{"id":5724,"date":"2024-02-15T02:42:23","date_gmt":"2024-02-15T06:42:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dirtcarnationals.com\/?p=5724"},"modified":"2024-04-25T11:41:34","modified_gmt":"2024-04-25T15:41:34","slug":"fortune-500-matt-sheppard-wins-opening-night-of-dirtcar-nationals-scores-500th-career-feature-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dirtcarnationals.com\/dirtcar-ne\/big-block-modifieds\/super-dirt-car-series\/fortune-500-matt-sheppard-wins-opening-night-of-dirtcar-nationals-scores-500th-career-feature-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"FORTUNE 500: Matt Sheppard Wins Opening Night of DIRTcar Nationals, Scores 500th Career Feature Victory"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Matt Sheppard opened Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals with the Super DIRTcar Series by making history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a whirlwind 30 laps of taking the lead, falling to seventh and then roaring back to the lead in 19 laps, the Waterloo, NY driver scored his 95th Series win and 500th career victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c<\/strong>It\u2019s so huge,\u201d Sheppard said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been so bad in Florida the last decade or so, we didn\u2019t even think we\u2019d be close to 500 coming to Florida. Then we picked off three wins last week and another one tonight. It\u2019s just a huge milestone, and I couldn\u2019t do it without my entire team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sheppard and Anthony Perrego brought the field to the green in the night\u2019s main event, with Sheppard gaining the advantage on Lap 1. However, that lead was short lived when a caution for Rex King Jr. slowed the field on Lap 2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the restart, the 10-time and defending Series champion went too high on the outside of Turn 1, jumping the cushion. That loss of momentum dropped him back to seventh and handed Perrego the lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Sheppard started climbing back to the front, Perrego was battling with Demetrios Drellos, who found momentum on the outside. It took two laps for Drellos to thunder around Perrego, and quickly pull away from the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, on Lap 9, heartbreak struck the Queensbury, NY driver as he slowed on the front stretch with a battery issue, handing the lead back to Perrego.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Montgomery, NY competitor drove away from the field on the restart, hoping to find his first checkered flag of the season. But like Sheppard, he went over the cushion while leading on Lap 17, allowing Erick Rudolph and \u201cSuper Matt,\u201d now back to third, to close in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s when Perrego switched lanes to the bottom, trying to stop Rudolph\u2019s momentum. However, it left the door open for Sheppard on the outside. With a wave of momentum, Sheppard stormed passed Rudolph in Turn 4 for second, setting his sights on Perrego. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As the two waged war, Perrego slid in front of Sheppard in Turn 2. But Sheppard saw it coming, swiftly moving to the bottom on the backstretch, roaring past Perrego for the lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From there, Sheppard went untouched as he scored the $5,000 prize, and 500th career Feature win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once he fell back to seventh, Sheppard\u2019s patience and experience became a significant step toward regaining the lead. He also said it allowed him to find the right lane, a decision that paid off as Perrego defended his position.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n