering the top spot to Brandon Overton on the eighth circuit of the feature, Brandon regained the lead on lap 13 and paced the field in the remaining distance of the 40-lapper to capture his second win of the season and a $7,000 prize. He took his 23rd career LOLMDS triumph ahead of Ashton Winger, Tyler Erb, Kyle Bronson, and Ricky Thornton Jr.

The following night in a field of 75 cars, Brandon’s second-place finish in his heat race positioned him eighth on the starting grid for the A-Main. Gaining ground early, Sheppard worked his way up to fifth by the halfway point and made a nifty move on a lap-21 restart to grab the lead from the third row. Holding off Earl Pearson Jr. after a late-race restart, Brandon raced to his third win of the season and second in as many nights. His 24th career Lucas Oil victory was worth $7,000.

Sheppard kept his winning ways going on Friday night. After starting the night by setting fast time over a 74-car field, Sheppard won his heat race to earn the pole position for the night’s 50-lap feature. He paced the first 11 circuits before surrendering the lead on lap 12. He battled back to the top spot on lap 13, before again relinquishing the lead on lap 14.

Brandon bided his time before retaking the lead on lap 24 en route to the $12,000 victory in the 50-lap affair, which marked the team’s third of the week and fourth of the season.

The week drew to a close on Saturday night with a $15,000 winner’s check on the line. From the fourth-starting spot Sheppard charged to the lead on lap 3 of the 50-lap finale. He would pace the field before relinquishing the top spot on a lap 34-restart. His luck would turn south one lap later, when he was collected in a melee, which brought his night to an early end in the 21st position.

Full results from the week are available at www.LucasDirt.com .

Rocket1 Racing now turns their attention to the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, Florida) for six nights of racing, spanning February 14-19. Action begins with a pair of $7,000-to-win DIRTcar UMP Late Model events on Monday and Tuesday, followed by a quarter of $10,000-to-win World of Outlaws (WoO) CASE Late Model Series on Wednesday – Saturday.

For more information on the events, please visit www.WoOLMS.com .

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 .

PR Contact:
Ben Shelton (ben.shelton@myracepass.com)

Nick Hoffman Wins Fourth Gator Championship
Super Late Model Competition Up Next for Hoffman at ½-Mile Oval

Mooresville, North Carolina (02/13/22) – Nick Hoffman had to patiently wait to kick things into gear at the 51st annual DIRTcar Nationals at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park, but once action got underway the North Carolina racer quickly resumed his winning ways at the ½-mile oval.

In fact, Hoffman stormed to three wins in two days, including a $5,000 triumph in the Gator Championship, which marked his fourth-career triumph in the coveted finale. The triumphs were achieved aboard his Wehrs Machine & Racing Products No. 2 FOX / Rockwell Security / Elite Chassis Modified.

“It was tough sitting around most of the week waiting for the racing to start, but once it did, we hit the ground running,” Hoffman said. “It means a lot to win another Gator Championship, and now I’m fired up for the upcoming week and getting to drive the Hatcher Motorsports Super Late Model again. Thanks to everyone who supports us and makes this all possible.”

After seeing the majority of the week's racing altered by Mother Nature and challenging track conditions, the DIRTcar Nationals were able to finally kick off on Friday evening for the Modified division.

With 103 drivers in the pit area at Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, Fla.), Nick hit the ground running by setting fast time in qualifications. With the Top-4 starters inverted in heat race action, Hoffman stormed to the heat race win to earn the pole for his 20-lap preliminary feature.

While the feature would be shortened to 14 laps, Hoffman's momentum would not be affected, as he won by 1.042 seconds to lock into Saturday's $5,000-to-win Gator Championship.

Kyle Strickler, Kenny Wallace, Michael Long, and Clay Harris completed the Top-5 finishers.

On Saturday afternoon Nick contested his delayed prelim feature from Thursday evening, which he won from the second-starting position over Kyle Strickler, Will Krup, Justin Allgaier, and Garret Stewart.

On Saturday night the Gator Championship was contested. Hoffman received the sixth-starting spot for the $5,000-to-win feature.

The 30-lap affair found Hoffman working to the lead by lap 12, and once out front he drove away from the field to win by 2.248 seconds. Nick's third win of the year marked his fourth Gator Championship.

He was followed across the line by Kyle Strickler, Will Krup, Garret Stewart, and Hunt Gossum.

Hoffman continues the 51st annual DIRTcar Nationals this Monday-Saturday with six Super Late Model events. The week starts with a pair of $7,000-to-win DIRTcar Super Late Model features on Monday and Tuesday followed by four $10,000-to-win World of Outlaws (WoO) CASE Super Late Model events.

For more information on the events, please visit www.DIRTcarNationals.com .

Nick Hoffman Racing would like to thank all of their marketing partners, which include Fox Shocks, NASCAR Technical Institute, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Maxima Racing Oils, Bell Helmets, K1 Race Gear, Jerovetz Motorsports Shocks, Rockwell Security, Allgaier Performance Parts, PSA Starters, Sunoco Race Fuel, Elliott’s Custom Trailers, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Tiger Quick Change Rear Ends, FK Rod Ends, Hooker Harness, Earnhardt Technologies Group, Allstar Performance, Schoenfeld Headers, Willy’s Carburetor & Dyno Shop, Bassett, Walker Performance Filtration, QuickCar Headers, Jones Racing Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Strange Oval, Stock Car Steel and Aluminum, Outerwears, XS Power Batteries, Five Star Race Car Bodies, Superior Fuel Cells, MPI, Millbridge Speedway, Mittler Brothers Machine & Tool, Joe’s Racing Products, Off Axis Paint, Mahle, Clevite, KSE Racing Products, Multi Fire, The Joie of Seating, Vexil, Yeti, DirtCarLift.com, KBC Graphix, and MSR Mafia Marketing & PR Services.

Keep track of the latest team news by visiting www.NickHoffman2.com and by following his social channels at:
Facebook: @EliteChassis
Twitter: @Nick_Hoffman2
Instagram: @Nick_Hoffman2

PR Contact:
Ben Shelton (ben.shelton@myracepass.com)