ST. LOUIS, MO (December 2, 2021) – A pair of World of Outlaws champions are teaming up once again for the Gateway Dirt Nationals at the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Newly crowned World of Outlaws Late Model titlist Brandon Sheppard will be behind the wheel of Donny Schatz’s No. 15 Rocket. 

“I’m pretty excited. It’s a cool show. It’s different from (any other race) that we have. It’s fun to go play around on the smallest bullring track that we go to at any point,” said Sheppard in an interview with FloRacing. “I’m definitely thankful to the Schatz family for letting me drive their car again this year.”

This will mark the second time Schatz and Sheppard have joined forces for the Gateway Dirt Nationals. In the most recent running of the event in 2019, Sheppard drove from 15th in the championship feature to finish second by a half car length to Tyler Carpenter. 

“Donny is a really cool guy and a lot of fun to drive for. As far as a racer, I’ve looked up to him for a long time,” said Sheppard. “He’s won a lot of World of Outlaws championships and it’s pretty amazing some of the stuff he’s done over the years. We’ve become friends over the past five or six years and it means a lot to me to be able to drive his car. We both had a lot of fun last time we went so hopefully we can do that again and get one spot better.”

 

The temporary track of the Gateway Dirt Nationals can be a cowboy up, hang on tight, one-fifth mile oval of fun. Sheppard said he looks forward to the challenge the track can present. 

“It’s bullring racing. It’s really tight and elbows up. You’re going to get your body tore up throughout some point in the weekend. You’ve just got to get the hammers out, get it fixed and go again. That’s all you can do.”

 

Sheppard’s prelim night is tonight. If you can’t make it to the Gateway Dirt Nationals, watch live all weekend on FloRacing.com