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Matt Sheppard finishes third, extends points lead to 39 over Mat Williamson
By Mike Warren
Photo Joe Grabianowski
Growing up, Alex Payne dreamed of reaching Super DIRTcar Series Victory Lane.
That dream became a reality Thursday night at Brockville Ontario Speedway. The Rookie of the Year contender held off challenges from Matt Sheppard and Anthony Perrego to win the Canadian Classic, earning his first Super DIRTcar Series win.
After fist-pumping with joy on the roof of his Big Block in Victory Lane, the 18-year-old driver broke out in tears, overcome with emotion from what he accomplished.
“I don’t know if I’ve figured out a word yet to describe it,” Payne said. “It sounds crazy, but it’s absolutely unbelievable. It’s so hard at this level with these guys to find yourself in a position (to win).
“I was nervous the whole race, and then we had the red, and I was like, it’s over; there’s no way I’m holding these guys off. Then the laps kept counting down, and I heard Matt there next to me. But it’s unbelievable.”
Jimmy Phelps, the SRI Performance and Stock Car Steel Redraw Bonus winner, led the field to the green in the 75-lap Feature, aiming for his second win of 2024. The Baldwinsville, NY driver paced the first 18 laps of the Feature before a yellow flag for Tim Fuller and Danny Johnson on Lap 16, putting Payne outside of him on the restart.
When the race resumed, Payne needed two corners to power around Phelps’ No. 98H. With a burst of speed, he cleared the “Baldwinsville Bandit” down the backstretch, taking the lead on Lap 19.
The Hopewell, NY driver quickly drove away from the field, jumping to a full straightaway lead over Perrego, who passed Phelps on Lap 25.
However, Payne almost lost the lead on Lap 32. With a three-second advantage, he went too high in Turn 3, sending his Bicknell Chassis over the banking. Luckily, he regrouped as he exited Turn 4, re-entering the track ahead of Perrego.
While Payne and Perrego battled for first, Sheppard charged forward behind them from 15th. After picking up five positions in the race’s first 18 laps, he gained five more by Lap 30 to enter the top five.
Then, the Waterloo, NY driver continued moving forward, getting by Felix Roy and Phelps to reach a podium position by Lap 42.
Sheppard’s opportunity to catch the top two came on Lap 49 after a red flag for Ryan Arbuthnot, who flipped on the front stretch.
When the green flag came back out on Lap 50, Payne drove away, leaving Perrego to fend off Sheppard. “Super Matt” tried multiple lanes to get by Perrego, finally passing him on the inside of Turn 4 on Lap 57.
He needed three more laps to catch Payne, reaching the back bumper of the No. 70A on Lap 60.
Sheppard tried the inside and outside lanes, hoping to sneak by Payne for the lead. But every time, Payne defended his lead, whether sliding in front of him on the outside line or shutting the door on Sheppard’s momentum on the inside.
After six laps of trying, Sheppard’s chances for a second Brockville victory ended abruptly. Like Payne earlier in the race, Sheppard slid off the banking in Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 66, allowing Payne to get away and Perrego to drive by.
“I thought I was just about to go around him on the outside,” Sheppard said. “Then he swapped lanes in front of me, and we started battling through traffic. I took a run at the outside of him into (Turn) 3, and he slid up a little bit, and I kind of slid up a little bit too high, and I just got over the edge.”
From there, Payne went untouched to score his first Super DIRTcar Series triumph, worth $7,500.
Despite the Victory, Payne said he knew he almost lost the race when he went off the edge of the track on Lap 32.
“I missed my mark in (Turn 3), Payne said. “I didn’t have enough front brake in the car and I just drove off. When I came back out, I hoped I was still in the top five. I went down the backstretch and said, where are they? I couldn’t believe I was still leading.
“I knew I was one of the ones that found the outside early. Once we all evened out, I didn’t know how it would play out. But as the laps wound down, I felt I was getting better.”
Perrego crossed the line second, his first Super DIRTcar Series podium since the Hall of Fame 100 at Weedsport Speedway in July.
After getting by Phelps, Perrego said his car came to life in the race’s second half.
“It seemed like about Lap 40, our stuff really got going,” Perrego said. “I was struggling a little bit on where to be, and Alex showed us where that outside was. I got rolling pretty good, and in lap traffic was dogging him.
“But he did a really good job tonight behind the wheel. In lap traffic, our car came to life, and it seemed like when we had cold tires, we just weren’t as good.”
Sheppard rounded out the podium. Despite his miscue while racing for the lead, the reigning Series champion was the race’s hard charger moving up 12 positions. He also extended his points lead to 39 over Mat Williamson, who finished seventh.
After struggling in Qualifying, Sheppard said he was surprised to contend for the win.
“This car was absolutely awful all night long,” Sheppard said. “Usually, when you qualify bad here, you have a bad night. Starting back there in the 15th, I realistically was hoping for a top 10, but a top five might be a stretch. And then we got rolling in that middle part of the race and found ourselves up there and then your mindset changes quite a bit.”
Tim Sears Jr. finished fourth, his second consecutive top five finish, and Phelps finished fifth.
UP NEXT: The Super DIRTcar Series returns to Can-Am Speedway in LaFargeville, NY, on Friday, Sept. 6, for the R.D. Hutchinson Memorial. The race will be 67 laps, paying $7,567-to-win.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all of the Super DIRTcar Series action on DIRTVision, either online or with the DIRTVision app.
Canadian Classic (75 Laps): 1. 70A-Alex Payne[5]; 2. 4-Anthony Perrego[3]; 3. 9S-Matt Sheppard[15]; 4. 83X-Tim Sears Jr[10]; 5. 98H-Jimmy Phelps[1]; 6. 91-Felix Roy[7]; 7. 88-Mat Williamson[8]; 8. ONE-David Hebert[11]; 9. 35-Mike Mahaney[14]; 10. 17X-Tristan Draper[17]; 11. 11-Matt Caprara[2]; 12. 12-Darren Smith[23]; 13. 44F-Johnathon Ferguson[22]; 14. 2-Jack Lehner[9]; 15. 28C-Samuel Charland[18]; 16. 27JR-Daniel Johnson[16]; 17. 99L-Larry Wight[12]; 18. 15X-Justin Stone[26]; 19. 17-Marcus Dinkins[24]; 20. 15B-Brianna Ladouceur[20]; 21. 66X-Carey Terrance[21]; 22. (DNF) R70-Ryan Arbuthnot[13]; 23. (DNF) 66D-Kyle Dingwall[19]; 24. (DNF) 14-CG Morey[25]; 25. (DNF) 27J-Danny Johnson[6]; 26. (DNF) 19-Tim Fuller[4]
Contingency Awards:
JAM Performance Fastest Hot Lap Award: Tim Sears Jr. ($100)
Billy Whittaker Cars Quick Time Award: Alex Payne ($100)
VP Racing Fuels Award: David Hebert ($50)
ARP Bolts Award: Tim Sears Jr. ($50)
ASI Racewear Award: Darren Smith ($50)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Award: Alex Payne ($50)
Cometic Gasket Award: Darren Smith $50
Comp Cams Award: Mike Mahaney ($50)
DIG Racing Products: Mike Mahaney ($50)
Fox Factory Award: Anthony Perrego ($50)
MSD Award: Jimmy Phelps ($50)
Swift Springs Award: Felix Roy ($50)
Weld Racing Wheels Award: Anthony Perrego ($50)
Hoosier Racing Tire Award: Mat Williamson (Free Tire)
SRI Performance/Stock Car Steel Redraw Bonus: Jimmy Phelps ($100)
Post Race Tech: Torque Arms, Shocks, Multiple chain limiters were checked on the top five. All cars passed.
