| Morgan Shepherd | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Shepherd atBristol Motor Speedway in 2019 | |||||||
| Born | Clay Morgan Shepherd (1941-10-12)October 12, 1941 (age 84) Ferguson, North Carolina, U.S. | ||||||
| Achievements | 1980NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Division Champion Oldest driver to start aNASCAR Cup Series race (72 years, 9 months, and 1 day) | ||||||
| Awards | 2005NMPA Man of the Year | ||||||
| NASCARCup Series career | |||||||
| 517 races run over 29 years | |||||||
| 2014 position | 72nd | ||||||
| Best finish | 5th (1990) | ||||||
| First race | 1970Hickory 276 (Hickory) | ||||||
| Last race | 2014Camping World RV Sales 301 (New Hampshire) | ||||||
| First win | 1981Virginia 500 (Martinsville) | ||||||
| Last win | 1993Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 (Atlanta) | ||||||
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| NASCARO'Reilly Auto Parts Series career | |||||||
| 453 races run over 33 years | |||||||
| 2019 position | 61st | ||||||
| Best finish | 11th (1982) | ||||||
| First race | 1982Mountain Dew 300 (Hickory) | ||||||
| Last race | 2019Indiana 250 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| First win | 1982Sunkist 200 (Hickory) | ||||||
| Last win | 1988Kroger 200 (IRP) | ||||||
| |||||||
| NASCARCraftsman Truck Series career | |||||||
| 57 races run over 8 years | |||||||
| 2015 position | 102nd | ||||||
| Best finish | 24th (2002) | ||||||
| First race | 1997NAPA Autocare 200 (Nazareth) | ||||||
| Last race | 2015Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 (Atlanta) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Statistics up to date as of November 18, 2019. | |||||||
Clay Morgan Shepherd (born October 12, 1941) is an American former professionalstock car racing driver and team owner. He last competed part-time in theNASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 89Chevrolet Camaro forShepherd Racing Ventures. He is aborn againChristian who serves as a lay minister to the racing community. He competed in NASCAR for over 50 years, having one of the longest careers in the sport.
Shepherd became the second-oldest race winner (afterHarry Gant) in1993, when he won the spring race atAtlanta at the age of 51 years, four months, and 27 days. He holds the record for oldest driver to start a race in NASCAR's top three series at age 77, as well as oldest starter in the NASCAR Cup Series race at the2014 Camping World RV Sales 301 at age 72.[1]
Shepherd's racing career began in 1967 when he started racingLate models atHickory Motor Speedway nearby his home. Shepherd proved to be fast but he crashed out quite often in his early days. In 1968, Shepherd started racing full-time at a Hobby division in Hickory, driving a 1955Chevy.[2] In 1969, Shepherd won 21 out of 29 races. Shepherd drove the same car this time with a 1957 Chevy body on the car. After winning seven races early in the year he wrecked, which almost destroyed his car. Shepherd did not win another race that year after putting a 1966 Chevy body on the car. Shepherd later sold this car toHarry Gant.[2]
Shepherd's career was on its way in 1970. He built his own cars and raced at several different racetracks in the Southeast. Personal problems during the seventies slowed down Shepherd's career. In areligious experience, Shepherd acceptedChrist as his personal savior. He was looking to get control of his life, and his career got back on track in 1975. Shepherd took every racing opportunity he was offered and drove for seventeen different car owners during 1975. He finished second in the NASCAR Sportsman national championship toL. D. Ottinger. At last, Shepherd got his big break in 1978 after he met Cliff Stewart, who owned a western North Carolina furniture factory. With Stewart as his owner, Shepherd won the 1980 NASCAR Sportsman Series (now known as theXfinity Series). During this year, Shepherd won nine races and finished second 21 times. The Shepherd-Stewart combo moved to what was then theWinston Cup Series for the1981 season.[2]
Shepherd made his Winston Cup Series debut in1970 atHickory Motor Speedway, driving the No. 93Chevy for Bill Flowers. He started tenth but finished nineteenth out of twenty-two cars due to rear-end failure. Shepherd made two more starts for Flowers that year but failed to finish in both of them. His best finish that year was a fourteenth place at Hickory.[3]
Shepherd would not return to the Cup Series until1977, driving aMercury for Jim Makar. He first attempted the Daytona 500 that year but he failed to make the race. Later that year Shepherd took his first top-ten finish atDover International Speedway. He also ran two additional races atCharlotte Motor Speedway andAtlanta Motor Speedway.[4] Shepherd stayed with Makar for the1978 season, qualifying for his first Daytona 500. Shepherd started the race in 37th place but only finished 40th when his engine failed after only eight laps. He only ran one additional race that season, finishing twelfth atCharlotte.[5] Shepherd only attempted theDaytona 500 with Makar in1979, but failed to make the race.[6]
Shepherd moved to the Winston Cup Series full-time in1981, driving the No. 5Pontiac for Cliff Stewart. They missed the first two races of the season, Riverside and theDaytona 500. Shepherd took pole position in his first race for Stewart atRichmond, finishing the race in fourth position. A few races later Shepherd won his first Winston Cup race atMartinsville. The win marked the first win for Pontiac in eighteen years.[7] Shepherd dominated the race and led a total of 203 laps. Shepherd left Stewart's team after theTalladega 500 after he had a falling out with his team. For the next race at Michigan Shepherd drove for Bud Reeder his team. Shepherd qualified in the fourteenth position but retired from the race after he crashed on lap twenty. For the next couple of races Shepherd drove forCecil Gordon and his team, finishing in the top ten atNorth Wilkesboro andCharlotte. During the last part of the season, Shepherd also drove some races for Ron Benfield. Shepherd finished thirteenth in points with ten top-ten finishes.[8]
Shepherd moved to Benfield's team full-time in1982, driving the No. 98Buick. Although Shepherd did not win a race that season, he scored six top-five finishes with a best finish of third atBristol early in the season. Shepherd also won the pole atNashville andAtlanta, respectively, but retired from both those races with engine troubles. Shepherd finished tenth in points that season with a total of thirteen top-ten finishes.[9]
Shepherd started the1983 season without a full-time ride. He tried to qualify for theDaytona 500 driving for Bud Reeder; however, he failed to make the race. Shepherd then drove the Richmond 400 for Wayne Beahr but did not finish the race. Shepherd returned toCecil Gordon for theTranSouth 500 and later drove theVirginia National Bank 500 forEmanuel Zervakis. After that race, Shepherd drove forJim Stacy's team for the rest of the season. Shepherd scored thirteen top-ten finishes during the rest of the season, with a best finish of second atFirecracker 400. His abbreviated season dropped Shepherd to twentieth in the final points standings.[10]
For the next couple of years, Shepherd did not have a full-time ride and practically picked up whatever he could find. Shepherd started off his1984 season atRichmond driving the No. 2Buick for Robert Harrington. Shepherd drove two races for Charlie Henderson early in the season. He also drove four races forDick Bahre his team, with a best finish of seventeenth at the1984 World 600. Shepherd made one start forPhil Barkdoll atMichigan finishing the race in the 22nd position. After driving the No. 6Buick forD. K. Ulrich and the No. 52Chevy forJimmy Means, Shepherd drove six races forRoger Hamby. Shepherd had two top twenty finished for Hamby, with a best finish of twelfth atRichmond. Shepherd made another start for Ulrich atCharlotte, before rounding off the season driving the No. 98 Chevy for Ron Benfield. Shepherd scored his only top ten finish that season atRockingham, finishing in sixth position.[11]
Shepherd finished his firstDaytona 500 in1985, driving the No. 67Chrysler forBuddy Arrington. Shepherd spent the rest of the season going from ride to ride. He returned to the team of Dick Bahre, driving the No. 23 Chevy atRockingham. He also made a start forPetty Enterprises at theTranSouth 500. Shepherd fielded his own car atTalladega, finishing the race in thirteenth place. Shepherd made four races for Bobby Hawkins, with a best finish of fifth atAtlanta. He made most of his starts that season for Helen Rae Smith, but failed to finish all of those seven races.[12]
Shepherd moved to the team of Jack Beebe in1986, driving on a part-time basis. He had a good start to the season, finishing fourth at the1986 Goodwrench 500. At the next race inAtlanta, Shepherd led 97 laps and held offDale Earnhardt to win his second career Winston Cup race.[13] Shepherd got very emotional at the final laps of the race. "I was trying not to cry. I knew I had to keep my self-control because we were so close to finally winning a big one, a major race. My racing career was nearly gone just a year before, and I was getting ready to win a big one."[2] Shepherd made ten more starts for Beebe that season, scoring four top-ten finishes. After making several starts forRahMoc Enterprises mid-season, he moved to the team full-time after theSouthern 500. Shepherd scored two additional top-ten finishes for RahMoc Enterprises and finished the season eighteenth in points.[14]
Shepherd joinedKing Racing for the1987 season, driving the No. 26Quaker StateBuick Lesabre owned by drag racing legendKenny Bernstein. It was the first time in Shepherd's Cup career that he competed in every scheduled event. Shepherd scored eleven top-ten finishes; seven of those were in the top five. He also scored his fourth career pole stMartinsville. He led the early part of that race but retired after engine problems. His best finish of the season was at theCoca-Cola 600, where Shepherd finished second toKyle Petty.[15]
Shepherd switched to Tom Winkle's team for the1988 season. Shepherd had a good start to the season, with a pole atRichmond and a top-ten atRockingham. However, after that race Shepherd started racing for his own team, driving a Buick. After failing to finish a race with his own team he moved toMach 1 Racing, replacing the injuredHarry Gant. Shepherd led 110 laps atDover, eventually finishing second toBill Elliott. After Gant returned Shepherd again replaced an injured driver, this timeNeil Bonnett atRahMoc Enterprises. In his first race for this team, atPocono, Shepherd took his second pole of the year. After posting two top-tens in the No. 88Oldsmobile forBuddy Baker, Shepherd finished out the year in his own No. 57, before his team was purchased by RahMoc for the season finale.[16]
He returned to RahMoc for the1989 season. Shepherd scored thirteen top-ten finishes during the season. He led the most laps at theTalladega DieHard 500 but eventually finished the race in sixth place. Shepherd took his final career pole atWatkins Glen. He led the early parts of that race but lost his chance of winning the race after contact withGeoff Bodine. Shepherd's best finish of the season was two second-place finishes at thePepsi 400 and theChampion Spark Plug 400. It was only the second time in his career Shepherd competed in every scheduled event. He finished thirteenth in the final points standings.[17]
Shepherd moved toBud Moore Engineering for the1990 season, driving the No. 15Ford. He had a great start to the season finishing in the top ten in each of the first eleven races. Shepherd took the championship lead for the first (and only) time in his career after theBudweiser 500. He had a difficult midseason, losing the points lead and dropping to tenth in the standings after theTyson Holly Farms 400. Shepherd ended his season on a high after winning his third career race at the season finale atAtlanta. He finished fifth in the final points standings, which would turn out to be a career-high.[18]
He stayed withBud Moore for the1991 season, but had a more up and down season than the year before. Although Shepherd scored fourteen top-ten finishes he could not compete for regular top-five finishes during the season. His best finish of the season was two third-place finishes late in the season. He had his best run of the season atNorth Wilkesboro, where Shepherd led a total of 41 laps and just missed out on the win. Shepherd dropped to twelfth in the final points standings. After the season Shepherd left Bud Moore Engineering and moved to theWood Brothers for the1992 season.[19]
Shepherd joinedWood Brothers Racing in 1992, driving the No. 21Citgo Ford. He came short of winning theDaytona 500, finishing second toDavey Allison.[20] Even though Shepherd scored eleven top-ten finishes during the season he dropped to fourteenth in the final points standings.[21] Shepherd had a good run atDover early in the season, where he led 52 laps, but he dropped back at the end of the race.
"Morgan's a much better driver than he gets credit for," says famed car owner Leonard Wood. "I thought he did a great job for us. The thing about him was the longer the race went green the better he looked. He was tough. And he was a great chassis (setup) guy."
Shepherd improved to seventh in points in1993. Shepherd scored a total of fifteen top-ten finishes during the season.[23] He became the second-oldest race winner when he won the spring race atAtlanta at the age of 51 years, four months, and 27 days. Shepherd took the race lead with twelve laps to go and cruised across the finish line.[24] It turned out to be Shepherd's final Winston Cup Series win. TheWood Brothers would not return to Victory Lane untilElliott Sadler won theFood City 500 in2001.
Shepherd continued his good run for the Wood Brothers in1994. He equaled his career-best top-tens in one season with sixteen, nine of those were top-five finishes. Shepherd came close to winning his fourth race atAtlanta, but just came short and finished second toErnie Irvan. Shepherd also came close to winning theMello Yello 500 at the end of the season but was passed byDale Jarrett during the last four laps of the race. Shepherd finished sixth in the final points standings with a career-best 4029 points in a season.[25]
Shepherd stayed with the Wood Brothers for the1995 season. He had a decent season but dropped to eleventh in the points standings. Shepherd scored ten top-ten finishes during the season.[26] He had his best run atLoudon, where Shepherd finished second toJeff Gordon. After the 1995 season, Shepherd was replaced byMichael Waltrip, as Citgo wanted a younger driver. At that time Shepherd was 53 years old.[2]
Shepherd signed forButch Mock Motorsports to drive for them in the1996 season, driving their No. 75Ford with sponsorship fromRemington Arms.[27] Shepherd scored five top-tens during the season, with a best finish of fifth at theBrickyard 400. He also had a good run going at theMiller 400, where Shepherd led 44 laps in the early part of the race. Shepherd finished nineteenth in the final points standings.[28] Despite a solid season, Shepherd decided to leave the No. 75 team at the end of the season. 1996 would also turn out to be Shepherd's last season where he competed in every scheduled event.
Shepherd moved toPrecision Products Racing for the1997 season, driving the No. 1Pontiac.[29] Shepherd finished tenth at theGoodwrench Service 400, scoring his first top-ten of the year. He had his best run of the season inAtlanta. Shepherd looked strong all race and was a contender for the win, but eventually he finished the race in third place. This was Shepherd's last top-five finish in Winston Cup competition.[30] Shepherd finished ninth at theCoca-Cola 600. This would turn out to be Shepherd's last top ten finish in Cup racing. After thePocono 500, Shepherd left Precision Products Racing and switched toJasper Motorsports, driving their No. 77 Ford.[31] Shepherd struggled at Jasper Motorsports and only managed to qualify for five of the eleven races he entered with the team. After failing to qualify for theExide NASCAR Select Batteries 400, he departed and rejoined PPR, now withR+L Carriers sponsorship.[32] His best finish for the rest of the season was a twelfth place atTalladega Superspeedway.[33]
After beginning1998 without a ride, Shepherd brought out his own team to attempt the races atRockingham,Atlanta andDarlington, but his No. 05 Pontiac failed to qualify in all three races. In the following race at Bristol, Shepherd drove the No. 46First Union Chevy forTeam SABCO, finishing 24th, before substituting forMike Skinner for two races, finishing eleventh at Martinsville. Shepherd also had a good run atTalladega, where he qualified in fifth place. After another race for SABCO and a one-off deal forStavola Brothers Racing atMichigan International Speedway, where he finished 43rd, Shepherd spent most of the season withLJ Racing, his best finish fifteenth at theBrickyard 400. He left the team late in the season and closed the year in the No. 8 Chevy for the Stavola Brothers. Shepherd had a good run and was running in the top ten, until he made contact withJeff Gordon and wrecked, finishing 39th.[34]
Shepherd attempted the1999 Daytona 500 forPinnacle Motorsports, but he failed to make the race. He made his only Cup start that season the following week at North Carolina in the No. 90Ford Taurus forDonlavey Racing, where he started 39th and finished 32nd, five laps down. In May 1999, Shepherd announced he was partnering withRhea Fain to field the No. 05Wendy's Pontiac. After the team failed to qualify for theCoca-Cola 600, the partnership dissolved, and Shepherd failed in each of his attempts to qualify for a Cup race that season.[35]
Shepherd only attempted one race in2000, driving the No. 80 Ford forHover Motorsports in the season finale atAtlanta. He failed to make the race as Shepherd set the 49th-fastest time in qualifying.[36] Shepherd returned to Hover Motorsports for the2001 Daytona 500, but failed to qualify. Shepherd also attempted the season finale atLoudon driving for his own team, but he failed to make the race.[37][38]
Shepherd started racing for his own team on a part-time basis in2002, driving the No. 89Ford. He attempted his first race atLoudon, qualifying in 43rd position. Shepherd finished the race in fortieth position. As his team practically received no sponsorship money, Shepherd was unable to compete for full races and he often had topark early to save money and resources. At the next race inPocono, Shepherd qualified 43rd and finished 42nd, after leading during a rain delay. He made six more attempts in the No. 89 and qualified for three of them, with his best finish of 40th atKansas. Shepherd also made two additional starts forWare Racing Enterprises, but he failed to make the race atDover andTalladega.[39]
Shepherd had to cut back on his Cup schedule in2003 and only attempted seven races that year. He started his season at thePocono 500, but was the slowest car in qualifying and did not make the race. Shepherd did make the race at theNew England 300 where he parked after 43 laps and finished in last position.[40] He qualified in 42nd place at the next race inPocono, but only run for 44 laps and finished in 43rd. Shepherd attempted four additional races that season but failed to make any of those races.[41]
For the2004 seasonShepherd Racing Ventures switched toDodge. The team increased their schedule, attempting 32 of the 36 races. Shepherd had a good start to the season, qualifying for the first race he attempted atLas Vegas. The No. 89 team did not have sufficient sponsorship money to complete the races, so Shepherd sometimes had to park his car early to save money. Shepherd had his best run at the spring race ofMartinsville, finishing in 32nd position. Shepherd last finished a Cup race in 1999. Shepherd also ran the full race at the summerDaytona race, finishing in 33rd place. Shepherd qualified for nineteen races that year. Shepherd started his five-hundredth Cup start at theSiemens 300 at theNew Hampshire International Speedway. He qualified in 41st position and finished in fortieth place after running 192 of the 300 laps. He finished 42nd in the final points standings.[42]
As Shepherd and his team received almost no money from sponsors whatsoever, they had to cut back on their2005 schedule. Shepherd attempted to qualify for the2005 Daytona 500 but missed the race after he was caught up in a wreck during theGatorade Duels. This was a big blow to Shepherd's season as he needed the prize money to compete in all the races. Shepherd qualified for the next race he entered atLas Vegas. This was a much-needed break as his team needed the prize money to keep racing. Shepherd eventually managed to qualify for four of the 21 races he entered that season. He finished 63rd in the 2005 points standings.[43]
Shepherd's struggles continued in2006. His team had to cut on their schedule and only entered fifteen races that year. Shepherd failed to qualify for the first nine races he entered in 2006. He made his first race of the year at theChevy Rock & Roll 400, where he finished 43rd. The following week, he qualified for theSylvania 300 and finished 42nd. Shepherd failed to make any additional races for the rest of the year. He finished 66th in the final points standings.[44] Shepherd shut down his Cup team after the season and moved to theBusch Series for2007.
Shepherd ran theCamping World RV Sales 301 atNew Hampshire Motor Speedway forBrian Keselowski Motorsports, his first Sprint Cup race since 2006, becoming the oldest driver to race in the Sprint Cup at an age of 71 years, nine months and two days, and breaking the previous record held byJim Fitzgerald, who ran atRiverside International Raceway in 1987 at age 65.[45] Shepherd started 41st[46] and finished in the same spot in a start-and-park effort,[47] completing 92 of 301 laps.[48]
Shepherd attempted to make the2014 Daytona 500 in the No. 93 forBK Racing in collaboration withMacDonald Motorsports, but failed to qualify.[49] Had he made the race, he would have been the oldest driver in Daytona 500 history.[50] Atthe following race atPhoenix, Shepherd droveJoe Nemechek's No. 87 Toyota, extending his record as the oldest driver to compete in a Cup Series race.[51]
Shepherd also ran the2014 Camping World RV Sales 301 forCircle Sport Racing. He was the subject of aJoey Logano complaint when the 24-year old Logano was involved in an accident with Shepherd.[52] Logano argued, "I feel like there should be a driving test before you get out in a Cup car to make sure you know how to drive before you drive one ... If you're ten laps down, what are you even doing?"[52] NASCAR defended Shepherd, saying his speed was monitored and he ran at a reasonable pace. Logano was credited with a 40th-place finish while Shepherd, who was the last car running, albeit 27 laps behind the leaders, finished 39th.[53] Shepherd had last finished a Cup race at the2004 Pepsi 400.
Shepherd made his Busch Series debut atHickory Motor Speedway in1982, the series' inaugural season. That year, he drove twelve races forEd Whitaker. At Hickory, Shepherd won his first race in only his second start in the series. Later that season, he won atIndianapolis Raceway Park. Shepherd scored a total of eight top-five finishes that season, also earning the pole position twice. Despite only starting twelve of the twenty-nine races in the schedule, Shepherd finished eleventh in the final points standings for that year.
In 1983 Shepherd drove eighteen races for Whitaker, winning at Bristol andRichmond International Raceway, but dropping to eighteenth in the final standings. Additionally, Shepherd started from the pole atCharlotte. For 1984 Shepherd moved to Lindy White Racing. Shepherd finished in the top-ten six times that season, winning a total of three races at Bristol,Indianapolis Raceway Park, and Martinsville. He stayed with Lindy White for 1985 but had a difficult season. Due to mechanical problems Shepherd only finished three of the eleven races he started that season.
Shepherd had his best Busch series season in 1986, winning four races, all of them for Whitaker. He won atMartinsville,Bristol,Dover andRockingham. Shepherd also made his first start for his own team atMartinsville, but retired at lap 133 due to steering problems.
Shepherd continued to enter his own car for the 1987 season, driving the No. 97Buick. He started the year with a fifth-place finish atDaytona. A few races later atBristol, Shepherd won his first race of the season. AtOxford he drove the No. 68Pontiac for Dale Shaw. Shepherd dominated the early part of the race but retired from the race on 101 after an axle broke on the car. AtRoad Atlanta Shepherd scored his second win of the season. It was the only time in his career that he won on a road course. AtDarlington Shepherd led 42 laps but finished second to Harry Gant. Shepherd won final race of the season atRockingham after a photo finish withGeoff Bodine.[54]Shepherd struggled in the1988 season as his team was afflicted by mechanical issues and crashes throughout the year; An engine failure atDaytona after Shepherd led the early laps, retiring from the lead atDarlington after transmission problems, a crash atNazareth after leading 31 laps and another engine failure atDover after Shepherd had led the early part of that race. The highlight of the season was a lone win atIndianapolis Raceway Park after Shepherd took the lead with seven laps to go. It was the final Busch win of Shepherd's career.
Shepherd cut back on his Busch schedule in1989, only running two races in his No. 97. He also made two starts forDavid Pearson, winning the pole atBristol. Shepherd dominated the early part of that race but retired halfway through the race after having handling issues. In1990 Shepherd made three starts in his No. 97Ford with a best finish of third atRockingham. He also made nine starts forMike Swaim finishing fourth at Nazareth andLoudon. For1991 Shepherd increased his schedule to sixteen races with sponsorship from Texas Pete Sauces. His season, however, was plagued by mechanical problems and Shepherd only finished four races, with a best of fifth atRichmond.
After he ran three races in his No. 97 Ford in1992, Shepherd renumbered his car to match the No. 21 he drove for the Wood Brothers in the Cup series. Shepherd had a good run going at Loudon but retired after 203 laps. His best finish of the season was a third-place at Charlotte. Shepherd continued to race his No. 21 Ford till the1995 season. He struggled to get results and could only score three top-ten finishes in sixteen races.
Shepherd made two starts forBobby Jones Racing in the1996 season, but he failed to finish any of those races. Shepherd returned to Jones for two races in1997 with a best finish of sixteenth at Bristol. Shepherd also entered his own car for two races but only managed to qualify for the race atMichigan. In1998 Shepherd made one start for Mac Martin atFort Worth. Shepherd also entered his own car for two races but failed to qualify for both of those races.
For1999 partnered with Bruce Hanusosky to form High Tech Performance. The team planned to run at least fifteen races but after Shepherd failed to qualify for the first two attempts the partnership dissolved. Later that season Shepherd made two attempts for Ed Whitaker but he failed to qualify for those races as well. Shepherd joinedXpress Motorsports for the race atRockingham and qualified in the eleventh position. In the race, Shepherd scored his most recent top-ten finish with a tenth place finish. For the next two seasons, Shepherd attempted occasional races with different owners but he failed to make any of those races.
Shepherd joinedDavis Motorsports for the2003 season, driving their No. 0 and No. 70Chevy. Shepherd qualified for ten of twelve races he entered with the team. His best finish was an eleventh place finish atTalladega. Later in the season, Shepherd partnered with Dayne Miller. Shepherd only qualified for four of the ten races he entered with Miller. In2004 Shepherd made nine attempts with a bunch of different teams. Shepherd only qualified for two races and he failed to finish any of those. In2006 Shepherd returned to Davis Motorsports and made five starts in a start and park effort.
After several years of competing part-time for several teams, Shepherd began fielding his No. 89 in 2007. Shepherd would start and park the majority of the schedule but did qualify for sixteen of the twenty races he attempted in his self owned Dodge. He also ran five races forJD Motorsports. For 2008, Shepherd announced intentions to run the full Nationwide Series schedule for the first time in his career. While he would miss the opening race at Daytona, Shepherd would rebound, making the next 7 races before missing the race at Mexico City. The following week at Talladega, Shepherd would finish thirteenth, his best finish in the series since 2003. It would also elevate the No. 89 team to the top-thirty in points, locking them into the races. Unfortunately, 2007 would end on a sour note, with Shepherd and team missing four of the final five races of the season. 2009 would see a big change come to the team, with Shepherd leaving Dodge, who he had been with primarily since 2004, and joining Chevrolet. At Daytona, Shepherd would secure a starting spot in the race, his first Daytona February start in the series since 1994. The first half of 2009 would see Shepherd only miss races, and score a best finish of thirteenth at Las Vegas. The second half of the season would once again prove difficult, missing eleven races. 2010 would start with mixed results, a strong showing at Daytona was followed by two straight DNQs. Shepherd and his team would receive a big break. Following the release ofJohn Wes Townley fromRichard Childress Racing,Zaxby's, which is owned by Townley's father, cut back sponsorship of the No. 21 team. Childress would make a deal with Shepherd and his team, Faith Motorsports. The alliance would run as Shepherd Racing Ventures and would allow Shepherd to drive the 21 car to keep it up in owner points, as well as run full-time with limited sponsorship from Zaxby's. The 89 Faith Motorsports Chevy would run as a start and park effort when Shepherd was behind the 21.
For 2011, the 89 would return full-time under the Shepherd Racing Ventures moniker, with the RCR/SVR 21 becoming the 89. This would guarantee the 89 into the first five races of the season. 2011 would be one of his strongest seasons, running all 33 races, as well as having sponsorship for the majority of the season. However, Shepherd and team's success would turn sour late in the season, as mechanical failures and accidents would plague Shepherd. During the 2011 Wypall 200 at Phoenix, Shepherd was en route to his best finish of the season. However, he was caught up in a late incident.
The2012 season turned out to be a real struggle for Shepherd. The team lacked owner points and Shepherd had to qualify on time for the races. Because of that, they missed ten races. The team also lacked sponsorship and in most races the team only had one set of tires and could only run the race for as long as that set of tires lasted. Shepherd only finished two races that season. He did become the oldest driver to lead a Nationwide Series race when he led three laps at Richmond. Shepherd dropped to 29th in the final point standings.
Shepherd's struggles continued in2013. Before the start of the seasonNASCAR cut the Nationwide field to forty cars.[55] This was a big blow to Shepherd and his team as it was now even harder to qualify for the races. After failing to qualify for the first two races he attempted that season, Shepherd announced that the lack of sponsorship forced him to scale back on his schedule. He stated that he did not know if or when he would be attending another race event in 2013 due to non-funding.[56] Shepherd returned atRichmond, but again failed to make the race. Shepherd did qualify for the next race atTalladega, but retired on lap 72 because of a fuel pressure problem. He would qualify for seven additional races that season, finishing only once at the fall race at Dover.
Shepherd became the oldest driver to lead a Nationwide Series race at the age of seventy when he led three laps in the 2012Virginia 529 College Savings 250 atRichmond International Raceway. Shepherd extended this record when he led one lap in the 2016Sparks Energy 300 atTalladega Superspeedway. Shepherd was 74 during this race, he again extended the record when he led during the 2016Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona.[57] The record was extended once more during the 2017VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at theDarlington Raceway at age 75.
According to Shepherd, he had a spiritual awakening on February 23, 1975.[58] After years of extramarital affairs and excessive drinking, he was returning fromSpeedweeks when he discovered that his third wife had left him. Following a week of partying, Shepherd awoke that Sunday and vowed to change his life for the better, explaining in a 2005 interview, "When I got done praying, I'm not kidding you, I felt like I could jump straight through the roof. It was like a load was taken off of me and life has not been the same since."[59]
Shepherd has been married to his wife, Cindy since 1994.[59] He has six children and ten grandchildren.[60] When not at the race track, Shepherd is involved in several religious causes, and also hosts a charity event for disabled Americans during the offseason.[61]
In November 2020, Shepherd revealed that he had been diagnosed withParkinson's disease.[62]
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| NASCAR Grand National Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | NGNC | Pts | Ref |
| 1970 | Bill Flowers Racing | 93 | Chevy | RSD | DAY | DAY | DAY | RCH | CAR | SVH | ATL | BRI | TAL | NWS | CLB | DAR | BLV | LGY | CLT | SMR | MAR | MCH | RSD | HCY 19 | KPT | GPS | DAY | AST | TPN | TRN | BRI | SMR | NSV | ATL | CLB | ONA | MCH | TAL | BGS | SBO | DAR | HCY 14 | RCH | DOV | NCF | NWS | CLT | MAR | MGR 20 | CAR | LGY | 90th | 69 | [63] |
* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
| Daytona Dash Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | NDDS | Pts | Ref |
| 1985 | N/A | 44 | Chevy | DAY | LAN | GRE | CLT | ODS | LAN | BIR | MMS | ROU 1 | SBO | STH | ODS | HCY | CLT 4 | 49th | 160 | [112] |
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | ABSC | Pts | Ref |
| 1985 | Lindy White Racing | 1 | Buick | ATL | DAY | ATL | TAL | ATL | SSP | IRP 9 | CSP | FRS | IRP | OEF | ISF | DSF | TOL | 122nd | - | [113] | ||||||
| 2000 | Hover Motorsports | 80 | Ford | DAY | SLM | AND | CLT 39 | KIL | FRS | MCH 36 | POC 7 | TOL | KEN | BLN | POC 6 | WIN | ISF | KEN | DSF | SLM | CLT DNQ | TAL | ATL 28 | 47th | 595 | [114] |
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | NASCAR Late Model Sportsman Division Champion 1980 | Succeeded by |