Matt Sheppard Scores the Pole for Sunday’s Bud Light 300
by Mandee Pauch
OSWEGO, NY — Oct. 6, 2016 — Super DIRTcar Series points leader Matt Sheppard was the only Big-Block Modified driver to break into the 22-second bracket on Thursday with a lap time of 22.783 seconds, earning him the Pole Position Raceway Fast Time Award and the pole for the Bud Light 300 on Sunday for the 45th Annual NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week.
Sixty-one Big-Block Modifieds took part in Thursday’s time trials, which locked in the top six to the starting line-up for the Bud Light 300 and the line-up for Friday night’s Triple 30s: Matt Sheppard, Tim McCreadle, Justin Haers, Danny Varin, Carey Terrance, and Brett Hearn.
Earlier in the day Sheppard timed sixth overall in the morning practice putting him in the first group to go out for time trials, where he strung together two strong laps that secured him the pole position for the Bud Light 300.
“C.C. Performance has been building us some real good power this year. We’ve got good race cars; it’s just a matter of watching the track, keeping them together and being there at the end,” said Sheppard following time trials. “It feels great. The guys have been working real hard. This definitely makes the week nicer.”
Driver of the Sweeteners Plus No. 39, Tim McCreadie moved up the charts after timing eighth overall in the morning practice to locking in the outside pole of the Bud Light 300 with a lap time of 23.124 seconds.
“It’s a lot of fun for me. I’ve driven one modified race before this race this year. It’s pretty cool to come to this race at this place. I think the last time I was here was in 1992 to watch as a fan. I’m privileged to lock in and have some fun,” McCreadie said.
Rounding out the top three was the driver of the Haers Brother Racing No. 3, Justin Haers, with a time of 23.190 seconds.
“We’ll take it. I can’t thank Bicknell enough. We bounced off some ideas back-and-forth last night before we left. We’re just tickled-pink to be locked in for Sunday,” Hears said. “I think it was very important earlier on in the day. We seemed to be consistent and one of the better cars. It’s going to be a long 300 laps, and hopefully everything will stay together.”
Completing the top-six guaranteed starters for Sunday’s event were Varin, Terrence and Hearn.
The next time out for the Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds will be during Camping World Friday Night Lights for the Triple 30s at Oswego Speedway.
Time Trial Results: 1. 9s-Matt Sheppard, 22.783; 2. 39-Tim McCreadie, 23.124; 3. 3-Justin Haers, 23.190; 4. 93-Danny Varin, 23.283; 5. 66x-Carey Terrence, 23.382; 6. 20-Brett Hearn, 23.425; 7. 19-Tim Fuller, 23.425; 8. 44-Stewart Friesen, 23.459; 9. 49-Billy Dunn, 23.461; 10. 10B-Dave Blaney, 23.544; 11. 98H-Jimmy Phelps, 23.566; 12. 3J-Marc Johnson, 23.577; 13. 99L-Larry Wight, 23.578; 14. 7x-Steve Paine, 23.618; 15. 35-Frank Cozze, 23.660; 16. 43-Keith Flach, 23.670; 17. 18H-Peter Britten, 23.681; 18. 6m-Mat Williamson, 23.688; 19. 88m-Mike Mahaney, 23.698; 20. 32c-Vic Coffey, 23.706; 21. 109-Billy Whittaker, 23.727; 22. 91-Billy Decker, 23.728; 23. 14J-Alan Johnson, 23.729; 24. 25R-Erick Rudolph, 23.749; 25. 7m-Michael Maresca, 23.793 ; 26. 1R-Ronnie Johnson, 23.794; 27. 84-Gary Tomkins, 23.797; 28. 115-Kenny Tremont, 23.840; 29. 47s-Corey Wheeler, 23.867; 30. 42p-Pat Ward, 23.918; 31. 27J-Danny Johnson, 23.922; 32. 6h-Max McLaughlin, 23.983; 33. 43h-Jimmy Horton, 24.012; 34. 22c-Mario Clair, 24.036; 35. 63R-Adam Roberts, 24.043; 36. 126-Jeff Strunk, 24.056; 37. 77-Dan Wiesner, 24.171; 38. 99-Ryan Phelps, 24.219; 39. 51m-Dominick Bufflalino, 24.238; 40. 60-Brian Berger, 24.354; 41. 23-Joey Ladouceur, 24.354; 42. 7y-Otto Sitterly, 24.410; 43. 28p-Eldon Payne, 24.460; 44. 8-Rich Scagliotta, 24.632; 45. 71-Pierre Hebert, 24.666; 46. 7s-Michael Sabia, 24.687; 47. 48T-Dave Rauscher, 24.757; 48. 3K-Tommy Kinsella, 24.757; 49. 88-Dave Allen, 24.767; 50. 02-Roy Bresnahan, 24.820; 51. 96c-Jean-Francois Corriveau, 24.876; 52. 21-Yan Bussiere, 24.990; 53. 3B-Scott Boudinot, 25.494; 54. 36-Brian Whittmore, 26.562; 55. 30-Jamie Mills, NT; 56. ONE-David Hebert, NT; 57. 01-Chris Raabe, NT; 58. 7-Rick Laubach, NT; 59. 24-Patrick Dupree, NT; 60. 39T-Ryan Bartlett, NT; 61. 19m-Jessey Mueller, DQ
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