Brandon Sheppard shared some reflections after winning the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship with a second place finish in the Dirt Track World Championship at West Virginia Motor Speedway.

Sheppard had a championship season. He won nine times. Only Ricky Thornton Jr. had more wins than him with 10 and that 10th win came in the Dirt Track World Championship. On top of his nine wins, he had 28 Top 5s and 39 Top 10s in 47 features. 

His wins came throughout the year and all over the country showing the consistency that led to his championship and allowed him to move from 7th in the points standings following Speedweeks to become the champion.

He won early on in February at All-Tech Raceway during the Wieland Winternationals and then a week later at Ocala Speedway. At the end of April he took home the win at Hagerstown Speedway.

Then in May, he did some home cooking and won at Fairbury. He returned to victory lane a month later at Smoky Mountain Speedway for the first night of the Mountain Moonshine Classic. At the end of June, he got a preliminary win at Lernerville during the Firecracker 100.

As the series headed to Iowa in July he won at 34 Raceway and Shelby County Speedway. Finally, he got his last win at Florence Speedway during a North/South 100 prelim to begin August.

Sheppard reflected on the season in a post to Facebook and especially the fact that he became one of four drivers to have ever won both the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The only other drivers to accomplish that aside from Sheppard are Scott Bloomquist, Josh Richards, and Tim McCreadie.

Additionally, Sheppard looked back at the road it took him to get to the title and thanked all the people who made it possible.

He wrote, “Man… I don’t even know where to begin. I’m not sure this one has fully sunk in yet. 5X World of Outlaws Champion. 1X Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Champion. To now have my name alongside only three other drivers who have accomplished both… WOW. That’s something I never could’ve imagined. “

“I’m 33 years old, and sometimes I still feel like that little kid who grew up around race cars, dreaming about what it would be like to do this for a living. Dreaming about winning races, carrying trophies, and maybe one day being able to call myself a champion,” he continued. “I’ve been fortunate enough to live out a lot of those dreams, but this one… this one means something different.”

From there Sheppard discussed the struggles the team had coming out of Speedweeks where they were sitting 7th in points, but despite some people doubting them, they knew they had what it took.

“We knew what we had. We knew the kind of people we had working on these race cars, and we knew if we kept our heads down, stayed focused, and kept digging, we’d put ourselves in a position to fight for this championship. And that’s exactly what we did.”

“This season wasn’t perfect,” Sheppard continued. “We had our share of tough nights, bad luck, frustrations, and moments where things just didn’t go our way. But championships aren’t won by how you handle the good nights. They’re won by how you respond to the bad ones. This team never quit, never pointed fingers, and never stopped believing in what we could accomplish together.”

That teamwork, determination, and grit is what won them the championship. Sheppard explained, “As much as I’d love to take credit for this championship, the truth is, my name might be the one on the trophy, but there’s a whole lot of people who deserve to have their names on it right alongside mine.”

“First, to Mark Richards and Steve Baker: I don’t think I’ll ever be able to put into words just how much the two of you mean to me. Back in 2012, you took a chance on a young kid with a dream. You took me under your wing, gave me an opportunity that would change my life, and helped mold me into the race car driver and person I am today.”

“You’ve taught me lessons that go far beyond driving a race car,” he added. “You’ve believed in me, pushed me to be better, stood behind me through the highs and lows, and trusted me to represent something that the two of you have spent your lives building. Driving the Rocket1 house car has always been one of the biggest honors and accomplishments of my career. I know what that number means, what this organization stands for, and the expectations that come with sitting behind the wheel. I hope I’ve made you proud.”

Next, he addressed his crew, “To Danny White, Austin Hargrove, and Joel Rogers. What a freaking team. People ask me all the time what makes Rocket1 so special. What makes our program so successful? What makes our race cars so good? My answer is pretty simple. It’s the people.”

“These three guys are some of the most talented, dedicated, loyal, and hardworking people I’ve ever had the privilege of being around,” Sheppard wrote. “People see us unload at the racetrack, but they don’t see everything that goes into getting us there. The countless hours at the shop, the late nights, the early mornings, the miles on the road, the missed time at home, and the sacrifices made behind the scenes. They take as much pride in this program as anybody possibly could, and I trust them with everything I’ve got every time I climb into that race car.”

“To everyone at Rocket Chassis: Thank you for building one damn good race car. The time, innovation, dedication, and knowledge that go into making these cars what they are doesn’t go unnoticed. I’m proud to represent Rocket Chassis, and even more proud to bring another championship home to Shinnston, West Virginia.”

Next, Sheppard thanked his dad and his grandpa, “To my Dad and Grandpa: This all started with you guys. Long before there were national tours, big trophies, championship celebrations, or people wearing my name on a T-shirt, there was just a little kid who loved racing and two guys who helped turn that love into something a whole lot bigger.”

“You gave me my start,” he stated. “You spent your time, your money, and probably more patience than you ever imagined helping me chase something I loved. You taught me how to work hard, how to respect the people around me, how to take care of my equipment, and how to never forget where I came from.”

“I know there were a lot of sacrifices made along the way that I probably didn’t understand when I was younger. Looking back now, I realize just how much you poured into giving me the chance to do what I love. No matter how many races or championships I win, I’ll always be that kid who learned to love this sport because of you. I hope you both know how much this championship belongs to you, too.”

He then thanked his wife and his three children, “You guys are my entire world. I know this life isn’t always easy. I’m gone more than I’m home, our schedules are crazy, and there are a lot of days, nights, holidays, and moments that racing takes me away from you. There are birthdays, school activities, family dinners, and ordinary little moments that I don’t always get to be there for. And as much as I love racing, those are the things that are the hardest to miss.”

“Mikala, thank you for being the glue that holds everything together while I’m out here chasing my dreams. Thank you for raising our kids, running your own business, managing the chaos that comes with our life, and still finding a way to be my biggest supporter through it all,” Sheppard continued. “I know you carry a lot on your shoulders so that I can do what I love, and I probably don’t tell you enough how much I appreciate everything you do.”

“To our kids, I hope one day you look back and understand why Dad spent so many nights away from home. I hope you never question how much I love you, and I hope watching me chase my dreams teaches you that anything worth having takes hard work, determination, and a whole lot of heart. All the trophies in the world will never compare to being your dad.”

“To my race fans: Man, where do I even start? I’ve been incredibly blessed with some of the best fans in this sport,” Sheppard stated. “Some of you have been following me since I was just a kid racing around Illinois. Others have joined us somewhere along the way. But no matter when you became part of this journey, I hope you know how much your support means to me.”

“You buy the shirts, stand in the merchandise lines, travel across the country, cheer us on from the grandstands, and send encouragement when things aren’t going our way. I hope you know how proud I am to represent all of you. This championship is yours to celebrate, too,” he declared.

After thanking his various sponsors, he congratulated Ricky Thornton Jr. on his second Dirt Track World Championship win and Josh Rice on his Rookie of the Year achievement. He then reflected, “I’ve learned that the older I get, the more I realize just how special these moments are. Championships are hard to win. Opportunities like this don’t come around every day. And nothing about this sport is ever guaranteed.”

“So I’m going to enjoy this one. I’m going to soak it all in, appreciate the people who got us here, and be thankful that I still get to wake up every day [and] do what I love,” he continued. “2026 LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES CHAMPIONS. Still doesn’t feel real.”

While Sheppard will be soaking in the 2026 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship, his 2026 season is far from over. He still has a FloRacing Night in America Series championship that he’s chasing. He currently leads the points standings over Hudson O’Neal and Devin Moran. He has a 21-point advantage over O’Neal and a 39-point advantage over Moran. 

The series is next in action at Volunteer Speedway on Thursday, October 22nd and then concludes with a doubleheader at Senoia Raceway on November 13-14. Additionally, the Rocket1 Team plans to compete with the World of Outlaws at the World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte from November 4-7. 

NEXT: Dirt Late Model Power Rankings Top 10 For Week Ending October 18th: Ricky Thornton Jr. Is Ascendant