Doug Shepherd

Since 1973 Plymouth, Michigan’s Doug Shepherd has been making his mark in the world of Rally Racing. Rally is the purest form of auto sport; pushing the limits of both car and driver on real roads in real conditions and Doug Shepherd has pushed those limits and come out victorious time and time again in both SCCA Pro Rally and Rally America competition.

 

Over the past 45-years Shepherd has won his division in multiple national events, most notably to Doug are the following:

• Rim of the World (SCCA Pro Rally – Group 5 division)
• Colorado Cog Rally (SCCA Pro Rally – Group 5 division)
• Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (Rally America – Group 5 division)
• Sno* Drift Rally (Rally America – Group 5 division)
• Susquehannock Trail Rally (Rally America – Group 5 division)
• Ojibwa Forests Rally (Rally America – Group 5 division)
• Rally Tennessee (NASA – 2WD division)
• Lake Superior Rally (Rally America – Group 5 division)
In addition to winning National Events, Shepherd is twelve-time National Rally Champion, having claimed national points titles spanning decades in Production, Production GT, and Group 5 divisions, of special note are his titles in the following years:
• 1984 – SCCA Pro Rally Production class National Champion
• 1985 – SCCA Pro Rally Production class National Champion
• 1986, 1988, 1989 – SCCA Pro Rally Production GT class National Champion
• 1989 - North American Rally Cup Production GT National Champion
• 2003, 2004 – SCCA Pro Rally Group 5 class National Champion
• 2005 – SCCA Rally America Group 5 class National Champion

 

Doug has had an illustrious career as a driver that is only rivaled by his multiple championships from the other side of the car, acting as a navigator throughout the years.

 

* 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983 - SCCA Pro Rally National Champion Co-Driver

* 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983 - North American Rally Cup Champion Co-Driver

 

A seasoned Rally veteran, Doug has competed with WRC (The highest level of Rally competition on an international level) and in X-Games.

 

Although in recent years Shepherd has not pursued full-time competition; he certainly has not stepped away from the sport. Shepherd is still a vital part of multiple events working as a course-opening no.0 car (The last non-competitive car to take to a closed road called a stage to ensure safety) and Clerk of The Course.

 

After the sudden passing of long-time organizer Joe Andreini, Shepherd has volunteered countless hours to Michigan’s only longest running National Rally event; the Sno*Drift Pro Rally in Montmorency County, acting as Clerk of the Course. As Clerk, Shepherd creates the route and sets the stages for the annual January event which hosts competitors from all over the world.

 

In 2017 Doug served as Clerk of the Course for four national championship events and was awarded the prestigious Bill Bradshaw Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Sport of Rally by the Rally America team.