November 2, 2023 | By Michelina Friss, Super DIRTcar Series PR

Sheppard, Phelps Score Big Block Modified Pole Awards on World Finals Qualifying Night

CONCORD, N.C. — The Super DIRTcar Series Big Blocks kicked off four nights of racing at the World of Outlaws World Finals with the Low-E Insulation Qualifying night to lock in positions for Thursday and Friday’s Heat Races.

Jimmy Phelps earned the Billy Whittaker Cars and Trux Fast Time Award in Thursday’s qualifying session with a 16.296 second lap, while nine-time and defending Series champion Matt Sheppard earned the pole award in Friday’s qualifying session with a 16.676 second lap.

Both will also be on the pole for their Heat Races on Thursday and Friday as Sheppard timed second quickest overall in Thursday’s Group A session and Phelps was quickest in Friday’s Group B session.

“(The Dirt Track at Charlotte) is one of those places where you really never know what you have,” Phelps said. “It’s exciting to come off the truck fast. Hopefully, we can translate that into a Friday night top-qualifying effort that’s just as good and we can keep ourselves up front. Anytime you can put yourself up front in the Heat Race, it’s definitely where you want to be.”

Their qualifying efforts also helped boast their points prospects with Fast Time awarding five points. Phelps bumped himself from fifth to fourth place in points with his Fast Time Award, giving him a three-point advantage over now fifth-place Mike Mahaney.

Sheppard extended his points lead over second-place Mat Williamson to 77 going into Thursday’s Heat Races. Williamson won two of three races at the 2022 event and will look to replicate the same success as the week progresses.

“I think (tonight) was our best Qualifying effort down here,” Williamson said. “Obviously, we lost five points to Matt (Sheppard) with him going (Fast Time) in the second session there, but I think our car is going to race better than we time. It always does. So, we’ll see. All we can do is try to go out and win three races.”

Williamson will also be a Heat Race polesitter on Thursday and Friday by timing first quick in Thursday’s Group B session and second quick in Friday’s Group A session.

Alex Payne will be the fourth pole-sitter for Thursday’s Heat Races and Anthony Perrego will be the fourth pole-sitter for Friday’s Heat Races.

UP NEXT: The Super DIRTcar Series Big Blocks will return for night two of the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Thursday, Nov. 2, in a 30-lap, $10,000-to-win, showcase event.


Qualifying Group A Thursday (2 Laps): 1. 98H-Jimmy Phelps, 00:16.296[20]; 2. 9S-Matt Sheppard, 00:16.470[16]; 3. 19-Tim Fuller, 00:16.490[10]; 4. 26-Ryan Godown, 00:16.541[11]; 5. 91D-Billy Decker, 00:16.573[17]; 6. 21A-Peter Britten, 00:16.629[14]; 7. 2A-Mike Gular, 00:16.764[23]; 8. 111-Demetrios Drellos, 00:16.773[4]; 9. 5-Tyler Siri, 00:16.776[13]; 10. 35-Mike Mahaney, 00:16.781[3]; 11. 25-Erick Rudolph, 00:16.823[6]; 12. 91-Felix Roy, 00:16.862[7]; 13. 5H-Chris Hile, 00:16.882[12]; 14. 27J-Danny Johnson, 00:16.895[15]; 15. 48T-Dave Rauscher, 00:16.895[19]; 16. 21M-Bob Mcgannon, 00:16.973[18]; 17. 28-Michael Trautschold, 00:17.029[21]; 18. 14-CG Morey, 00:17.115[8]; 19. 11A-Kyle Armstrong, 00:17.137[1]; 20. 83X-Tim Sears Jr, 00:17.160[5]; 21. 18-Ryan Macartney, 00:17.187[9]; 22. 124-Mario Clair, 00:17.370[2]; 23. (DNS) 12-Darren Smith, 00:17.370

Qualifying Group B Thursday (2 Laps): 1. 88-Mat Williamson, 00:16.580[9]; 2. 70A-Alex Payne, 00:16.628[5]; 3. 84Y-Alex Yankowski, 00:16.635[17]; 4. 4SL-Bob Hentschel, 00:16.659[8]; 5. 215-Adam Pierson, 00:16.675[18]; 6. 4*-Anthony Perrego, 00:16.732[13]; 7. 8H-Max McLaughlin, 00:16.771[1]; 8. ONE-David Hebert, 00:16.795[20]; 9. 29-Matt Caprara, 00:16.838[16]; 10. 54-Steve Bernard, 00:16.927[3]; 11. 33-Louden Reimert, 00:16.991[7]; 12. 2-Jack Lehner, 00:17.017[10]; 13. JS98-Rocky Warner, 00:17.032[14]; 14. 99L-Larry Wight, 00:17.146[22]; 15. 410-Mike Fowler, 00:17.216[6]; 16. 52-Jessica Power, 00:17.219[2]; 17. 17-Marcus Dinkins, 00:17.363[12]; 18. 92-Dexter Stacey, 00:17.366[4]; 19. 66-Corbin Millar, 00:17.635[19]; 20. 82-Wally Wade, 00:17.728[11]; 21. 66W-Wallace Stacey, 00:17.734[21]; 22. (DNS) 8S-Rich Scagliotta, 00:17.734

Qualifying Group A Friday (2 Laps): 1. 9S-Matt Sheppard, 00:16.676[13]; 2. 88-Mat Williamson, 00:16.790[17]; 3. 83X-Tim Sears Jr, 00:16.855[21]; 4. 25-Erick Rudolph, 00:16.991[2]; 5. 54-Steve Bernard, 00:17.130[14]; 6. 26-Ryan Godown, 00:17.173[16]; 7. 33-Louden Reimert, 00:17.197[7]; 8. 2A-Mike Gular, 00:17.230[15]; 9. 99L-Larry Wight, 00:17.381[11]; 10. 111-Demetrios Drellos, 00:17.391[1]; 11. 35-Mike Mahaney, 00:17.418[22]; 12. 410-Mike Fowler, 00:17.428[9]; 13. 48T-Dave Rauscher, 00:17.464[20]; 14. 2-Jack Lehner, 00:17.470[8]; 15. 29-Matt Caprara, 00:17.513[10]; 16. JS98-Rocky Warner, 00:17.609[3]; 17. 12-Darren Smith, 00:17.680[4]; 18. 28-Michael Trautschold, 00:17.680[23]; 19. 124-Mario Clair, 00:17.687[6]; 20. 14-CG Morey, 00:17.766[5]; 21. 17-Marcus Dinkins, 00:17.795[18]; 22. 66W-Wallace Stacey, 00:17.874[19]; 23. (DNS) 8S-Rich Scagliotta, 00:17.874

Qualifying Group B Friday (2 Laps): 1. 98H-Jimmy Phelps, 00:16.841[17]; 2. 4*-Anthony Perrego, 00:16.948[10]; 3. 8H-Max McLaughlin, 00:16.996[2]; 4. 19-Tim Fuller, 00:17.041[13]; 5. ONE-David Hebert, 00:17.059[3]; 6. 91-Felix Roy, 00:17.070[1]; 7. 70A-Alex Payne, 00:17.178[21]; 8. 21A-Peter Britten, 00:17.256[22]; 9. 91D-Billy Decker, 00:17.292[7]; 10. 4SL-Bob Hentschel, 00:17.302[12]; 11. 84Y-Alex Yankowski, 00:17.374[16]; 12. 27J-Danny Johnson, 00:17.417[6]; 13. 215-Adam Pierson, 00:17.450[5]; 14. 5H-Chris Hile, 00:17.470[14]; 15. 5-Tyler Siri, 00:17.482[19]; 16. 92-Dexter Stacey, 00:17.580[18]; 17. 18-Ryan Macartney, 00:17.642[11]; 18. 52-Jessica Power, 00:17.745[4]; 19. 21M-Bob Mcgannon, 00:17.751[20]; 20. 66-Corbin Millar, 00:17.798[8]; 21. 11A-Kyle Armstrong, 00:17.799[15]; 22. 82-Wally Wade, 00:17.969[9]