Shepherd Looks for Redemption and Elusive First SRL Kern County Raceway Win

Bakersfield, CA – When the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series visits Kern County Raceway Park (CA), every driver knows that they will need to contend with the 2016 Late Model track champion Buddy Shepherd. Oddly enough, Shepherd has yet to score a series victory at his home track in 15 attempts, but has finished runner-up on four occasions, which does not include his 2018 “Winter Showdown 300” runner-up effort to Kyle Busch. Three more third-place finishes show that Shepherd is good at his hometrack. On June 17th he will seek to remedy the anomaly and grab his third series victory in the $10,000-to-win “JM ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. Wild West Shootout – For Those About to Rock 107”.

Shepherd was the 2021 Spears Southwest Tour Series Rookie-of-the-Year, finishing only 13 points behind Jacob Gomes for championship runner-up honors. He has series victories at Madera Speedway (CA) and Irwindale Speedway (CA), the later last September. In this event in 2022, Shepherd battled Jace Hansen to the finish, banging doors and fenders to the end. In T3 and T4, on the last lap, Hansen used a bump and run move to take the victory from Shepherd, who led a race-high 81 of 100 laps. It was a bitter disappointment for Shepherd, who confronted Hansen in Victory Lane after the event.

As the series returns to Kern, Shepherd hopes to erase that memory from last year and grab his first victory at his home track. If he can pull it off, it will be a popular win for his hometown fans.

The “JM Environmental Inc. Wild West Shootout – For Those About to Rock 107” for the Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series will take place on June 17th and will be a single day event for the Super Late Models, Spears Modified Series, and the Spears Pro Late Models presented by Sigma Performance Services. The Super Late Models will race for $10,000, with $800 to start and $1,200 for those on the Spears Manufacturing Frequent Flyer Program. The starting lineup will be set through a Heat race, which will pay $1,000 to the winner, thanks to H&S Body Works. The Heat lineup will be based off practice times for the series, with a redraw or invert at the front of the field. The Liuna “Feel the Power” Fireworks Spectacular will also be a part of the evening.

Celebrating its twenty third season in 2023, the SPEARS Southwest Tour Series is a regional stock car series competing on paved ovals in the southwestern portion of the U.S. “The SPEARS Southwest Tour Series…Where the Champions Race”.

PC: Sal Sigala Jr.