Editing Morgan Shepherd (section)

====Full-time Cup Series switch====
Shepherd moved to the Winston Cup Series full-time in [[1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1981]], driving the No. 5 [[Pontiac (automobile)|Pontiac]] for Cliff Stewart. They missed the first two races of the season, Riverside and the [[1981 Daytona 500|Daytona 500]]. Shepherd took pole position in his first race for Stewart at [[Richmond 400|Richmond]], finishing the race in fourth position. A few races later Shepherd won his first Winston Cup race at [[Martinsville Speedway|Martinsville]].  The win marked the first win for Pontiac in 18 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/334715-the-evolution-of-the-stock-car-1980-1985|title=NASCAR: The Evolution Of The Sport (1980-1985)|publisher=[[Bleacher Report]]|date=January 28, 2010|access-date=May 22, 2019}}</ref> Shepherd dominated the race and led a total of 203 laps. Shepherd left Stewart's team after the [[1981 Talladega 500|Talladega 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 for [[Cecil Gordon]] and his team, finishing in the top ten at [[Holly Farms 400|North Wilkesboro]] and [[National 500|Charlotte]]. 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.<ref name="1981Cup">{{cite web|url=http://racing-reference.info/drivdet/shephmo01/1981/W|title=Morgan Shepherd – 1981 NASCAR Winston Cup Results|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref>

[[Image:MorganShepherd2racecar1983.jpg|thumb|left|Driving for [[Jim Stacy]] in [[1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1983]].]]
Shepherd moved to Benfield's team full-time in [[1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1982]], driving the No. 98 [[Buick]]. Although Shepherd did not win a race that season, he scored six top-five finishes with a best finish of third at [[Valleydale 500|Bristol]] early in the season. Shepherd also won the pole at [[Busch Nashville 420|Nashville]] and [[Atlanta Journal 500|Atlanta]], 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.<ref name="1982Cup">{{cite web|url=http://racing-reference.info/drivdet/shephmo01/1982/W|title=Morgan Shepherd – 1982 NASCAR Winston Cup Results|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref>

Shepherd started the [[1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Series|1983]] season without a full-time ride. He tried to qualify for the [[1983 Daytona 500|Daytona 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 to [[Cecil Gordon]] for the [[TranSouth 500]] and later drove the [[Virginia National Bank 500]] for [[Emanuel Zervakis]]. After that race, Shepherd drove for [[Jim 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 at [[Firecracker 400]]. His abbreviated season dropped Shepherd to twentieth in the final points standings.<ref name="1983Cup">{{cite web|url=http://racing-reference.info/drivdet/shephmo01/1983/W|title=Morgan Shepherd – 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup Results|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=March 18, 2015}}</ref>