Four-time World of Outlaws Late Model champion Brandon Sheppard will broaden his racing horizons in May by joining the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at Jacksonville Speedway.
The New Berlin, IL native will pilot the No. B5 Sprint Car for cousins Jake and Jim Neuman at the World of Outlaws Hy-Vee Perks 40 on Wednesday, May 1 – 24 hours before returning to his day job with the World of Outlaws Late Models as driver of the Sheppard Riggs Racing No. B5 at Mississippi Thunder Speedway for the Dairyland Showdown (May 2-4).
“This year, Jim (Neuman) text me and said, ‘Hey, you want to drive this Sprint Car? And I said, ‘As a matter of fact, I do this year, actually,’” Sheppard said. “I need to broaden my horizons back out again and feel something different.”
At 31 years old, Sheppard has already established himself as a future Late Model Hall of Famer. In addition to his four World of Outlaws titles he’s also the all-time winningest driver with the World of Outlaws Late Models (83 wins currently), the 2013 DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion and has won most of the marquee Late Model events – the Prairie Dirt Classic, USA Nationals, Dirt Late Model Dream, Gateway Dirt Nationals, Illini 100 and more.
And while he’s spent most of his career behind the wheel of a Super Late Model, Sheppard is no stranger to Open-Wheel racing. He’s ran Micro Sprints, Midgets and Sprint Cars, including a 410 Sprint Car race at Jacksonville Speedway in 2010.
Better buckle up for this one 🤪
Mark your calendars for – MAY 1ST – as I will be racing at the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event held at Jacksonville Speedway! Can't thank the Neuman Family enough for the awesome opportunity!
𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚘 𝚘𝚞𝚛… pic.twitter.com/7ICIpNQHTY
— Brandon Sheppard (@bsheppb5) April 10, 2024
“I know I can do it,” Sheppard said. “It’s just a matter of getting a little bit of seat time before I get there and figuring out… making sure I have everything.
“I need to sit in it, drive it, and then I’ll figure out what questions I need to ask, you know what I mean?”
Sheppard also goes into the event knowing the 1/4-mile Jacksonville Speedway like the back of his hand. He grew up less than 30 minutes from the track and has five national-level wins there. His latest was a win with the World of Outlaws Late Models in 2022.
He’ll be no stranger to some of the Sprint Car drivers in the field too – including the most success one of them: 10-time World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz. Sheppard piloted Schatz’s Late Model during the Gateway Dirt Nationals in 2019 and 2021.
For tickets to see Sheppard in action with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at Jacksonville Speedway, visit JacksonvilleSpeedway.com.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap live on DIRTVision.
