Brady Smith Steers New Rocket Car To Victory In World of Outlaws Late Model Series Season Opener At Bubba Raceway Park
Wisconsin Standout Holds Off Substitute Rocket Chassis House Car Driver Sheppard For $7,000 Triumph
By Kevin Kovac, WoO LMS P.R. Director
OCALA, FL – Feb. 14, 2014 – Brady Smith loves his new car.
After steering the three-race-old machine to victory in Friday night’s 35-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series season opener at Bubba Raceway Park, Smith’s decision to join the Rocket Chassis fold in 2014 was vindicated.
Smith, 36, of Solon Springs, Wis., took off from his pole position starting spot and led the entire distance, but his $7,000 triumph in the first of three Bubba Army Dirt Late Model Winter Nationals events didn’t come easy. He had to hold off a furious late-race challenge from Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill. – the substitute driver of the Rocket Chassis house car – to secure his fifth career win on the WoO LMS.
The 21-year-old Sheppard’s last-lap bid fell short by 0.367 of a second as he settled for runner-up money. Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., placed third, followed by Rick Eckert of York, Pa., and Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y.
A-Main Finish (35 laps): 1. Brady Smith, 2. Brandon Sheppard, 3. Darrell Lanigan, 4. Rick Eckert, 5. Tim Fuller, 6. Shane Clanton, 7. Mike Marlar, 8. Ivedent Lloyd Jr., 9. Tim McCreadie, 10. Frankie Heckenast Jr., 11. Brandon Overton, 12. Eric Wells, 13. Chase Junghans, 14. Chub Franik, 15. Jack Sullivan, 16. Morgan Bagley, 17. Clint Smith, 18. Dalton Myers, 19. Raymond Merrill, 20. Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs, 21. Casey Roberts, 22. Austin Kirkpatrick, 23. Mark Whitener, 24. John Winge