(June 21, 2024) Junction City, KY – Brandon Sheppard secured his second consecutive Feature race victory with the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models, winning the 50-lap Billy Todd Classic at Ponderosa Speedway. The New Berlin, IL driver piloted his No. B5 Sheppard Riggs Racing Longhorn Factory Team Late Model to the win, kicking off the Heartland Grand Tour in impressive fashion.
Race Recap
Starting from the second row inside, Sheppard witnessed Bilstein Pole Award winner Cody Overton’s engine failure on the first lap. Nick Hoffman from Mooresville, NC, took an early lead while Sheppard battled with Ryan Gustin for second place. Gustin initially held the position until a caution on Lap 20 gave Sheppard the opportunity to pass on the restart.
Utilizing a move similar to his Thursday win at Thunderhill Raceway, Sheppard executed a clean slide job to overtake Hoffman for the lead. From there, he expertly navigated lapped traffic to extend his lead, eventually crossing the finish line with a two-second margin over his closest competitors.
Driver Reactions
“The race was really good,” Sheppard said. “I could run the top, middle, or bottom, and it’s all hats off to my team. We’ve been working hard, and it’s finally paying off. When it’s your time, you’ve got to roll with it. My car was so good and maneuverable, I didn’t have to abuse my tires the whole race.”
Bobby Pierce managed to pass Zack Dohm on the final lap to finish second. Reflecting on his race, Pierce said, “I would have loved to battle with Brandon. We had something for him, but getting through the pack was tough. Every restart was chaotic, but the car was phenomenal.”
Dohm, who finished third, celebrated his first podium with the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models. “I wasn’t sure what to expect, but moving from 10th to third felt great. This is a big deal for us, and I’m excited to see what we can do moving forward.”
Top Five Finishers
Kyle Bronson finished fourth, maintaining his streak of top-10 finishes since April at Farmer City Raceway. Dale McDowell rounded out the top five with a strong performance.
Up Next
The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models will conclude the first weekend of the Heartland Grand Tour at Brownstown Speedway for the Hoosier Dirt Classic on Saturday, June 22. For more information on the event and ticket options, visit the official website.
If you can’t attend, you can watch every race live on DIRTVision.
CASE Late Model Feature Results (50 Laps)
- Brandon Sheppard (3)
- Bobby Pierce (5)
- Zack Dohm (10)
- Kyle Bronson (9)
- Dale McDowell (12)
- Nick Hoffman (2)
- Dennis Erb Jr (17)
- Tyler Bruening (7)
- Michael Chilton (19)
- Cade Dillard (4)
- Ryan Gustin (6)
- Dustin Sorensen (11)
- Justin Rattliff (22)
- Tristan Chamberlain (18)
- Brian Shirley (13)
- David Webb (16)
- Dustin Linville (15)
- Daniel Hilsabeck (21)
- Shane Bailey (24)
- Dustin Walker (25)
- Max McLaughlin (8)
- Cody Mahoney (14)
- Brent Larson (20)
- Cody Overton (1)
- Camaron Marlar (23)
