Sheppard Wins First Career Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway

WHEATLAND, MO (July 12, 2025) – Brandon Sheppard started sixth and passed race leader Gordy Gundaker on lap 15 to win the 19th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals presented by Wieland on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Speedway. 

Sheppard’s win was his second of the season with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing, and it allowed him to tie with Josh Richards for 8th place on the all-time series wins list, now with 34 wins.

Once in front, Sheppard dominated the rest of the race, which was slowed only by one caution. Sheppard won by an impressive 3.775 seconds to become the 12th different winner in the event's history. Hudson O’Neal, who started alongside Sheppard in row three, finished second, with Ricky Thornton Jr. rounding out the Big River Steel Podium in third. The rest of the top five included defending track champion Justin Wells and Garrett Alberson, who started 17th.

Gundaker, who started from the Victory Fuel Pole, took the lead at the beginning of the race and held the top spot for the first 14 laps until the only caution of the race was called. Gundaker, aiming for the biggest win of his career and his first Lucas Oil victory, saw Sheppard pass him on the lap 15 restart. From that point on, Sheppard dominated the rest of the race, leading the final 36 laps unchallenged.

“This place has haunted me in my dreams many times. We finished second at the Show-Me in 2021. I’ve performed well here before. The track is very tricky and hit or miss. It requires different skills than your average race track. We’re still figuring out this new car. We're improving our consistency by trying different things each night and building on a program we’ve grown to be good at here,” said the New Berlin, Illinois native.

“Getting a win here really shows where we stand as a team. I appreciate all the fans for sticking it out. I know it looked sketchy all day from the south, but somehow we dodged the gap, and it missed us. We definitely got lucky with the weather. Wheatland was an awesome track both nights this weekend.”

O’Neal, who entered the weekend with four wins in five appearances at Lucas Oil Speedway, finished in second after moving up to that position on lap 27.

“I think I got to overdriving a little bit,” as O’Neal was asked about getting sideways near the end of the race. “I felt like I was okay, and if I could pass some of those guys, I might be able to close the gap (on Sheppard) a little bit. I was driving a bit too hard and jumped the cushion down there, almost at the opening, turned pretty sharply. I was wide open trying to get back over the banking. I think I got tired a little early, and Sheppard got too big of a lead without a caution right then, so I couldn't close in on him.”

Thornton, who won the previous night at Wheatland, outdueled Wells in the final laps as he survived a back-and-forth battle to finish on the Big River Steel Podium.

“I felt like I was pretty good. I was a little too tight early, but once it finally slowed down, I felt really good. Hats off to the track crew. I think this race, the Show-Me, is probably the best this place has raced in a long time. I know they have been working hard to improve this place. The High Limit race here was really good too. I felt like I needed to be a lot better — I mean significantly better — to beat Brandon. He was in a league of his own tonight. I believe he got by me on lap two or three, and after that, I never really saw him.” 

The winner’s Mark Richards Racing, Rocket Chassis is powered by a Durham Racing Engine and sponsored Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Franklin Enterprises, Petroff Towing, Gunter’s Honey, Performance Grading, Ace Metal Works, Sunoco Race Fuels, Collins Brothers Towing, Stiles Marine and Maintenance, Rocket 1 Pre-Owned Motors.

Completing the top ten were Daulton Wilson, Gordy Gundaker, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, and Kayden Clatt.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

19th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals presented by Wieland | Night 2

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, MO

Allstar Performance Time Trials

Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport | 15.049 seconds (Overall)

Fast Time Group B: Brandon Overton | 15.266 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 11-Gordy Gundaker[3]; 2. 71-Hudson O'Neal[5]; 3. 98-Justin Wells[4]; 4. 1XM-Aaron Marrant[2]; 5. 58-Garrett Alberson[6]; 6. 0-Jake O'Neil[7]; 7. 65-Jon Binning[8]; 8. 4W-Tyler Wolff[9]; 9. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 19M-Spencer Hughes[2]; 2. 18D-Daulton Wilson[4]; 3. 8K-Tyler Kuykendall[1]; 4. 50-Kayden Clatt[3]; 5. 11T-Trevor Gundaker[6]; 6. 93-Carson Ferguson[5]; 7. 7J-Ryan Johnson[8]; 8. 60-Dan Ebert[7]

Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[3]; 4. 56-Tony Jackson Jr[4]; 5. 1/4J-Jaxon Ertel[5]; 6. 79-Donald McIntosh[6]; 7. 15L-Payton Looney[7]; 8. 805-Rob Hough[9]; 9. (DNS) 3W-Brennon Willard

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 97-Cade Dillard[3]; 3. 96-Dalton Imhoff[2]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[4]; 5. 93L-Cory Lawler[5]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[6]; 7. 87-Darron Fuqua[7]; 8. 15-Clay Stuckey[8]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 11T-Trevor Gundaker[2]; 3. 93-Carson Ferguson[4]; 4. 0-Jake O'Neil[3]; 5. 4W-Tyler Wolff[7]; 6. 7J-Ryan Johnson[6]; 7. 60-Dan Ebert[8]; 8. 65-Jon Binning[5]; 9. 49-Jonathan Davenport[9]

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1/4J-Jaxon Ertel[1]; 2. 79-Donald McIntosh[3]; 3. 93L-Cory Lawler[2]; 4. 6-Clay Harris[4]; 5. 15L-Payton Looney[5]; 6. 87-Darron Fuqua[6]; 7. 15-Clay Stuckey[8]; 8. 805-Rob Hough[7]; 9. (DNS) 3W-Brennon Willard

19th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals presented by Wieland | Night 2 Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Pay

1 - 6 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $25,800

2 - 5 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - $10,800

3 - 4 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - $7,100

4 - 9 - 98 - Justin Wells - Aurora, MO - $4,000

5 - 17 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $4,200

6 - 7 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - $3,400

7 - 1 - 11 - Gordy Gundaker - St. Charles, MO - $2,500

8 - 23 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $3,500

9 - 2 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - $2,900

10 - 15 - 50 - Kayden Clatt - Edina, MO - $2,100

11 - 8 - 97 - Cade Dillard - Robeline, LA - $2,000

12 - 25 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $1,200

13 - 3 - 19M - Spencer Hughes - Meridian, MS - $2,500

14 - 21 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $2,400

15 - 10 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $2,600

16 - 19 - 11T - Trevor Gundaker - St. Charles, MO - $1,500

17 - 16 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - $2,300

18 - 13 - 1XM - Aaron Marrant - Richmond, MO - $1,500

19 - 24 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - $2,200

20 - 11 - 8K - Tyler Kuykendall - Warsaw, MO - $1,500

21 - 22 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - $2,200

22 - 20 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - $2,200

23 - 12 - 96 - Dalton Imhoff - Jamestown, MO - $1,500

24 - 18 - 1/4J - Jaxon Ertel - Neosho, MO - $1,500

25 - 14 - 56 - Tony Jackson Jr - Lebanon, MO - $1,500

Race Statistics  

Entrants: 34

Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Gordy Gundaker

MD3 Lap Leaders: Gordy Gundaker (1-14), Brandon Sheppard (15-50)

Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Brandon Sheppard

Wieland Feature Winner: Brandon Sheppard

Margin of Victory: 3.775 seconds

Coltman Farms Racing Cautions: Donald McIntosh (Lap 14)

Series Provisionals: Jonathan Davenport, Dan Ebert

Fast Time Provisional: n/a

Emergency Provisional: Clay Harris

Track Provisional: n/a

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Brandon Sheppard, Hudson O’Neal, Ricky Thornton Jr.

Penske Shocks Top 5: Brandon Sheppard, Hudson O’Neal, Ricky Thornton Jr., Justin Wells, Garrett Alberson

PEM 4th Place Feature: Justin Wells

DMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Garrett Alberson

Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Gordy Gundaker

Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Cade Dillard

Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Spencer Hughes

MD3 24th Place Feature: Jaxon Ertel

Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Advanced 15 Positions)

MD3 Most Laps Led: Brandon Sheppard (36 Laps)

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Brandon Sheppard

Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport

O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Daniel Hilsabeck

Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Brandon Sheppard | Lap 18 | 15.504 seconds

Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Brandon Sheppard

Fresh Roof Hard Luck Award: Jonathan Davenport

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Danny White

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Tony Jackson Jr. | 15.724 seconds

Time of Race: 17 minutes 14 seconds

Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Pay

1 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - 5485 - $261,900

2 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 5455 - $288,650

3 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 5175 - $157,275

4 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 5135 - $193,049

5 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 4975 - $118,550

6 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 4895 - $148,300

7 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - 4760 - $101,600

8 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - 4505 - $83,725

9 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 4275 - $70,325

10 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - 4085 - $56,200

11 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - 4000 - $52,025

12 - 19M - Spencer Hughes - Meridian, MS - 3725 - $50,125

13 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - 3660 - $42,900

14 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 3565 - $44,650

15 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - 3235 - $32,925