FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeremy Shields (shields@msrmafia.com)
June 15, 2020

Back-to-Back Runner-Ups for Sheppard in Lucas Oil Action
WoO Doubleheader at Volunteer Speedway on Deck

SHINNSTON, W.V. (06/15/20) – Brandon Sheppard and the Rocket1 Racing team traveled south over the weekend to enter a pair of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) events in South Carolina and Tennessee.

Sheppard raced to back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Valvoline No. 1 Seubert Calf Ranches/ Durham Racing Engines-powered Rocket Chassis at Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, S.C.) on Friday, and at Smoky Mountain Speedway (Maryville, Tenn.) on Saturday. 

At Friday night’s 22nd Annual Grassy Smith Memorial, Brandon qualified fifth in his group before racing to a second-place finish in his heat race. Starting the 50-lapper in sixth, Sheppard quickly moved into the Top-5 and by the halfway mark had made his way into a podium spot.

In the second half of the race, Sheppard dueled back-and-forth with Jimmy Owens before finishing in the second position in the $12,000-to-win feature. Ross Bailes was the race winner. Owens, Brandon Overton, and Chris Ferguson rounded out the Top-5 finishers.

“The race was pretty crazy out there tonight,” said Sheppard. “We had a pretty good car. I think I ran the top a little bit too early the first few laps. I think I burned my tires up. All-in-all another second-place finish here at Gaffney in front of a packed crowd is pretty good. It’s really nice to see all these fans out here. We have really missed them being at the track.”

On Saturday, Sheppard posted the fastest lap in his time trial group and charged to a heat race win, earning him the pole for the $15,000-to-win main event. Sheppard took the early lead of the race and held the point until Brandon Overton was able to sneak by on the backstretch. Sheppard was able to get by Overton at the start-finish line before Overton regained the top spot for good on lap 27 and pulled away.

In the closing laps, Sheppard cut dramatically into Oveton’s lead as the duo battled through lapped traffic. However, Overton was able to put enough distance between himself and Sheppard to come away with the win. Sheppard finished second, with Jimmy Owens, Josh Richards, and Earl Pearson Jr. completing the Top-5.

“That was a lot of fun out there,” commented Sheppard. “It was a good race between Brandon and Jimmy and me. Overton came out on top tonight. He [Overton] did a really good job and Jimmy did too. I hate leading that early in a race. We were really good on the bottom and then I caught lapped traffic and at some point, I knew they would move up the track. The track got to be pretty even across the surface, and it made for some great racing.”

For complete results from these events, please visit www.LucasDirt.com.

Rocket1 Racing returns to the World of Outlaws Morton Building Late Model Series tour this weekend, June 19-20. The tour will invade Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee for a doubleheader that pays $6,000-to-win on Friday, followed by a $10,000-to-win finale on Saturday.

Additional information on these upcoming events can be found at 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.

BATAVIA, OHIO (June 15, 2020) - The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is excited to have a new young gun taking on the grueling demands of the nation's premier dirt late model tour in 2020. This driver's website lists his career racing goal as, "To win a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship." There is no better way to get the experience to win championships than to set sights on Rookie of the Year. 

Tanner English will look to take advantage of his regional success in recent years as he chases the Eibach Springs Rookie of the Year title in 2020. The 27-year-old, second generation racer is from Benton, KY and pilots the Riggs Motorsports #81E Rocket XR-1 - powered by a Pro Power Racing Engine. English receives sponsorship from: Riggs Drilling Solutions, Allstar Performance, Integra Racing Shocks, Base Race Fuels, Schaeffer's Racing Oil, Budda Bert Transmission, Best One Tire and Auto Care, Hoosier Racing Tires, Wiles Racing Driveshafts, Slicker Graphics, Afco, and Swift Springs.

"Myself and Riggs Motorsports are extremely excited to have the opportunity to run for the Eibach Springs Rookie of the Year title. To be put on the list of champions would be an honor and dream I've had since beginning my career. Since the formation of the Lucas Oil tour, it has been a dream of mine to be able to travel with such a professionally ran series and to be a part of the show week in and week out." English has a slight advantage as a second-generation driver whose father ,Terry English competed on the series tour in 2007. "I know it will be a challenge but I feel I am as prepared as I can be for such a tough feat. I look forward to seeing a lot of new places and gaining some valuable experience and knowledge along the way."

In 2020, the Eibach Springs Rookie of the Year will receive the following at the year-end banquet, along with $100 cash per race: a check for $10,000, $500 product certificate from Earnhardt Technologies, one (1) Carbon Driveshaft from Fastshafts $750 value, $500 product certificate from Keyser Manufacturing, product certificate for new nose and graphics from Performance Bodies, one (1) free car wrap from Slicker Graphics, product certificate from Tiger Rear Ends, product certificate from Thermo-tech Cool-it, and ten (10) sheets of aluminum from Wrisco Industries, Inc.
Eibach's production technology is recognized worldwide as leading its field, from their high-strength spring-steel alloys, advanced CNC winding process, high-quality corrosion protection and the legendary longevity of all of their springs and components. To learn more about Eibach, visit their website at www.eibach.com.