FAIRBURY, IL (May 9, 2026) – Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Illinois charged to victory Saturday night at Fairbury Speedway, winning the FALS Spring Shootout presented by Titan Industries. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing event paid $30,000 to the winner. Sheppard took the lead from Brian Shirley on lap 13 and led the remainder of the race, holding off a late charge from Nick Hoffman over the final five laps to secure his 38th career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory and his 17th career win at Fairbury Speedway. Shirley, who led the opening 12 laps, rounded out the Big River Steel podium in third. Brandon Overton finished fourth, while Bobby Pierce completed the top five. The victory marked Sheppard’s fourth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season and his seventh overall triumph of 2026. With the win, he moves to third in the championship standings heading into next weekend’s events at Eagle Raceway in Nebraska. “This feels awesome. It seems like it’s been forever since we won here,” Sheppard said in Lucas Oil Victory Lane. “We always seem to win prelims at the Prairie Dirt Classic, but these bigger races have avoided me for a while, so it’s really special to win one here tonight.” “When I was growing up, I dreaded coming to Fairbury because it’s so tough to win here. It takes such a different driving style, and the track changes so much throughout the night. The last eight laps, I felt like I was hanging on for dear life. I think the right rear tire may have been going down after I ran over something during that caution, but this car is an absolute dream to drive right now.” Hoffman, seeking his second career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory, started seventh and finished just 0.423 seconds behind Sheppard in the Tye Twarog Motorsports entry. Hoffman moved into second with 10 laps remaining after Clay Harris—who advanced from 12th to second by lap 21 – was slowed in lapped traffic. “He’s the Fairbury GOAT,” Hoffman said of Sheppard. “There were times I felt like I could gain a little on him, and I was hoping we’d get back to lapped traffic after that caution. But he was just better than me up on the cushion and could really pull away down the straightaways. The biggest thing is learning something for when we come back for the Prairie Dirt Classic.” Shirley, who started from the pole, was also eligible for the $1,000 Steering Buddy Darkhorse Award, presented to a first-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series feature winner in a full-points event. “I think it’s honestly just track time here,” said the defending Prairie Dirt Classic champion, who is following the LOLMDS full time for the first time in his career. “We haven’t had enough laps here yet to get the feel and balance exactly where we need it. But this was a really solid finish for our team and sponsors. We need to focus on consistently finishing races before worrying about winning them. I felt like we had a shot tonight, and while maybe we weren’t quite as good as Nick or Sheppy, being this competitive is a huge confidence boost for our team.” Sheppard’s winning Mark Richards Racing, Rocket Chassis is powered by a Durham Racing Engine and backed by Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Ace Metal Works, Performance Grading, Petroff Towing, Franklin Enterprises, Sunoco Race Fuels, Gunter’s Honey, Stiles Marine and Maintenance, and Collins Brothers Towing. Completing the top ten were Jason Feger, Josh Rice, Clay Harris, Trey Mills, and Justin Duty. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary FALS Spring Shootout Presented by Titan IndustriesSaturday, May 9, 2026Fairbury Speedway | Fairbury, IL Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Brian Shirley | 12.883 seconds (Overall)Fast Time Group B: Shannon Babb | 13.116 seconds Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 3S-Brian Shirley[1]; 2. 71-Hudson O’Neal[2]; 3. 111-Max Blair[4]; 4. 09-Michael Leach[3]; 5. 15D-Justin Duty[6]; 6. 60-Dan Ebert[9]; 7. 33-Mike Harrison[7]; 8. 22*-Drake Troutman[10]; 9. 14S-Collen Winebarger[8]; 10. 5S-Kolby Vandenbergh[5]; 11. 122-Timmy Dick[11]; 12. 24-Tyler Wyant[12] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[2]; 2. 9H-Nick Hoffman[3]; 3. 32-Bobby Pierce[1]; 4. 24U-Ryan Unzicker[4]; 5. 93-Carson Ferguson[6]; 6. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[5]; 7. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[7]; 8. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[9]; 9. 17A-Austin Howes[11]; 10. 93L-Cory Lawler[10]; 11. 8L-Jeffrey Ledford[8]; 12. 729-Mike Winn[12]
Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[3]; 3. 18-Shannon Babb[1]; 4. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[4]; 5. 13-Dallon Murty[6]; 6. 75-Daniel Adam[5]; 7. 16S-Sam Seawright[9]; 8. 99-Devin Moran[7]; 9. 89-Mike Spatola[8]; 10. 19M-Brenden Smith[10]; 11. Z61-Alex Wilson[11]; 12. B12-Kevin Weaver[12]
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1T-Tyler Erb[1]; 2. 25F-Jason Feger[2]; 3. 6-Clay Harris[5]; 4. 11-Josh Rice[7]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson[3]; 6. 14-Trey Mills[8]; 7. 8-Dillon McCowan[9]; 8. 45-Kyle Hammer[10]; 9. 42-Mckay Wenger[6]; 10. 16-Tyler Bruening[4]; 11. 32X-Chris Simpson[11]; 12. (DNS) 33 4-Billy Hough Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 15D-Justin Duty[1]; 2. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[4]; 3. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[6]; 4. 22*-Drake Troutman[7]; 5. 93-Carson Ferguson[2]; 6. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[8]; 7. 14S-Collen Winebarger[9]; 8. 60-Dan Ebert[3]; 9. 93L-Cory Lawler[12]; 10. 122-Timmy Dick[13]; 11. 24-Tyler Wyant[15]; 12. 17A-Austin Howes[10]; 13. 5S-Kolby Vandenbergh[11]; 14. 8L-Jeffrey Ledford[14]; 15. 729-Mike Winn[16]; 16. 33-Mike Harrison[5] UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 14-Trey Mills[4]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[7]; 3. 40B-Kyle Bronson[2]; 4. 13-Dallon Murty[1]; 5. 45-Kyle Hammer[8]; 6. 75-Daniel Adam[3]; 7. 16S-Sam Seawright[5]; 8. 42-Mckay Wenger[10]; 9. 32X-Chris Simpson[14]; 10. 8-Dillon McCowan[6]; 11. 16-Tyler Bruening[12]; 12. 19M-Brenden Smith[11]; 13. Z61-Alex Wilson[13]; 14. 89-Mike Spatola[9]; 15. B12-Kevin Weaver[15]; 16. (DNS) 33 4-Billy Hough
FALS Spring Shootout Presented by Titan Industries Feature Finish (60 Laps):Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings1 – 2 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $30,9002 – 7 – 9H – Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – $15,0003 – 1 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $7,9004 – 6 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $6,4005 – 11 – 32 – Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – $4,5006 – 8 – 25F – Jason Feger – Bloomington, IL – $3,5007 – 16 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – $4,0008 – 12 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $3,4009 – 18 – 14 – Trey Mills – ST. Augustine, FL – $2,40010 – 17 – 15D – Justin Duty – Molalla, OR – $2,30011 – 15 – 24U – Ryan Unzicker – El Paso, IL – $2,20012 – 3 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $3,00013 – 10 – 18 – Shannon Babb – Moweaqua, IL – $2,00014 – 14 – 28 – Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – $1,90015 – 24 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $2,70016 – 26 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $1,25017 – 9 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $2,60018 – 4 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – $1,65019 – 5 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $3,00020 – 20 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $2,85021 – 23 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $2,45022 – 22 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – $2,40023 – 25 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – $1,00024 – 13 – 9 – Michael Leach – Sun River, MT – $1,50025 – 21 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $2,80026 – 19 – 99JR – Frank Heckenast Jr – Frankfort, IL – $1,50027 – 27 – 19M – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – $100 Race Statistics Entrants: 48Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Brian ShirleyMD3 Lap Leaders: Brian Shirley (Laps 1-12); Brandon Sheppard (Laps 13-60)Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Brandon SheppardWieland Feature Winner: Brandon SheppardMargin of Victory: 0.423 secondsHellraizer Jacks Cautions: Trey Mills (Lap 13); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Lap 18); Devin Moran (Lap 27); Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Tyler Erb (Lap 52)MyRacePass Series Provisional: Carson Ferguson; Dan EbertFast Time Provisional: n/aEmergency Provisionals: Dillon McCowan; Daniel Hilsabeck; Brenden SmithTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Brandon Sheppard, Nick Hoffman, Brian ShirleyPenske Shocks Top 5: Brandon Sheppard, Nick Hoffman, Brian Shirley, Brandon Overton, Bobby PierceBehrent’s One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Brandon Sheppard, Nick Hoffman, Brian ShirleyPEM 4th Place Feature: Brandon OvertonDiversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Bobby PierceWilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Josh RiceWehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Ryan UnzickerVelocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Shannon BabbXS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Dan EbertHoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Daniel Hilsabeck (Advanced 10 positions)MD3 Most Laps Led: Brandon Sheppard (48 Laps)Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Brandon SheppardMidwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Hudson O’NealO’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Josh RicePro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Brian Shirley | Lap 3 | 13.558 secondsFK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Devin MoranVictory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Nick HoffmanOuterwears Crew Chief of the Race: Danny WhiteARP Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Tyler Erb | 12.5271 secondsTime of Race: 29 minutes 35 seconds Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP:Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Earnings1 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 2695 – $136,1002 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 2660 – $152,6993 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 2560 – $103,6004 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 2490 – $61,7505 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 2465 – $82,7506 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 2440 – $56,2007 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 2210 – $44,6258 – 3s – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 2210 – $41,6009 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 2155 – $47,60010 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – 2135 – $36,87511 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 2135 – $34,27512 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 2090 – $36,95013 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 2060 – $35,57514 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 1795 – $21,97515 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – 1785 – $21,90016 – 19M – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 1755 – $23,25017 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 1560 – $13,625 |
