11/6/2024
Brandon Overton partners with Longhorn Factory Team and Riggs Motorsports
Longhorn Chassis today officially announced a multiyear deal with driver Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., as Factory Team driver beginning at Dec. 5-7’s Castrol Gateway Dirt Nationals at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo.
The 33-year-old’s blockbuster move to replace Brandon Sheppard with Longhorn’s flagship team ends the Georgian’s five-year tenure at Kentucky-based Wells Motorsports as Scott Riggs becomes Overton’s new car owner under the rebranded Riggs Motorsports banner.
Overton, who piloted Longhorns until switching to the Wells-designed Infinity Chassis in 2024, will be joined by veteran crew chief Anthony Burroughs, who is set to depart SSI Motorsports following Nov. 16’s Castrol FloRacing Night in America finale at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway.
While Overton racked up more than 90 victories from 2020-24 with Wells Motorsports and Saturday captured the $50,000 Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series champion and series finale at I-75 Speedway in Sweetwater, Tenn., taking the reins of the Longhorn house car was “just hard to turn down” particularly because “everything that Burroughs does is kind of what I do” regarding team structure, Overton told DirtonDirt.com.
“The only way to do this is to do it with the right people,” the two-time Eldora Speedway Dream winner said. “We kind of got to handpick everybody, you know what I mean? To me, it’s a no-brainer. If we can put this team together, it’ll be better for Scott, better for (Longhorn's Steve) Arpin, better for Anthony, better for me. It’s too good of a deal to turn down.
“I love Eric (Wells) and David like family. As good as all this is, it’s still not an easy decision. I think it’s the right decision.”
In selecting Sheppard's replacement, Arpin said what separated Overton is “he’s an absolute hell of a race car driver, but also marketable.”
“The marketability, every time you talk with him, you don’t know what’s going to come out of his mouth,” Arpin said of Overton’s fun-loving personality. "You’re excited to talk with him. With Anthony and everything from his standpoint, he can see the talent and everything. After Anthony had a couple conversations with him, it was very clear to him that he’s the perfect guy for this role.”
Arpin added that Longhorn’s partnership with Riggs is vital because he’s “one of the most level-headed, intelligent, rational partners I could’ve ever dreamed of having.” The Factory Team will be housed at Longhorn’s China Grove headquarters — in the same building as the fabrication shop — which is important “for us to continue developing and for us continuing to move forward,” Arpin said.
The team plans to run either the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series or World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series next season.
Justin Tharp, who’ll join Burroughs from SSI, and Ryder Cantillo — the team's current tire specialist — make up the team’s road crew. Overton has upcoming tests at Senoia and Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury, N.C., as he prepares to make his debut in the sport's lone indoor race next month in St. Louis.
Sheppard, of New Berlin, Ill., on Sept. 12 announced his plans to depart the team after one season and hasn't announced his 2025 plans.
Article Credit: Kyle McFadden | DirtonDirt
