(July 5, 2024) Spring Valley, MN – Brandon Sheppard bounced back in style during the second NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 Feature on Friday at Deer Creek Speedway. After a disappointing 17th place finish in the earlier race due to a flat tire, Sheppard led from start to finish, securing his third World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models Feature win of the season.
Starting from the front after winning the Bilstein Pole Award, Sheppard took command early and maintained his lead throughout the 30-lap race. Despite constant pressure from Ryan Gustin, who won the first Feature of the night, Sheppard navigated through traffic and managed to stay ahead.
Maneuvering Through Traffic
The race’s complexity increased as Sheppard caught up with the back of the field, turning the slower cars into obstacles. This allowed Gustin and third-place Bobby Pierce to close in. Pierce found speed on the high line, while Sheppard and Gustin had to be creative, using both high and low lanes to maneuver through traffic.
Sheppard’s ability to clear the traffic quickly enabled him to secure a comfortable lead, ultimately winning the race. “It was definitely tricky,” Sheppard noted. “We had to figure out how to maneuver through the traffic. You have to make your best guesses and keep the speed up. Breaking momentum would have been costly, so I had to keep rolling.”
Final Lap Drama
Pierce made a strong move on the final lap, overtaking Gustin to claim second place. “We struggled at the beginning but improved toward the end,” Pierce said. “I’m happy with second place and it gives us a good position for tomorrow.”
Gustin, who had earlier won by a slim margin over Nick Hoffman, finished third in the second race. “This was a great day for us,” Gustin commented. “We were in contention but got held up in traffic. Hopefully, we can take home the $50,000 tomorrow night.”
Tyler Erb from New Waverly, TX, finished fourth, and Brandon, FL driver Kyle Bronson rounded out the top five.
Looking Ahead
The top 16 drivers, including Gustin, Sheppard, Pierce, and others, are locked into Saturday’s $50,000-to-win finale. The remaining drivers will compete in a Last Chance Showdown, with those not advancing competing in a $3,000-to-win non-qualifiers Feature.
For more information on Saturday’s program and the full 2024 Series schedule, visit the official World of Outlaws website. If you can’t attend, every lap can be watched live on DIRTVision.
Feature Results
- Brandon Sheppard [1]
- Bobby Pierce [5]
- Ryan Gustin [3]
- Tyler Erb [10]
- Kyle Bronson [4]
- Nick Hoffman [13]
- Tyler Bruening [2]
- Cade Dillard [7]
- Dennis Erb Jr [6]
- Chase Junghans [16]
- Brian Shirley [8]
- Dustin Sorensen [19]
- Max McLaughlin [9]
- Blair Nothdurft [17]
- Lance Hofer [12]
- Jake Timm [14]
- Cody Overton [11]
- Brent Larson [18]
- Chad Mahder [22]
- Billy Moyer Sr [15]
- Tristan Chamberlain [23]
- Frank Heckenast Jr [21]
- Derrick Stewart [20]
- Dustin Walker [24]
