Brandon Sheppard capitalized on a fierce battle between Ryan Gustin and Devin Moran, slipping past both drivers with six laps remaining to capture Thursday night’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Malvern Bank Go 50 at Shelby County Speedway.
Much like the previous two Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events at Shelby County Speedway, the outcome wasn’t decided until the closing laps. Sheppard pocketed the $15,000 winner’s prize while earning his series-leading eighth victory of the season.
Nick Hoffman, who ran fourth for much of the race, charged to second during the closing laps. Gustin, who paced the field for 42 of the race’s 50 laps, rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third.
Moran, who briefly wrestled the lead away from Gustin on laps 40 and 43, finished fourth, while Brian Shirley completed the top five.
The victory marked the 43rd Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series triumph of Sheppard’s career and extended his championship points lead. It also marked the fourth consecutive LOLMDS event to feature at least three different race leaders during the feature.
“I was getting a heck of a show watching those two (Gustin and Moran) out front,” Sheppard said. “They were racing each other hard there, and I just felt myself slipping in the top. At some point, I knew I was going to have to move down, and there was no better time than when those two were racing each other like that. I was running around trying to see if there was anything in the bottom because, in turns one and two especially, I was losing time up there. Then we got so deep into lapped traffic that it became harder to pass on the top. The bottom started to come in, and that’s when I found a clean spot in turns three and four.”
Hoffman rebounded from a heartbreaking finish Tuesday night at Adams County Speedway, where he led the majority of the race before trailing smoke over the final 10 laps and finishing third in Corning, Iowa.
“It was getting pretty western up there,” Hoffman said. “I looked at the board, and we had about 10 laps to go, and I thought we still weren’t out of this deal. Depending on what they were going to do, they were throwing some haymakers and elbows. It was getting pretty aggressive. Sheppy was able to snooker them there to get by them, and then I was there a couple of laps later. I just wasn’t good enough. Once I cleared them, I fell in line behind Sheppy. Our stuff was really good. I don’t know what we could have done differently. We were fast around the top early, and then finally we got to move around. Man, that was one of the funnest races I’ve run all year.”
Gustin, who was looking for his second career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory, settled for third after battling Moran throughout the second half of the race. The pair ran one-two for much of the feature before Sheppard capitalized on their side-by-side fight during the closing laps.
“It was just really full-contact late model racing,” Gustin said. “It’s not the way I try to race. I try to race clean, but man, he (Moran) didn’t really do anything wrong. You’ve got to log that stuff in the back of your head when you get run over time and time again, and when it’s time to give it back, you give it back.”
The winning Mark Richards Racing, Rocket Chassis was powered by a Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Ace Metal Works, Performance Grading, Petroff Towing, Franklin Enterprises, Sunoco Race Fuels, FOX Shocks, Gunter’s Honey, Stiles Marine and Maintenance, and Collins Brothers Towing.
Completing the top 10 were Ricky Thornton Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Josh Rice, Max Blair, and Dennis Erb Jr.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Malvern Bank Go 50
Thursday, July 16, 2026
Shelby County Speedway | Harlan, IA
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Devin Moran | 14.264 seconds (Overall)
Fast Time Group B: Ryan Gustin | 14.408 seconds
Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[1]; 2. 157-Mike Marlar[5]; 3. 44M-Chris Madden[3]; 4. 99 18-Jesse Sobbing[4]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson[7]; 6. 22M-Charlie McKenna[8]; 7. 6-Clay Harris[2]; 8. 4-JC Wyman[6]; 9. 10-Junior Coover[9]
Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 3S-Brian Shirley[1]; 2. 17SS-Brenden Smith[2]; 3. 53-Andrew Kosiski[3]; 4. 18J-Chase Junghans[4]; 5. 17SR-Brody Smith[5]; 6. 35D-Dylan Sillman[8]; 7. 93L-Cory Lawler[6]; 8. 4TW-Tim Ward[7]; 9. (DNS) 45D-Dan Battaglia
Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 111-Max Blair[3]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[5]; 3. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[1]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[2]; 5. 10T-Jeff Tharp[7]; 6. 32X-Chris Simpson[4]; 7. 24C-Brandon Conkwright[6]; 8. 80-Allan Hopp[8]
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 19R-Ryan Gustin[1]; 2. 15D-Justin Duty[3]; 3. 71-Hudson O’Neal[4]; 4. 15-Clay Stuckey[6]; 5. 25-Chad Simpson[5]; 6. 60-Dan Ebert[2]; 7. 93-Carson Ferguson[7]; 8. 43-Derrick Stewart[9]; 9. 51W-JT Wasmund[8]
MyRacePass Heat Race #5 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 9H-Nick Hoffman[1]; 2. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[3]; 3. 16-Tyler Bruening[2]; 4. 13-Dallon Murty[5]; 5. 49-Jonathan Davenport[4]; 6. Z76-Zach Zeitner[7]; 7. 9-Tim McCreadie[6]; 8. 21H-Brett Hopp[8]; 9. 3-Mike Collins[9]
Lucas Oil Products Heat Race #6 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 2. 8-Dillon McCowan[2]; 3. 04-Tad Pospisil[3]; 4. 58-Garrett Alberson[7]; 5. 11-Josh Rice[4]; 6. 01-Jacob Hobscheidt[6]; 7. 15C-Curt Schroeder[8]; 8. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[5]
Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[3]; 2. 18J-Chase Junghans[2]; 3. 17SR-Brody Smith[5]; 4. 40B-Kyle Bronson[4]; 5. 32X-Chris Simpson[9]; 6. 93L-Cory Lawler[11]; 7. 10T-Jeff Tharp[6]; 8. 6-Clay Harris[10]; 9. 4-JC Wyman[13]; 10. 99 18-Jesse Sobbing[1]; 11. 35D-Dylan Sillman[8]; 12. 4TW-Tim Ward[14]; 13. 22M-Charlie McKenna[7]; 14. 24C-Brandon Conkwright[12]; 15. 80-Allan Hopp[15]; 16. 45D-Dan Battaglia[17]; 17. 10-Junior Coover[16]
UNOH B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 2. 15-Clay Stuckey[1]; 3. 11-Josh Rice[6]; 4. 49-Jonathan Davenport[5]; 5. 13-Dallon Murty[2]; 6. 60-Dan Ebert[7]; 7. 01-Jacob Hobscheidt[9]; 8. 9-Tim McCreadie[11]; 9. 93-Carson Ferguson[10]; 10. Z76-Zach Zeitner[8]; 11. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[15]; 12. 43-Derrick Stewart[13]; 13. 51W-JT Wasmund[16]; 14. 21H-Brett Hopp[14]; 15. 15C-Curt Schroeder[12]; 16. 3-Mike Collins[17]; 17. 25-Chad Simpson[4]
Malvern Bank Go 50 | Feature Finish (50 Laps):
Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings
1 – 6 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $15,000
2 – 4 – 9H – Nick Hoffman – Mooresville, NC – $8,000
3 – 2 – 19R – Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – $5,000
4 – 1 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $3,500
5 – 3 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $3,000
6 – 23 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $2,700
7 – 14 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $2,500
8 – 24 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – $2,400
9 – 5 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $2,100
10 – 10 – 28 – Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – $2,000
11 – 7 – 157 – Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – $1,900
12 – 9 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – $1,800
13 – 25 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – $600
14 – 11 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $1,600
15 – 20 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $1,500
16 – 22 – 15 – Clay Stuckey – Shreveport, LA – $1,450
17 – 19 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $1,400
18 – 18 – 4 – Tad Pospisil – Norfolk, NE – $1,350
19 – 13 – 44M – Chris Madden – Gray Court, SC – $1,300
20 – 17 – 76N – Blair Nothdurft – Renner, SD – $1,250
21 – 26 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $100
22 – 28 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $100
23 – 12 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – $1,200
24 – 27 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $100
25 – 8 – 15D – Justin Duty – Molalla, OR – $1,200
26 – 15 – 53 – Andrew Kosiski – Lavista, NE – $1,200
27 – 16 – 16 – Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – $1,300
28 – 21 – 18J – Chase Junghans – Manhattan, KS – $1,200
Race Statistics
Entrants: 52
Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Devin Moran
MD3 Lap Leaders: Ryan Gustin (Laps 1-44); Brandon Sheppard (Laps 45-50)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Ryan Gustin
Wieland Feature Winner: Brandon Sheppard
Margin of Victory: 0.606 seconds
Hellraizer Jacks Cautions: Tyler Bruening (Lap 12)
MyRacePass Series Provisional: Ricky Thornton, Jr.; Josh Rice
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisionals: Kyle Bronson; Clay Harris; Carson Ferguson; Dan Ebert
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Brandon Sheppard, Nick Hoffman, Ryan Gustin
Penske Shocks Top 5: Brandon Sheppard, Nick Hoffman, Ryan Gustin, Devin Moran, Brian Shirley
Behrent’s One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Brandon Sheppard, Nick Hoffman, Ryan Gustin
PEM 4th Place Feature: Devin Moran
Diversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Brian Shirley
Wilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Hudson O’Neal
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Mike Marlar
Velocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Kyle Bronson
XS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Garrett Alberson
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Advanced 17 positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Ryan Gustin (44 Laps)
Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Brandon Sheppard
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Sheppard
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Josh Rice
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Ryan Gustin | Lap 4 | 14.517 seconds
FK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Tyler Bruening
Victory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Brandon Sheppard
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Danny White
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: | seconds
Time of Race: 26 minutes 39 seconds
Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP:
Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Earnings
1 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 5405 – $228,900
2 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 5280 – $205,550
3 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 5180 – $268,924
4 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 4955 – $113,700
5 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 4865 – $122,475
6 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 4725 – $133,625
7 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 4685 – $104,725
8 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – 4560 – $91,275
9 – 3s – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 4550 – $81,950
10 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 4360 – $68,575
11 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 4265 – $80,950
12 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 4220 – $68,900
13 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – 4090 – $91,400
14 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 4055 – $66,550
15 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 3720 – $51,375
16 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 3445 – $38,925
17 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 3185 – $25,475
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