'

MATT SHEPPARD HAS HIS REVENGE, SCORES 2ND B2B WINS




It was all about “Revenge” at The Legendary House Of Power Thursday night June 17th. Thirty one United Rentals DIRTcar Modifieds entered for a chance at a $5,000 payday and the chance at locking themselves in for the hunt of the 2021 Track Championship. Drivers were split into four different groups, and then two sub groups for time trials. The overall fastest driver, which was Matt Sheppard, would then draw a pill which could invert up to four drivers in their heat races, which were based off of time trials. Mike Mahaney was fastest of group one, “Mad Max” Max McLaughlin was the fastest in group two, “Super Matt” Matt Sheppard was fastest in group three, and “The Thrilla From Unadilla” Billy Decker was the fastest of group four. Sheppard being the overall fastest picked pill four for the invert putting all four drivers in the fourth starting spot for their heat events. Mike Mahaney, Max McLaughlin, Matt Sheppard, and Mat Williamson were the victors of each heat and eight other drivers were locked into the “Revenge Redraw”. Allison Ricci was the victor of the last chance qualifier, obtaining the lead after motor issues sidelined “DC Express” Danny Creeden.

Rob Sherlock Roofing presented a special Working Man Dash For Cash, where drivers finishing 4th through 6th in each heat race would have the chance to participate in. All the drivers eligible for the event were brought out to the front stretch and were able to redraw in front of the crowd. “The Jeffer” Jeff Heotzler was slated to start the event, but scratched on the evenings remaining events, which in return placed last chance qualifier winner Allison Ricci into the twelve car line up. When the redraw was completed it was “The Waldwick Warrior” Tommy Meier and Allison Ricci on the front row. At the drop of the green, Meier obtained the lead with Ricci in tow. As time progressed it seemed as if Ricci was going to make the pass on Meier for the lead but a caution for a returning Stan Frankenfield would be displayed. Upon returning green, Meier was out front ahead of Ricci, but it was Stewart Friesen who would make his way through the field and take the lead after smoke was visible coming from the #33 ⅓ of Meier. A true showing of sportsmanship was Anthony Perrego giving Meier a push to the front stretch after his apparent motor issues to join the rest of the top five in victory lane.

The “Revenge” style redraw is where a driver will draw a starting spot, but can’t keep it for themselves. The driver must give it to a fellow competitor that's within the list of eligible redrawn spots. After the completion of the redraw, drivers decided to have Tyler Jashembowski and “The Ravena Rocket” Keith Flach be your front row for fifty laps of United Rentals DIRTcar Modified action. At the drop of the green flag in “The Revenge 50”, a yellow was presented right after for issues involving returning New Jersey competitor Stan Frankenfield. When the field regrouped it was Keith Flach showing why he has the nickname “The Ravena Rocket”. Flach got right out to the lead with Jashembowski following behind. It was “The Sensational One” Jimmy Horton getting around Jashembowski however, but it didn’t last for long as issues arrayed for Horton thereafter ending the night for the New Jersey native.

As the next green dropped, it was “The Ravena Rocket” Flach in the lead with Jashembowski right behind. “Super Matt” Matt Sheppard would make his way into the top five by lap five. Sheppard quickly would then get on by Oley Pennsylvania’s Duane Howard for third a lap later. Out front it was still all Flach and Jashembowski but Sheppard was closing in. When lap eleven checked off, Sheppard would work his way around the #88T of Tyler Jashembowski with only Keith Flach standing in the way of his top of the podium hopes. Flach would hold onto his lead for five more laps until a caution would be displayed for “Mad Max” Max McLaughlin in turn four. It was also at that point a heart break would come for the #8A of Duane Howard who would head pit side after running in the top five.

On the restart Flach and Sheppard would make up row one. Flach would have his hands full with defending track champion Matt Sheppard, as Sheppard would get on by the Gould Erectors and Riggers #43 on the restart. “Mega Money” Mat Williamson would have a great restart as well, taking second over putting Flach back to third. On the halfway mark for the event, a caution for Tyler Dippel on the backstretch would halt the field. Stewart Friesen had been making moves up until that point and would be restarting next to Flach in row two. On the restart, Sheppard got right out front with Williamson in second, and now Stewart Friesen in third. On lap thirtytwo another caution would come out, this time for Tyler Jashembowski who had a flat tire. Jashembowski was competing hard to be in the top five with Billy Decker and Anthony Perrego before the caution.

After the restart, it was still “Super Matt” Matt Sheppard out front with Williamson second and Stewart Friesen third. Keith Flach and Stewart Friesen would battle hard on the restart for third, but Friesen had the upper edge, holding onto third. A late race caution on lap forty one would come out for Mahwah NJ resident Donnie Wilson. This would allow Williamson, Friesen, and Flach one more chance to dethrone Sheppard, however Sheppard proved too powerful at The Legendary House Of Power claiming his second feature event win this season at OCFS and was awarded the Wicked Truck Worx Back-to-Back award.

Only three drivers remain locked in for the final eight in the hunt for the United Rentals DIRTcar Modified Championship. Those drivers include “The Waldwick Warrior'' Tommy Meier, “Super Matt” Matt Sheppard, and “ Mr Freeze” Stewart Friesen. There's only two more chances for drivers to officially lock themselves into the final eight with that being July 1st and July 10th.

Pos Competitor Total Time Diff Laps Best Lap Best Lap No. Best Speed
1 9S Matt Sheppard 41:35.696 0.000 50 21.524 17 104.534 mi/h
2 3W Mat Williamson 41:37.053 1.357 50 21.720 21 103.591 mi/h
3 44F Stewart Friesen 41:38.681 2.985 50 21.743 30 103.482 mi/h
4 43F Keith Flach 41:41.827 6.131 50 21.468 2 104.807 mi/h
5 91 Billy Decker 41:42.388 6.692 50 22.021 16 102.175 mi/h
6 44P Anthony Perrego 41:43.172 7.476 50 22.312 21 100.843 mi/h
7 4V Billy VanInwegen 41:44.566 8.870 50 22.236 29 101.187 mi/h
8 35M Mike Mahaney 41:45.027 9.331 50 22.475 47 100.111 mi/h
9 35L LJ Lombardo 41:47.549 11.853 50 22.596 13 99.575 mi/h
10 21M Bob McGannon 41:48.850 13.154 50 22.481 23 100.085 mi/h
11 93X Craig Mitchell 41:49.697 14.001 50 22.818 12 98.606 mi/h
12 17Z Dillon Steuer 41:50.243 14.547 50 22.482 21 100.08 mi/h
13 69T Tyler Boniface 41:51.215 15.519 50 22.790 5 98.728 mi/h
14 88T Tyler Jashembowski 41:51.934 16.238 50 21.860 3 102.928 mi/h
15 2L Jack Lehner 41:52.260 16.564 50 22.722 12 99.023 mi/h
16 55 Allison Ricci 41:53.061 17.365 50 22.848 13 98.477 mi/h
17 3 Erik Holmgren 41:55.412 19.716 50 22.993 8 97.856 mi/h
18 33.3 Tommy Meier 41:57.857 3 laps 47 22.544 44 99.805 mi/h
19 2A Mike Gular 33:36.593 9 laps 41 22.479 13 100.093 mi/h
20 7 Donnie Wilson 33:09.759 10 laps 40 22.877 13 98.352 mi/h
21 10 Rich Eurich 33:13.065 24 laps 26 22.351 8 100.667 mi/h
22 8A Duane Howard 21:04.674 25 laps 25 22.302 6 100.888 mi/h
23 3D Tyler Dippel 20:34.317 26 laps 24 22.680 12 99.206 mi/h
24 32C Max McLaughlin 12:27.866 35 laps 15 22.789 12 98.732 mi/h
25 5A Terry Arnold 10:20.564 41 laps 9 24.333 6 92.467 mi/h
26 43 Jimmy Horton 3:32.891 49 laps 1 22.468 1 100.142 mi/h
27 28F Stan Frankenfield 3:37.498 49 laps 1 24.354 1 92.387 mi/h