Buddy Shepherd Looks to Rebound at All American Speedway for a $10,000 Payday
Bakersfield, CA – Through seven of 10 events on the Spears Srl Southwest Tour Series schedule in 2021, Buddy Shepherd looked like a championship contender, sitting second in the standings, within striking range of Derek Thorn. Shepherd exhibited consistency throughout the season to that point, but two DNF’s in the final three events sunk his hopes of a championship and dropped him to third in the final standings. Another mechanical DNF, to start the season, has put the 2021 Rookie-of-the-Year in an early hole, but on March 5th, he will return to a track which has treated the three-time Madera Speedway Nut-Up Pro Late Model champion well.
Shepherd is a former $10,000 winner at ALL AMERICAN SPEEDWAY – ROSEVILLE CA in the Late Model Division. He scored two runner-up finishes in SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series competition in 2021. The $10,000-to-win “JM Environmental Inc. Wild West Shootout Back in Business 127” would be the perfect opportunity to bounce back from his recent poor luck. In this same event in 2021, Shepherd led a race-high 72 laps, but was forced to pit, after contact with Derek Thorn caused body damage to his Chevy Camaro. He recovered over the final laps to finish second. He also finished second in the penultimate event of the season, also to Derek Thorn. He therefore feels confident heading to Roseville, if luck is on his side.
“I feel good about going back to All American”, Shepherd stated. “We had really good speed there last year and just needed some luck. I can’t thank everyone enough that’s behind me on the 22 ride that helps us go racing week in and week out.”
When March 5th rolls around, Shepherd will certainly be one of the favorites, as he renews his battles from Madera with 2018 SRL Champion Jeremy Doss. With Thorn not scheduled to compete in this event, the field will be wide open, with any number of competitors ready to claim the rich prize.
Admission Gates for the $10,000-to-win “JM Environmental Inc. Wild West Shootout Back in Business 127” will open at 4:00 PM. The SPEARS SRL Southwest Tour Series will be joined by the SPEARS Pro Late Models presented by Sigma Performance Services and the SPEARS Modified Series. The local Mini Cup / Bandolero Division, F4 Division and Super Stocks will also join the action. Qualifying will begin at 3:55 PM with Opening Ceremonies scheduled at 5:00 PM. The Feature events will begin shortly thereafter with the SPEARS Modified Series closing out the evenings action.
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”.
