ARCA WEST: Suspension issues leave Buddy Shepherd last in his series return
by Ben Schneider / LASTCAR.info Staff Writer
After qualifying fourth, Shepherd (No. 17) leads a pack of cars through turns 1 and 2 on the opening laps. (SCREENSHOT: Flo Racing)
Buddy Shepherd finished last for the first time in his ARCA Menards Series West career in Saturday’s NAPA Auto Parts 150 at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway when his No. 17 H&S Bodyworks & Towing Chevrolet fell out with suspension issues after completing 72 of 150 laps.
The finish came in Shepherd’s 11th career West Series start.
Despite totalling only 11 career starts, Shepherd has been making sporadic appearances in the series since 2015. His first seven starts in the then-NASCAR K&N Pro Series West came with Jefferson Pitts Racing between 2015 and 2019, running no more than one or two races a season during that time. His best finishes came in his debut season with a fifth at Shasta and a third at Meridian, while the closest he came to a last-place finish was the 2018 race at the Las Vegas Dirt Track.
Shepherd then returned to the rebranded ARCA Menards Series West in 2022, making two starts for car owner Steve McGowan. In 2023, he reunited with car owner Jerry Pitts at All American Speedway in Roseville, finishing sixth in his only start of the season. Shepherd’s first start of 2024, however, ended just before the halfway point, as suspension issues forced his Cook Racing Technologies entry behind the wall shortly before the halfway break. His weekend at Kern would end on a much more positive note as he took victory in the track’s “October Classic” and clinched the 2024 Spears SRL Southwest Tour Series championship in the process.
Shepherd celebrates his championship. (PHOTO: srlsouthwesttour.com)
In total, 19 cars appeared on the initial entry list - a 20th entry was later confirmed with Jaron Giannini returning to the No. 23 Sigma Performance Services Toyota. All 20 participated in practice and qualifying, with LASTCAR ARCA West Drivers’ Championship leader David Smith anchoring both sessions. Smith’s qualifying time was 20.100 seconds, though he was able to break into the 19-second bracket in practice with a lap of 19.856 seconds.
Following Shepherd up the running order was Kyle Keller, who moved to Jan’s Racing’s No. 9 car this past weekend. Keller brought out the caution on Lap 67 and retired from the race 10 laps later with “suspension” also listed as his the reason out. Isabella Robusto’s night ended after 87 laps due to contact with Eric Nascimento, who himself pulled behind the wall 12 laps after Robusto. Rounding out the Bottom Five was Smith, who finished the night under power 14 laps behind the leaders.
At the front of the field, for the second race in a row, a driver led all 150 laps as Sean Hingorani dominated the evening, holding off a late challenge from Venturini Motorsports teammate Brent Crews to move one step closer to defending his West Series title from 2023. Hingorani’s closest title competitors, Tyler Reif (-14 points) and Trevor Huddleston (-37 points), finished fourth and third respectively. Depending on the size of the entry list for Phoenix, Hingorani will likely only need to take the green flag at Phoenix to eliminate Huddleston from championship contention, while a finish of ninth or better should be enough to guarantee him the championship regardless of where Reif finishes.
THE BOTTOM FIVE
20) #17-Buddy Shepherd / 72 laps / suspension
19) #9-Kyle Keller / 77 laps / suspension
18) #55-Isabella Robusto / 87 laps / crash
17) #4-Eric Nascimento / 99 laps / suspension
16) #05-David Smith / 136 laps / running
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES WEST OWNERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 11 of 12)
1st) Kennealy Keller Motorsports (3)
2nd) Fierce Creature Racing, Shockwave Motorsports (2)
3rd) Nascimento Motorsports, Central Coast Racing, Jerry Pitts Racing, Cook Racing Technologies (1)
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES WEST MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 11 of 12)
1st) Chevrolet (6)
2nd) Toyota (5)
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Click HERE throughout the 2024 ARCA season to view the full drivers’ standings for both the ARCA Menards Series and its East and West divisions. You can also find the manufacturers’ and owners’ standings for all three series HERE.
2024 LASTCAR ARCA MENARDS SERIES WEST DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (After Race 11 of 12)
