What won the race: Controlling the action from start-to-finish, Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., kicked off the Illini 100 weekend by leading all 40 laps of Friday’s preliminary feature at Farmer City Raceway. The all-time winningest driver on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series beat Tim McCreadie by 1.307 seconds to earn $12,000 for his second win of 2026 and 89th of his career on the national tour.

Quotable: “I knew getting to the lead on the start was gonna be key for sure, because Hoffman’s been good all year, man, and I know how important it is to be able to get out front and be able to run that line in one and two and then go to the top in three and four,” Sheppard said. “So I knew if he was gonna get the lead, he’d be hard to pass. But overall, as soon as we unloaded yesterday (for practice), we never made a bad lap.”

Key notes: Sheppard, whose previous WoO victory this season came on Feb. 14 at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park, will bid for his second straight and fifth overall Illini 100 finale triumph in Saturday’s 60-lap, $25,000-to-win finale. … The only driver who even drew close to Sheppard was Bobby Pierce, but the two-time Illini 100 finale winner was knocked from contention in a lap-31 tangle in lapped traffic. … Pierce’s demise came when Tyler Erb spun in turn two following contact from fellow lapped driver Brent Larson, leaving the second-running Pierce nowhere to go. Pierce hit Erb’s machine and pitted for right-front damage and was later involved in a multi-car tangle off turn four on lap 35 but soldiered to finish seventh. … McCreadie overtook Nick Hoffman for second on a lap-34 restart but couldn’t threaten Sheppard. ... Hoffman settled for third while Daulton Wilson and Ethan Dotson quietly moved forward to complete the top five. … Five caution flags slowed the feature, all coming after the first 31 laps ran uninterrupted. … The lap-35 incident also included Frank Heckenast Jr., Jason Feger, Logan Zarin and Larson. … Other cautions: Larson and Erb tangled again in turn two for a lap-32 caution; Devin Moran slid off the track while fifth-running Ryan Unzicker slowed on lap 34; and Zarin and Timmy Dick came together on lap 36. ... Brian Shirley transferred through the second consolation after spinning in his heat race; he had tagged the rear of his heat after showing up late to staging amidst confusion over which prelim he was in. ... Bob Gardner scratched for the night after engine trouble in time trials. ... Todd Morrow did not compete after announcing he is no longer following the WoO schedule.

On the move: Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, started 20th and finished 10th.

Winner's sponsors: Sheppard's Rocket Chassis has a Durham Racing Engine and sponsorship from Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Collins Brothers Towing of St. Cloud, Five Star RaceCar Bodies, Rocket Chassis, Ace Metal Works, Gunter’s Honey, Hoosier Racing Tire, Fox Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, Petroff Towing, Performance Grading, Stiles Marine & Maintenance, Sunoco Race Fuels and Rocket Preowned Motors.

Points chase: After Farmer City Friday: 1. Nick Hoffman (2,051); 2. Bobby Pierce (2,046); 3. Tim McCreadie (1,939); 4. Daulton Wilson (1,898); 5. Ryan Gustin (1,896); 6. Tyler Erb (1,885); 7. Ethan Dotson (1,874); 8. Drake Troutman (1,867); 9. Dustin Sorensen (1,807); 10. Dennis Erb Jr. (1,805); 11. Trey Mills (1,722); 12. Tristan Chamberlain (1,711).

Current weather: Clear, 48°F

Car count: 40

Fast qualifier: Brandon Sheppard

Time: 12.458 seconds

Polesitter: Nick Hoffman

Heat race winners: Bobby Pierce, Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard, Nick Hoffman,  ,  ,  ,  

Consolation race winners: Ryan Gustin, Dan Ebert,  ,  

Provisional starters: Logan Zarin, Brent Larson, Eli Johnson,  ,  

Next series race: April 11, Farmer City Raceway (Farmer City, IL) $25,000