Brandon Sheppard, Longhorn Factory Team Parting Ways After 2024 Season

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

it was Sheppard. People forget Sheppard has been in that car three different times and left all three times because he wanted to be closer to home.

I thought he was a temporary fill in for Josh?

[bleedblue55]

Shep did fill in one year. His first race with Rocket 1 was at Elkins and I was there. Josh dabbled in ARCA and NASCAR in 2007 and 2009-2012. He had a stretch with Best Performance when he came back. Side note-Shep didn't qualify for the feature the first night and that was against local competition.

[Josh Bayko]

I thought he was a temporary fill in for Josh?

It was supposed to be that way but he got homesick and left before Josh came back.

[Pennsboro32]

I thought he was a temporary fill in for Josh?

The first time he was, when Josh had the hand issue right?

[Pennsboro32]

Shep did fill in one year. His first race with Rocket 1 was at Elkins and I was there. Josh dabbled in ARCA and NASCAR in 2007 and 2009-2012. He had a stretch with Best Performance when he came back. Side note-Shep didn't qualify for the feature the first night and that was against local competition.

Are you sure about that?

if my memory is correct. The first weekend sheppard was in that car he ran Wayne County on Friday night and then Tyler county topless 50 on Saturday night. I believe he finished 2nd at Wayne and either second or third at Tyler behind Jake and maybe Marlar. I’d have to really do some digging to be sure.

[bleedblue55]

It was supposed to be that way but he got homesick and left before Josh came back.

Give it a break, when's the first time you saw Shep filling in for Josh

[bleedblue55]

Are you sure about that?

if my memory is correct. The first weekend sheppard was in that car he ran Wayne County on Friday night and then Tyler county topless 50 on Saturday night. I believe he finished 2nd at Wayne and either second or third at Tyler behind Jake and maybe Marlar. I’d have to really do some digging to be sure.

50.5 sure, I don't study records just recall from the races I've attended

[Josh Bayko]

Give it a break, when's the first time you saw Shep filling in for Josh

There was a year that Josh ran through Florida, then Tim Fuller ran two races in it, then Sheppard took over (maybe 12 or13) IIRC, Josh ended up coming back and ended that run. Then there was 2014, when Josh was out the whole year, Sheppard started the year and got homesick early and Eckert filled in. Then there was this recent run, 2017-2022 and that one also ended up leaving again because he was homesick.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

The first time he was, when Josh had the hand issue right?

Yes, that's what I'm thinking about.

[84wedge]

Tim Fuller ran two races in it,

The big block guy?

[Josh Bayko]

The big block guy?

Yeah. It was also the year Fuller was trying to make a go of it on his own in super lates after splitting from the Gypsum Express team. It was just one weekend.

[riddle28]

The whole chassis game goes in cycles. Rocket has the market saturated, along came the Rumley Longhorn and it’s been a 9-10 year migration from Rocket. Now Longhorn has the market saturated and teams are looking for a chassis to migrate to next. IMO if Wells and McDowell’s wanted to take on more business/customers, we could see some parity with teams shifting to Team Zero, XR1.2 and Infinity.

Also my opinion……Sheppard is an average driver outside of his Rocket1 years.

If thats the case then josh was below average. Also, Rumley is a smart guy but seems to have lost his edge the last few years. SRR shouldve been the dream team on paper this year

[Jking24]

The whole chassis game goes in cycles. Rocket has the market saturated, along came the Rumley Longhorn and it’s been a 9-10 year migration from Rocket. Now Longhorn has the market saturated and teams are looking for a chassis to migrate to next. IMO if Wells and McDowell’s wanted to take on more business/customers, we could see some parity with teams shifting to Team Zero, XR1.2 and Infinity.

Also my opinion……Sheppard is an average driver outside of his Rocket1 years.

Are you referring to when he was a teenager and just started running up and down the road ? He was very good in the best car for his experience level and age being on a tour with mostly tracks he'dnever seen. He was nothing short of spectacular in the rocket house car and this year and last year are his only "average" years. The guy is only 30. I'm not his biggest fan but to say he's average is laughable he's won the dtwc twice at two different tracks and neither of witch was in the rocket house car. Not many average drivers have done that.

[Pennsboro32]

Sheppard isn’t average lol.

but I get it, it’s a what have you done for me recently sport.

I imagine he’ll be really good next year.

[MRM]

A lot of these drivers say they're cutting back, hate being gone all the time, etc. Most step back or away for a bit until they realize they need a real job then go back to racing full time. Going to be a few more dominoes to fall with these driver changes.