Buddy Shepherd – 2024 SRL Champion
Bakersfield, CA – Buddy Shepherd was in contention for the 2021 SRL Southwest Tour Series championship as a rookie, ultimately earning the Rookie-of-the-Year title and third in the championship standings. In 2024, he finished his mission, earning the championship after grabbing two wins in six starts. It came down to the final lap of the season at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway (CA). Shepherd entered the finale with a slim one-point advantage over Blaine Rocha. The Bakersfield, CA driver proceeded to lead every lap and grab the victory, two positions ahead of Rocha.
Shepherd was able to lead 151 laps in three events in 2024. He finished every lap during the season and did not finish worse than seventh. His five top five finishes tied both Rocha and Dylan Zampa, while also grabbing a RaceCals Fast Time Award at the season finale. Shepherd now has five career series victories to go along with 26 top five’s (9th all-time), 34 top 10’s (17th all-time), 23 top five qualifying efforts (10th all-time), 642 laps led (6th all-time), and $88,101 in earnings (9th all-time) in 45 career starts. His career average in finishing results of 6.89 (8th all-time) and qualifying average of 6.69 (15th all-time) are also strong.
Sheperd began his season with a third in the “All-Star Showdown” at Irwindale Speedway (CA). He was a winner at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway, before another third at Colorado National Speedway (CO). He finished fourth in his first trip to Redwood Acres Raceway (CA), before his worst finish of the season of seventh at The New Stockton 99 Speedway (CA). He closed out the season by sweeping the Kern events, earning $24,776 over the course of the six-race schedule.
Shepherd was grateful for the opportunity to compete for the championship in 2024 and credits his supporters for his success.
“I would really like to thank Hall Ambulance, Doby Hagar Trucking, Port City Racecars, as well as my mom, dad, and everyone else who is involved getting me to the track this season.”
Celebrating its’ twenty fifth season in 2025, the SRL 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”.
