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Mark Richards Racing Names Drivers, Crew and Partners for 2017

112216 WoOLMS RocketHouseCar

Mark Richards Racing Names Drivers, Crew and Partners for 2017

Sheppard to drive No.1 Rocket Chassis house car

CONCORD, N.C.  – November 22, 2016 – Mark Richards Racing, Inc. (MRRI) announced on Monday November 21, 2016 that Brandon Sheppard will be taking over the No. 1 Rocket Chassis house car in place of four-time World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series Champion Josh Richards.

This will not be the first time that Sheppard slides into the No. 1 car. In 2012 Sheppard drove the Rocket Chassis house car full-time for MRRI.

“Brandon was one of our top choices,” stated MRRI owner Mark Richards in an official press release. “He did an outstanding job for us during the 2012 season. Our marketing partners and I are quite comfortable with him, and he has been a loyal Rocket Chassis supporter and customer for many years now. I really do consider him one of the top young talents in dirt late model racing today, and we’re thrilled to have him come aboard.”

Sheppard will be working alongside 2016 World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series Crew Chief of the Year Danny White. Joining them will be veteran full-time dirt car crew member Austin Hargrove, as well as Joel Rogers.

Sheppard and his new crew at MRRI have announced that they will be running with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series for the 2017 season for the first time in the driver’s career. At only 24-years-old, Sheppard is already a seasoned driver and shows great potential for the upcoming season.

In 2013 Sheppard won the UMP DIRTcar Late Model National Championship, the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Championship, and the Dirt Track World Championship. In 2014 he claimed 10 features while running an independent schedule. In 2015 he was titled the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year by winning six features, ultimately finishing sixth in the championship points standings. Sheppard ran again with the Lucas Oil crew in 2016, where he finished fifth in points and gathered seven wins over the course of the season, including the series ending Dirt Track World Championship with a $100,000 purse.

“I can’t express how excited I am to have this opportunity with Mark [Richards] and Steve [Baker] at Rocket Chassis,” said Sheppard in a team release. “It truly is an honor to sit in the blue No. 1, and I’d like to thank Mark, Steve, along with Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches and the other marketing partners, for having the confidence in me to represent them.”

Sheppard’s new ride will be representing Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches and Gunter’s Honey for the 2017 season.

Essentially Josh Richards and Sheppard will be swapping rides for the 2017 season as Josh announced last week he will move to the Best Performance No. b5 dirt late model, but he has not announced any further plans for the 2017 season.

Read the full Rocket Chassis release here.

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