CHILLICOTHE, OH (July 4, 2025) – Brandon Sheppard earned his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season on Friday night, taking the Independence 50 at Atomic Speedway. Sheppard inherited the lead when race leader Carson Ferguson went pit side under a caution after leading the first four laps. Sheppard went on to lead the rest of the way and secure the $25,000 win. It was Sheppard’s 33rd career victory with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing, tying him with Josh Richards. Josh Rice, who recovered after an oil leak was discovered before time trials, came from the 17th starting position to finish second. Jonathan Davenport rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. Davenport finished 5 points behind points leader Ricky Thornton Jr., who finished 16th after dropping out of the race while running in second. Davenport now leads Thornton by 55 points heading into Saturday’s race at Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio. Daulton Wilson finished in fourth, with Donald McIntosh rounding out the top five drivers. Sheppard’s visit to Lucas Oil Victory Lane is his first since February 8, 2024, at East Bay Raceway Park. “It feels so good. It’s crazy that this was the place where we got our first Lucas Oil win this year. It’s been a long time since I’ve won here. This place has been tough on me lately, but I can’t thank my team enough for busting their tails this week to get this new car ready for us. Honestly, I’ve had the car messed up most of the year because of some stuff I was feeling in Florida, and we made some changes that caused more issues. I found some pretty good speed in my car during the Summer Nationals, so I told Mark what I did, and he said, well, that’s where we should have been at the start of the year.” Rice came home second after rallying from the inside of row nine. “I feel like I won the race about as badly as a comeback could be. It was probably the ugliest podium finish you will ever see from me. Like I said, we broke the oil line, my crew was covered in oil and everything else. We were goofing off and everything else six laps in, and I thought about pulling in. I was like, we got our start money. Then, it seemed like about eight cars broke, and more cars kept blowing up. After that long green flag run, I looked up on the board and saw I was in sixth. Daultin Wilson showed me the top down here in three and four. I was kind of decent, really, and then he showed me all the way around the top. That’s when I really started to make up time.” Davenport, coming off a red-hot month of June, where he won the Dirt Late Model Dream at Eldora Speedway and his first Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway, is positioning himself even better as he seeks his record-tying fourth series title. “It’s something we’ve been searching for all year—getting the points lead. We got close to him (Thornton), but he pulled away again. I hate to take the points lead while he (Thornton) is having bad luck, but we’ve had our fair share of bad luck this year. In March, we spun out against a lapped car running second. Thanks to all of you fans for coming out and spending your Fourth of July with us. We appreciate it. I hope we put on a good show for you.” The winner’s Mark Richards Racing, Rocket Chassis is powered by a Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Franklin Enterprises, Petroff Towing, Gunter’s Honey, Ace Metal Works, Stiles Marine and Maintenance, Rocket 1 Pre-Owned Motors, Collins Brothers Towing, and Sunoco Race Fuels. Completing the top ten were Hudson O’Neal, Dan Ebert, Daniel Hilsabeck, Mike Marlar, and Clay Harris. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Independence 50Friday, July 4, 2025Atomic Speedway – Chillicothe, OH Allstar Performance Time TrialsRicky Thornton Jr. | 13.346 seconds Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[2]; 3. 60-Dan Ebert[3]; 4. 19M-Spencer Hughes[4]; 5. 157-Mike Marlar[5]; 6. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[7]; 7. C4-Freddie Carpenter[6]; 8. 6-Clay Harris[9]; 9. 11-Adam Stricker[8] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 93-Carson Ferguson[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 3. 28-Tyler Carpenter[5]; 4. 71-Hudson O’Neal[4]; 5. 66C-Matt Cosner[7]; 6. 11R-Josh Rice[8]; 7. 57-Caiden Black[6]; 8. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 9. K54-Kenneth Rucker[9]
Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 1-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 2. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 3. 18D-Daulton Wilson[3]; 4. 71C-RJ Conley[6]; 5. 79-Donald McIntosh[4]; 6. 93L-Cory Lawler[5]; 7. 00-Justin Cooper[8]; 8. R54-Shane Greco[7] Fast Shafts B-Main Race Finish (7 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. C4-Freddie Carpenter[1]; 2. 57-Caiden Black[2]; 3. 6-Clay Harris[4]; 4. 58-Garrett Alberson[5]; 5. 00-Justin Cooper[3]; 6. R54-Shane Greco[6]; 7. K54-Kenneth Rucker[8]; 8. (DNS) 11-Adam Stricker
Independence 50 Feature Finish (50 Laps): Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Pay1 – 3 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $25,8002 – 17 – 11R – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – $10,0003 – 6 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $7,1004 – 9 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – $4,7005 – 15 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – $4,3006 – 11 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $3,5007 – 7 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $3,2008 – 16 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $3,0009 – 13 – 157 – Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – $2,20010 – 21 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $2,80011 – 18 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – $2,70012 – 4 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $2,90013 – 19 – C4 – Freddie Carpenter – Parkersburg, WV – $1,80014 – 12 – 71C – RJ Conley – Wheelersburg, OH – $1,70015 – 10 – 19M – Spencer Hughes – Meridian, MS – $2,30016 – 1 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $2,70017 – 22 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $2,20018 – 14 – 66C – Matt Cosner – Ridgeley, WV – $1,50019 – 5 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $2,20020 – 8 – 28 – Tyler Carpenter – Parkersburg, WV – $1,50021 – 2 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $2,20022 – 20 – 57 – Caiden Black – New Concord, OH – $1,50023 – 23 – R54 – Shane Greco – Midway, WV – $1,50024 – 24 – 11 – Adam Stricker – Batavia, OH – $1,500 Race Statistics Entrants: 26Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Ricky Thornton Jr.MD3 Lap Leaders: Carson Ferguson (Laps 1-4); Brandon Sheppard (Laps 5-50)Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Brandon SheppardWieland Feature Winner: Brandon SheppardMargin of Victory: 2.457 secondsColtman Farms Racing Cautions: Hudson O’Neal (Lap 4); Tyler Carpenter (Lap 7); Brandon Overton (Lap 9); Debris (Lap 29); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 38)Series Provisionals: n/aFast Time Provisional: Shane Greco, Adam StrickerEmergency Provisional: n/aTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Brandon Sheppard, Josh Rice, Jonathan DavenportPenske Shocks Top 5: Brandon Sheppard, Josh Rice, Jonathan Davenport, Daulton Wilson, Donald McIntoshPEM 4th Place Feature: Daulton WilsonDMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Donald McIntoshWilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Dan EbertWehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Cory LawlerDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Freddie CarpenterMD3 24th Place Feature: Adam StrickerHoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Josh Rice (Advanced 15 Positions)MD3 Most Laps Led: Brandon Sheppard (46 Laps)Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Brandon SheppardMidwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Donald McIntoshPro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Brandon Sheppard | Lap 6 | 14.035 secondsSlicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Ricky Thornton Jr.Fresh Roof Hard Luck Award: Carson FergusonOuterwears Crew Chief of the Race: Danny WhiteARP Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Race EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Dan Ebert | 13.218 secondsTime of Race: 30 minutes 53 seconds Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Pay1 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 4690 – $243,4002 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 4635 – $259,1503 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 4435 – $181,8494 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 4275 – $110,5755 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 4080 – $83,8506 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 4050 – $110,8007 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 3955 – $87,5008 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – 3730 – $71,0259 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 3560 – $59,62510 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – 3430 – $46,40011 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 3365 – $43,02512 – 19M – Spencer Hughes – Meridian, MS – 3110 – $42,12513 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 3075 – $35,00014 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 2925 – $34,55015 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 2700 – $25,725 |
