Bedford Speedway Opens To First Time Winners
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Finally, the weather broke into a pretty spring day and the Bedford Speedway got in the opening event of the 2024 season Sunday. Five happy winners greeted the opener, with four of them taking their first ever Bedford wins.
Jakob Piper ran the Bedford race of his career, becoming the 157th Late Model winner at the historic track, before former Limited driver Spike Moore scored his first ever EMod win, Chubby Childers took his first ever Pure Stock win and Devon Iser won his first ever Bedford event in the 4 Cylinder closer. Semi Late winner Rick Potter was the only repeat winner in the program.
By the luck of the draw, Jakob Piper started the Late Model 25 lapper on the front row. He held off the first lap challenge of Tim Smith and took charge at the start. Piper drew out to a substantial lead early and survived near disaster when a lapped car spun in front of him on lap 6.
On the restart Piper again drew off to a good lead over the field. Matt Sponaugle moved to third and spent the next six laps holding off the advancing charges of Drake Troutman and Kyle Lee. Lee, then Troutman got by, making it a three way battle.
Sponaugle’s great run ended as he dropped out on lap 17, bringing out the caution. On the restart, the front two again got away, and Troutman got by Lee for third. Lee got back by a couple laps later and closed quickly on Smith, who was again closing on Piper.
Over the final few laps, Piper held off Smith as he held off Lee to finish in that order. Troutman held on for fourth at the line ahead of Bryan Bernheisel and Jeff Rine. Smith and Troutman won the heats.
Bill Replogle was the early Semi Late leader and he held on through several early race cautions. But Rick Potter had clawed his way through the field from his sixth starting spot and charged into the lead on lap six. Nick Bechtel also got by Replogle, who retired two laps later, and spent the rest of the event giving Potter fits.
Over the last six laps, Bechtel found himself fully challenged by Bob Jay but he held on to follow Potter across the line. Jay. Brian Weyandt and Khi Swanger completed the top 5. Potter and Bechtel won the heats.
Kirk Baker led the first two EMod laps but he had his hands full of Spike Moore and a fast closing Mike Altobelli Jr. Moore got by for the lead on lap three but brought Altobelli with him. That set up a race long battle at the front with Altobelli trying everything to grab the lead.
Moor repelled every challenge to grab his first ever EMod win. Drake Troutman finished third, ahead of Donnie Farlling and Baker. Troutman and Altobelli won the heats.
Denver Dishong led the first Pure Stock lap but Chubby Childers got by on lap 2. The pair then ran in that order for the duration, getting away from the field on each restart. Dishong several times got along side Childers but could not repass him as Childers hung on for his first win. Charlie Clise came through the field emerging from a wild four way battle to take third ahead of Derrick Hinish and Darian Ritchey. Hinish and Childers won the heats.
Devon Iser took the early 4 Cylinder lead and led every lap. Shawn Smith ran him down early but could not effect a pass as the field strung out behind them. On the last lap Smith made one last try, making it a close finish but Iser hung on for the win. Excitement ensued after the finish as Iser, making a victory lap at pretty much speed, encountered a herd of lapped cars and bounced off the 4th turn wall. The car had to be towed to victory lane which had to be held on the front stretch. Iser and James Fairall won the heats.
LATE MODELS 25 LAPS Jakob Piper, Tim Smith, Kyle Lee, Drake Troutman, Bryan Bernheisel, Jeff Rine, Justin Kann, Jeff Miller, Clinton Hersh, Jim Bernheisel, Justin Weaver, Chuck Clise, Del Rougeux, Matt Sponaugle, Nathan Lasalle, Chase Bowson, Ron Fink, Tyler Ritchey, Bryan Benton, DNS RJ Dallape
EMOD 20 LAPS Spike Moore, Mike Altobelli J, Drake Troutman, Donnie Farlling, Kirk Baker, Mike Grady, Brandon Hoover, Ryan Dolan, Bill Vanmeter, Amber Mills, David Green, Harry Henderson, Nicholas Hasenbaugh, George Beckett, Tommy Hughes, Jacob Whitt, John Whitfield,
SEMI LATES 15 LAPS Rick Potter, Nick Bechtel, Bob Jay, Brian Weyandt J, Khi Swanger, John Miller, Travis Calhoun, Kyle Weyandt, Cody Jarvie, Erik Weyandt, Dillon Isenberg, Willy Ling, Kyle Deneen, Bill Replogle, Greg Hainsey, Dave Brown, Andrew Stough
PURE STOCK 15 LAPS Chubby Childers, Denver Dishong, Charlie Clise, Derek Hinish, Darian Ritchey, Kyle Beckett, Madison Miller, Braydol Bauman, Anthony Troutman, Barry Clark, Jay Talley, Dalton Weyant
4 CYLINDER 12 LAPS Devon Iser, Shawn Smith, Colin Welsh, Todd Price, Isaac Kormansky, Chris Graybill, Brandon Ambuer, Jeff Marlett, Collin Martin, Seth Jereskie Neveah Helsel, Colton Mundorff, Jenn Diehl, Matt Kauffman, Duane Wotring, Josh Borland, Jimmy Delozier, James Fairall, DNS Steve Delozier, Hayden Kline, Tom Brady, Matt Jones,
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