Column By: MARTY CZEKALA / RPW – RANSOMVILLE, NY – They say in racing, second sucks.
That has not demoralized Matt Sheppard, who has four straight top 2 finishes, including his SummerFAST win at Land of Legends, after Tuesday’s Super DIRTcar Series’ Summer Nationals at Ransomville Speedway.
“Seconds are good runs in the series,” said Sheppard after winning last week. “Better than fourths or sixths. We’ve been having a great season. Those seconds are the defining moment of having a good and really good season. Not complaining one bit, consistent on tour.”
Sheppard led from lap 15 to lap 50 in lapped traffic when local driver Erick Rudolph looked low, entering turn three to take the lead. A late-race restart would happen with just over 20 to go, with Sheppard still lurking on the outside, but it wasn’t enough to get past Rudolph for the win.
“We went with a little softer tire,” Sheppard commented. “Unfortunately, it didn’t make it the whole way I thought. Got us out front and didn’t hold on. Erick was very good, drove away at the end, one of his home tracks, congrats to him.”
In the race’s first restart, Sheppard went to the lead on lap 15. Jimmy Phelps selected the outside line for the restart, allowing Sheppard a grand corner entry and clear off turn two.
“I got a good launch off the bottom,” Sheppard said. “Good corner. Ended up with the lead.”
Sheppard, though has some fun plans scheduled for later in the week. Announced Tuesday morning, Sheppard will make his Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series debut at Georgetown Thursday, driving the Niece Motorsports No. 42 alongside teammate Ross Chastain.
The two raced together last month in a Short Track Super Series feature at Utica-Rome, with Chastain racing one of Sheppard’s modifieds.