News Director 
Story By: MATT SKIPPER / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – CONCORD, NC – The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models completed a 10-month journey that began in Florida and culminated with the gripping November finale at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
Those drivers who took the call to compete throughout the year were celebrated and received the championship points fund that included the top eight in points receiving $50,000 or more. Special awards were also handed out to drivers and crew members before the night concluded with the official coronation of a history-making champion.
2024 CHAMPION: Brandon Sheppard dreamed of being a successful racecar driver like his father, Steve. In 2024, the New Berlin, IL driver officially became the most decorated driver in World of Outlaws CASE Late Model history after earning his fifth Series championship to break a tie with Josh Richards and become the winningest champion in Series history – along with already being the winningest driver.
While Sheppard won his least amount of races for a championship year (three), he showed consistency through finishing the season with 23 top fives and 35 top-10 results.
“It feels amazing, for sure,” Sheppard said. “At the beginning, we definitely struggled in Speedweeks, but we were able to battle back from tough starts through the majority of the nights. At the end of the day, we put a good enough season. We definitely had ups and downs; we were low in the win column. I wouldn’t be up here today without my supporters, they’re the backbone to me personally.”
It’s Sheppard’s first championship as a co-owner of Sheppard Riggs Racing with Scott Riggs, and the first as the Longhorn Factory Team driver. “B-Shepp” earned $175,000 for the championship triumph.
MD3 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Dustin Sorensen came into the Series with years of experience in UMP Modifieds that includes a 2022 USMTS championship.
In his introduction to the “Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet,” the Rochester, MN native drove toward a top-10 points finish to lock up the MD3 Rookie of the Year honors entering the season finale at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
“It feels pretty good,” Sorensen said. “Looking at the rookie class at the beginning of the year, I knew it was going to be pretty tough, especially since some of those guys had more Late Model experience than me. We had a pretty good season and that was the goal at the beginning of the year as well as learn a lot. I’m definitely happy with how this year went, and I’m looking forward to next year.”
Sorensen garnered five top-five finishes and 16 top-10s – including three podiums at Brownstown Speedway, Cedar Lake Speedway, and Boothill Speedway to finish an even 10th in the final standings in 2024.
Second-place Max McLaughlin received $3,000, and third-place Rookie of the Year finisher Cody Overton earned an extra $2,000.
INTEGRA CREW CHIEF OF THE YEAR: When he was hired to be the crew chief for Ryan Gustin at Todd Cooney Racing in 2024, Tim Douglas had nothing to build off of ahead of the first race of the season at Volusia Speedway Park.
Through changes from a Longhorn Chassis at the start, to switching to an Infinity Chassis by April, Douglas and Gustin worked together to earn five Series wins, 19 top fives and 25 top-10s for a sixth-place points result in 2024.
“It was a pretty good year,” Douglas said. “I didn’t know what I was getting into after being with a team for so many years, but it turned into a very good deal, very good people, and I wouldn’t take it back for anything.
“‘The Reaper’ makes sense for a nickname because he can be pretty angry for the first few minutes after he gets out of the car. It was a learning curve between me learning his knowledge and him learning my knowledge. We were able to start dialing it in, knowing what we expected, what we wanted to see and hear, and we turned a lot of heads doing it and it turned into a successful year.”
RACING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES SPORTSMAN AWARD: The Sportsmanship Award is received to those who keep a positive attitude through thick and thin, and consistently work hard to be the best version of themselves at the racetrack each day. Colbey Richman, of Cade Dillard Racing, received the 2024 Racing With Jesus Ministries Sportsman Award for his dedication to his team, and displaying a level of kindness and honorable traits at every World of Outlaws event.
FAN FAVORITE: Brandon Sheppard has a strong level of fan support from both his Illinois home base and fans of the No. B5 throughout the country.
Due to that, the 2024 Series champion received the World of Outlaws Late Model Fan Favorite Driver Award.
“That is something I’ve kept up with on Facebook,” Sheppard said. “There is such a great group of guys running the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, and a bunch of us have tons of fans out there. We wouldn’t be where we are without the fans, so I’m super thankful for them and I appreciate it.”
SOCIAL AMBASSADOR: Bobby Pierce is a master at connecting with his “Pierce Posse” fanbase through social media, along with reaching new fans through various apps and his fiancé Abby’s social media accounts. The “Smooth Operator” received the Social Ambassador award through his promotions of World of Outlaws CASE Late Model racing action.
THE RAYE VEST AWARD: The $500 was awarded to drivers with the best and worst pill draw averages from the 2024 World of Outlaws season. It honors Raye Vest, a long-time supporter of 2011 Series champion Rick Eckert. This year’s Raye Vest Pill Draw Award recipients went to Brandon Sheppard (highest average), and Dustin Walker (lowest average).
FOX FACTORY HARD CHARGER: Nick Hoffman knew how to make a charge in 2024, and his efforts from making the most of a steep Feature start three times through the season earned the Mooresville, NC driver the Fox Factory Hard Charger Award.
DIRT KING SIMULATORS HOTTEST HOT LAP AWARD: Who says being fastest in Hot Laps doesn’t pay? Cade Dillard received the Dirt King Simulator Hottest Hot Lap Award for setting the fastest lap in the opening session four times in 2024.
ENGINE BUILDER OF THE YEAR: Super Late Model engines are a key part of the sound and thunder the World of Outlaws bring to the dirt track each night. Powering Brandon Sheppard’s No. B5 Late Model to the Series championship, Clements Racing Engines earned the 2024 Engine Builder of the Year Award.
CHASSIS BUILDER OF THE YEAR: Longhorn Chassis knew how to visit Victory Lane with the World of Outlaws in 2024 – winning 32 out of the 38 Feature races ran in 2024. For their winning ways, Longhorn received the Chassis Builder of the Year honors for the second year in a row.
Below is the list of the 15 platinum World of Outlaws competitors in 2024, where they finished in the standings, and the championship points fund check amount they received:
- Brandon Sheppard ($175,000)
- Bobby Pierce ($125,000)
- Nick Hoffman ($110,000)
- Kyle Bronson ($100,000)
- Cade Dillard ($80,000)
- Ryan Gustin ($60,000)
- Brian Shirley ($50,000)
- Tyler Bruening ($47,000)
- Dennis Erb Jr ($43,000)
- Dustin Sorensen ($40,000)
- Max McLaughlin ($37,000)
- Brent Larson ($33,000)
- Cody Overton ($25,000)
- Tristan Chamberlain ($15,000)
- Dustin Walker ($10,000)
