(February 9, 2024) Lake City, FL – Matt Sheppard claimed his third consecutive win at the ‘Sunshine Swing’ presented by Capitol Custom Trailers & Coaches, securing the $8,000 top prize in the 40-lap feature event at All-Tech Raceway. This victory marked Sheppard’s 41st career win in the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco, tying him with Stewart Friesen for the most wins in the series.
Sheppard’s Tactical Win
Starting from the sixth position after the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw, Sheppard quickly moved up the field. Stewart Friesen and Tyler Siri started on the front row, with Friesen taking an early lead. Sheppard utilized the outer edge of the half-mile track to advance rapidly, reaching the runner-up spot just three laps into the race.
The event saw multiple yellow flags, providing Sheppard with opportunities to advance. By the third lap, Sheppard had overtaken Friesen for the lead. Despite the numerous cautions, Sheppard maintained his position at the front.
Challenges and Competition
Larry Wight, starting from 11th, made significant progress and reached third place by lap 10. Friesen, Sheppard, and Wight were the top three until a suspension issue ended Friesen’s night on lap 22. On the subsequent restart, Sheppard retained the lead, with Erick Rudolph moving into second before Wight reclaimed the spot.
Sheppard maintained his lead for the final 16 laps, securing his third consecutive win. “We came down looking for our 500th win,” Sheppard said. “I didn’t think we’d have a shot down here in Florida but we’re at 499 now.”
Notable Performances
Larry Wight finished second and remained optimistic about future races. Erick Rudolph rounded out the podium, marking his best finish of the week. Bobby Hackel and Austin Hubbard completed the top five.
Upcoming Races
The Sunshine Swing concludes Saturday night with a 50-lap, $10,000-to-win STSS Modified main event and a $2,500-to-win, 30-lap Crate 602 Sportsman race.
Feature Results (40 laps)
- Matt Sheppard [6]
- Larry Wight [11]
- Erick Rudolph [4]
- Bobby Hackel IV [3]
- Austin Hubbard [5]
- Danny Varin [12]
- Marc Johnson [8]
- Darren Smith [22]
- Peter Britten [9]
- Rick Laubach [20]
- Tanner Van Doren [18]
- Rusty Smith [16]
- Tyler Siri [2]
- Danny Bouc [23]
- Dan Creeden [10]
- Chris Curtis [21]
- Danny Johnson [14]
- Seth Zacharias [19]
- Zach Payne [24]
- Stewart Friesen [1]
- Alex Payne [25]
- Jean Mathieu Raymond [26]
- Danny Hieber [7]
- Bubba McPhee [13]
- Mat Williamson [15]
- Michael Trautschold [17]
Supporting Events
South New Berlin’s Payton Talbot won his second STSS Crate 602 Sportsman race of the week, earning $2,500 in the 30-lap ‘Shirley Shootout.’ Talbot battled with Dylan Madsen before pulling away for the win. Paulie Hartwig III, Madsen, Ayden Cipriano, and James Friesen rounded out the top five.
