Buddy Shepherd Seeks to Continue His Drive Forward with Home Track Win
Bakersfield, CA – Buddy Shepherd has earned a multitude of success in a Late Model with race wins, championships, and rookie honors. His Super Late Model resume is impressive as well with the Rookie-of-the-Year Award in the Spears Srl Southwest Tour Series, a SRL win at Madera Speedway, and a runner-up finish to Kyle Busch in the “Winter Showdown 300” at Kern County Raceway Park. Having been in the championship hunt in 2021, earning three runner-up finishes to Derek Thorn, Shepherd had a streak of bad luck late in the season, dropping him to third in the championship standings. That bad luck streak followed him into 2022, but he and his team have rebounded, showing their true potential.
After consecutive third place finishes, Shepherd will now head to his home track, Kern County Raceway Park, to compete in the “JM Environmental Inc. Wild West Shootout Flick the Switch – Bulwark ‘FR 100” for a $10,000 win. The 2016 undefeated Late Model Track Champion has worked his way from 23rd in the SRL standings to fifth, after Round #4. Shepherd is thrilled to return to the ½-mile tri-oval, after scoring his best career Irwindale Speedway finish, in the last event.
“I’m real excited to be back in my own back yard”, Shepherd stated. “We tried a few things at Irwindale and found some great speed there. We are going to take those same concepts to Kern and do our best to have a good night on the 18th.”
A good night could find Shepherd back in Victory Lane, in his 30th career series start. Since his Madera Speedway victory back in 2017, he has come close on multiple occasions, and it is surprising that he has not made a return trip. June 18th could be that occasion with help from his team and sponsors.
“I can’t thank my sponsors, friends, and family enough for all their help and support, getting us to the racetrack for these great SRL events here on the West Coast.”
Shepherd is sponsored by Martin Auto Color, Inc., Doby Hagar Trucking Inc, Advanced Distribution, and Schaeffer’s Racing Oil.
The 10th Annual Bulwark ‘FR Firecracker weekend will see all three divisions of the SRL compete. The Spears Pro Late Models presented by Sigma Performance Services will compete for $5,400 and the Spears Modified Series $2,000. Thanks to John Moore, and JM Environmental Inc., the Super Late Models will go after a $10,000 win.
Admission Gates officially open at 5:00 pm. Qualifying for the Modifieds is scheduled for 5:20 pm followed by the Pro Late Models and Super Late Models. Opening Ceremonies commence at 7:00 pm. The Spears Modifieds will open by running the General Tire 60 presented by PFC Brakes”. The Pro Late Models will race for $5,400 in the “Sigma Performance Services 54” and the Super Late Models will round out the racing with the $10,000-to-win “JM Environmental Inc. Wild West Shootout Flick the Switch – Bulwark ‘FR 100”. The Luina “Feel the Power” Fireworks Spectacular will round out the evening’s activities.
Celebrating its twenty-second season in 2022, 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”.
