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Brandon Sheppard, Mike Harrison, Jeff Herzog & Dayton Racer take wins at I-55 Raceway!

Brandon Sheppard taking the checkered flag as he almost lapped Billy Moyer to win at I-55 Raceway! Mike Harrison & Rusty Griffaw banging wheels as they battle for the win! Jeff Herzog Dayton Racer CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM I-55 RACEWAY! PEVELY, Mo. (June 4) – Brandon Sheppard’s biggest career victory was big in several ways. He won big money, built a big lead and had big smile in victory lane Saturday at I-55 Raceway. The 18-year-old from New Berlin, Ill., blitzed the field in the Tri-State Challenge finale, reeling off a flag-to-flag victory in 11 minutes at the third-mile oval and lapping all but five competitors. The $5,000 payday was the richest of his career and continued a hot streak that’s given him three Northern Allstars Late Model Series victories in the last five tour events. “It felt awesome,” said Sheppard, who raised his left hand in triumph as he took the checkered flag. “All the people that have helped me through the years. (Fellow driver) Jason Feger is the main guy that’s helped me. I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for my dad and grandpa supporting, and all my uncles and everything growing in racing.” Sheppard started fifth but quickly ducked into the low groove, running third early behind the son-and-father duo of Billy Moyer Jr. and Billy Moyer. Sheppard slipped under dad, then went past son and never looked back. He routed the field, taking the checkers nearly a half-lap ahead of 15th-starting Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., drivers used the entire racing surfacing in futilely trying to chase down the leader. After Unzicker, Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., was third while Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., and Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., rounded out the top five in the caution-free 40-lapper. The elder Moyer, who won the Tri-State Challenge opener on Thursday at Highland Speedway, was sixth. Sheppard was so far ahead that Unzicker wasn’t sure where he was in the running order. “We gambled on some tires. We started 15th and we knew we had to do something to get up front, and we knew there was some traction in the bottom. We put four soft tires on and we just ate that bottom up, and it worked for us,” the runner-up said. “Honestly there, with about five laps to go, I really thought I was in the lead. But hat’s off to Brandon. … he needs that.” Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., winner of Friday’s Tri-State Challenge event in Paducah, Ky., missed the I-55 main event. He was leading the first heat race when his car’s broken rear end ended his night. ———————— The UMP DIRTcar Modified main event provided a thrilling finish for the fans as Mike Harrison grabbed the lead and the win on the final lap of the twenty lap event. Ray Walsh jumped to the early lead from his outside front row starting spot. Walsh’s lead would be short lived as he would get too high in turn four on lap three, allowing Rusty Griffaw to drive by for the top spot. Griffaw would proceed to pace the field right up to the final lap. Griffaw appeared dominant in the middle part of the event, opening up a significant lead during this point. In the closing laps, Harrison began to quickly reel in Griffaw for the top spot. As they came out of turn four to take the white flag, Harrison and Griffaw were side by side for the lead, banging doors most of the way down the front stretch. Harrison would get the lead into turn one and pull away down the back stretch to take the win. Griffaw would get second with Walsh taking third. Scott Weber would finish fourth and Bobby Bittle came from the fourteenth starting spot to round out the top five. Jeff Herzog claimed his third UMP DIRTcar/AARA Sportsman main event of 2011 at I-55 Raceway. Herzog would get the lead on lap five from pole sitter Jason Keller and then hold off a late charge from Brad Paquet to get the win. Paquet, who start fifth, had his best run of 2011 as he took the runner-up spot. Keller would also get his best finish of the season as he crossed the line third. Troy Naeger, who has also won three features at I-55 Raceway in 2011, would finish fourth. Trey Harris would round out the top five. Dayton Racer claimed his first win of 2011 at I-55 Raceway in the UMP DIRTcar/AARA Pro 4 Stock division. Racer led the entire distance to pick up the win, but had to hold off a late challenge from Jacob Rexing to get the trophey. Aron Faulkner would cross the line third while Earl Pryor took fourth. Chuck Johnson rounded out the top five. June 3rd, 2011NALMS/UMP DIRTcar Late Models – 30 EntriesQualifyingGroup 11.3s Brian Shirley 12.2292.82 Roger Brickler 12.3813.1v Will Vaught 12.3854.28 Dennis Erb 12.4285.89s Mike Spatola 12.4356.25 Jason Feger 12.4707.1hr Ron McQuerry 12.6988.0 Dewayne Kiefer 12.8849.23 Paul Roider 13.39310.7z Matt Zimmerly 15.118Group 21.21jr Billy Moyer Jr. 12.3502.b5 Brandon Sheppard 12.4673.54 Dillan White 12.5964.1w Donnie Walden 12.7725.r1 Matt Weidner 12.8376.33f Rickey Frankel 13.2537.92k Brant Kehrer 13.2548.30 Mark Voigt 13.2809.86 Jason Crump 13.58110.26 Randy Estes 14.894Group 31.21 Billy Moyer 12.2022.18 Shannon Babb 12.4443.00 Randy Korte 12.5234.24 Ryan Unzicker 12.6815.b12 Kevin Weaver 12.7586.33 Tim Manville 12.7877.95 Jeff Johns 13.0558.27k Greg Kimmons 13.1269.6k Michael Kloos 13.89110.13w Tracy Wampler 14.594 Heat 11.82 Roger Brickler2.1v Will Vaught3.28 Dennis Erb4.25 Jason Feger5.89s Mike Spatola6.1hr Ron McQuerry7.0 Dewayne Kiefer8.23 Paul Roider9.7z Matt Zimmerly10.3s Brian Shirley Heat 21.21jr Billy Moyer Jr.2.b5 Brandon Sheppard3.1w Donnie Walden4.30 Mark Voigt5.33f Ricky Frankel6.r1 Matt Weidner7.86 Jason Crump8.92k Brant Kehrer9.26 Randy Estes10.54 Dillan White Heat 31.21 Billy Moyer2.00 Randy Korte3.18 Shannon Babb4.b12 Kevin Weaver5.24 Ryan Unzicker6.6k Michael Kloos7.33 Tim Manville8.95 Jeff Johns9.27k Greg Kimmons10.13w Tracy Wampler Semi1.6k Michael Kloos – transfer2.1hr Ron McQuerry – transfer3.33 Tim Manville – transfer4.0 Dewayne Kiefer – transfer5.95 Jeff Johns – transfer6.86 Jason Crump – I-55 provisional7.23 Paul Roider – I-55 provisional8.92k Brant Kehrer9.7z Matt Zimmerly10.13w Tracy Wampler11.27 Greg Simmons – NALMS provisional12.r1 Matt Weidner DNS13.54 Dillan White DNS –  NALMS provisional14.26 Randy Estes DNS Feature1. [5] B5 Brandon Sheppard2. [15] 24 Ryan Unzicker3. [4] 1V Will Vaught4. [6] 00 Randy Korte5. [7] 28 Dennis Erb, Jr.6. [3] 21 Billy Moyer7. [10] 25 Jason Feger8. [11] 18 Shannon Babb9. [16] 6K Michael Kloos10. [13] 89S Mike Spatola III11. [12] B12 Kevin Weaver12. [11] 30 Mark Voigt13. [14] 33F Rickey Frankel14. [24] 86 Jason Crump15. [8] 1W Donny Walden16. [21] 54 Dillan White17. [19] 0 Dewayne Kiefer18. [18] 33 Tim Manville19. [1] 82 Roger Brickler20. [17] 1HR Ron McQuerry21. [20] 95 Jeff Johns22. [22] 27K Greg Kimmons23. [23] 23 Paul Roider24. [2] 21JR Billy Moyer, Jr. UMP DIRTcar Modifieds – 23 EntriesHeat 11.70 Josh Russell2.9w Doug Wood3.25 Brett Korves4.62k Leo Keifer5.89 Bobby Bittle6.5w Ralph Wiltrout7.21t Tom Rorabacher8.14 Leroy Haney Heat 21.4j Scott Weber2.24 Mike Harrison3.m41 Steve Maisel4.2 Dean Hoffman5.11x Don Grimm6.27 Gene Crain7.76 Eric Goetter8.10x Jim Black Heat 31.16 Rusty Griffaw2.1w Ray Walsh3.1 Tim Hancock4.22 Matt Mevert5.31 Ricky Horton6.24 Paul Bauman7.11 Derek Shipman Feature1. [4] 24 Mike Harrison2. [6] 16 Rusty Griffaw3. [2] 1w Ray Walsh4. [5] 4j Scott Weber5. [14] 89 Bobby Bittle6. [7] 1 Tim Hancock7. [3] 70 Josh Russell8. [12] 22 Matt Mevert9. [13] 31 Ricky Horton10. [18] 24 Paul Bauman11. [10] 62K Leo Kiefer12. [9] M41 Steve Maisel13. [11] 2 Dean Hoffman14. [23] 10X Jim Black15. [22] 14 Leroy Haney16. [15] 11X Don Grimm17. [8] 25 Brett Korves18. [19] 21T Tom Rorabacher19. [1] 9W Doug Wood20. [21] 11 Derek Shipman21. [20] 76 Eric Goetter22. [17] 27 Gene Crain23. [16] Ralph Wiltrout DNS UMP DIRTcar/AARA Sportsman – 27 EntriesHeat 11.12 Troy Naeger2.65 Gary Range3.23 Kevin Mosier4.911 Jon Ripperda5.64 Jim Smith6.16 Jacob Buechting7.3 Scott Henseler8.269 Josh Ramer9.34w Matt Wooldridge DNS Heat 21.192 Mark Spraul2.8e Steve Edgecombe3.49 Brad Paquet4.15b Matt Brucato5.04 Chris Soutiea6.13 Craig Bessinger7.19 Jimmy Cummins8.1 Len Garson9.101 Danny Bashem Heat 31.11 Jeff Herzog2.55k Jason Keller3.99 Chuck Adams4.57 Trey Harris5.3e Robbie Eilers6.168 Mike Armstrong7.6 Justin Ketrow8.19s Nathan Schmitt9.77 Patrick Hawkins Feature1. [3] 11 Jeff Herzog2. [5] 49 Brad Paquet3. [1] 55k Jason Keller4. [4] 12 Troy Naeger5. [8] 57 Trey Harris6. [7] 65 Gary Range7. [10] 99 Chuck Adams8. [2] 192 Mark Spraul9. [11] 911 Jon Ripperda10. [6] 8E Steve Edgecombe11. [12] 15B Matt Brucato12. [13] 3E Robbie Eilers13. [21] 6 Justin Ketrow14. [16] 16B Jacob Buechting15. [18] 168 Mike Armstrong16. [15] 04 Chris Soutiea17. [17] 13 Craig Bessinger18. [14] 64 Jim Smith19. [25] 101 Danny Basham20. [9] 23 Kevin Mosier21. [20] 19C Jimmy Cummins22. [24] 19S Nathan Schmitt23. [19] 3 Scott Henseler24. [22] 269 Josh Ramer25. [23] 1 Lenny Garson26. 34W Matt Wooldridge DNS27. 77 Patrick Hawkins DNS UMP DIRTcar/AARA Pro 4 Stocks – 23 EntriesHeat 11.57e Earl Pryor2.17r Jacob Rexing3.14g Rodney George4.7j Blake Jost5.2x Aaron Wood6.6 Justin Reando7.93 Brian Spalding8.22L Joe Laws Heat 21.99 Chuck Johnson2.18 Aron Faulkner3.50 Gary Otte4.75 Shawn Belt5.81p Robert Price6.96 Andrew Wibbenmeyer7.7x Josh Ramer8.21p Josh Peppers Heat31.711 Dayton Racer2.70 Joe Merritt3.19 Jessica Buechting4.89 Travis Bittle5.71a Brad Almond6.17j Adam Johnson7.24 Jordan Suhre DQ’d Feature1. [2] 711 Dayton Racer2. [3] 17r Jacob Rexing3. [4] 18 Aron Faulkner4. [6] 57e Earl Pryor5. [1] 99 Chuck Johnson6. [5] 70 Joe Merritt7. [15] 6 Justin Reando8. [7] 14g Rodney George9. [8] 50 Gary Otte10. [16] 96 Andrew Wibbenmeyer11. [11] 19 Jessica Buechting12. [14] 89 Travis Bittle13. [20] 17j Adam Johnson14. [19] 7x Josh Ramer15. [12] 2x Aaron Wood16. [10] 75 Shawn Belt17. [13] 81p Robert Price18. [21] 22L Joe Laws19. [9] 7j Blake Jost20. [17] 71a Brad Almond21.  [18] 93 Brian Spalding22. 21p Josh Peppers DNS23. 24 Jordan Suhre DQ (car roll cage didn’t meet track safety standards)

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