DIRTcar Summer Nationals
Fayette County Speedway
July 4, 2014
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Sheppard Escapes Fayette County Speedway with Summer Nationals Victory



by Jordan Morris
BROWNSTOWN, Ill. (July 4) - 2013 DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion Brandon Sheppard may of not had the fastest car Friday night, but he had the lead when the track began to take rubber and passing became difficult, helping him score the $7,500 checkered flag at Fayette County Speedway.

Sheppard would lead the field to the green flag with Wednesday night’s winner Jason Feger starting on his outside. Sheppard started the race by clearing Feger for the lead on the opening lap, but made the mistake of moving to the high-line on lap two, opening up the faster bottom line for Feger to overtake Sheppard for the lead. Feger dominated the next 10 circuits, as Sheppard finally switched his line back to the bottom.

As the night went on, the track became more difficult to pass on as the rubber began to build up. Sheppard mounted a charge on lap 12 and reclaimed the lead from Feger, as they lined up nose-to-tail with points leader Shannon Babb and Billy Moyer on the single grove of racing, causing a traffic jam at the front of the field for the lead. All the leader had to do was make his way through slower traffic in order to coast to the victory. That was not so easy for Sheppard.

With just three laps left, two lapped cars made contact in front of the leader, causing Sheppard to slow down and giving Feger a chance to make a go-for-broke pass for the lead. Feger dove into the corner trying to clear Sheppard and become the first three time winner of the 2014 DIRTcar Summer Nationals season, but came up just short as Sheppard maintained the lead.

Sheppard lead the final two laps without any problems and secured his second win of the season, and ninth of his career, as he claimed the checkered flag at Fayette County Speedway.

“We had an awesome car all night long but we were fortunate to get back to victory lane,” said a relieved Sheppard in victory lane. “I went to the top (groove) right off the bat, which was dumb, and Feger got by us for the lead. But we were lucky we had a decent tire package on that allowed us to really get in there and roll that bottom pretty good after my crew guy told me to go back down there, and we were lucky to pass Feger (for the lead) before the rubber came in.”

A-Main
1 1 B5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
2 2 25 Jason Feger Bloomington, IL
3 11 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
4 3 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
5 4 24 Ryan Unzicker El Paso, IL
6 8 96 Tanner English Benton, KY
7 10 7R Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN
8 7 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL
9 9 27M Rodney Melvin Benton, IL
10 5 00 Randy Korte Highland, IL
11 13 29W Brian Divley Springfield, IL
12 12 33X Tim Manville Troy, IL
13 14 11R Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
14 16 81JR Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL
15 20 0 Dewayne Kiefer Ste Genevieve, MO
16 17 6K Michael Kloos Trenton, IL
17 21 42L Steve Lach Brownstown, IL
18 22 71 Trace Westling Fulton, MO
19 18 1M Jim Moon New Florence, MO
20 15 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
21 6 21JR Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
22 19 20 Alan Westling Fulton, MO

B-Main
1 6K Michael Kloos
2 1M Jim Moon
3 42L Steve Lach
4 9R Curtis Roberts
5 111 Jordan Bauer
6 10P Pete Parker
7 15 Richard Frost
8 30V Mark Voigt
9 17X Matt Santel
10 0 Dewayne Kiefer
11 16H Mike Hammerle
12 87 Jason Zobrist
13 81B Paul Bailey
14 T4 Adam Tischhauser
15 92W Scott Weber

C-Main
1 T4 Adam Tischhauser
2 17X Matt Santel
3 0 Dewayne Kiefer
4 25M Frankie Martin
5 71 Trace Westling
6 20 Alan Westling

Heat #1
1 B5 Brandon Sheppard
2 00 Randy Korte
3 27M Rodney Melvin
4 29W Brian Divley
5 1M Jim Moon
6 15 Richard Frost
7 81B Paul Bailey
8 17X Matt Santel
9 25M Frankie Martin

Heat #2
1 24 Ryan Unzicker
2 21JR Billy Moyer Jr
3 7R Kent Robinson
4 11R Tyler Reddick
5 6K Michael Kloos
6 111 Jordan Bauer
7 87 Jason Zobrist
8 20 Alan Westling

Heat #3
1 25 Jason Feger
2 32 Bobby Pierce
3 21 Billy Moyer
4 81 Brian Shirley
5 9R Curtis Roberts
6 10P Pete Parker
7 30V Mark Voigt
8 T4 Adam Tischhauser
9 71 Trace Westling

Heat #4
1 18 Shannon Babb
2 96 Tanner English
3 33X Tim Manville
4 81JR Jason Riggs
5 42L Steve Lach
6 16H Mike Hammerle
7 92W Scott Weber
8 0 Dewayne Kiefer