Dylan Yoder capped a race long charge with a late race pass to snag the 2014 season opener at the Bedford Speedway Sunday night. Counting a late 2013 win, it was Yoder’s second win in the last three Bedford Late Model events. Rick Singleton made a triumphant return to Bedford with a Limited win, Jamie Swank survived a wild three wide pass to snag the Semi Late win before Charlie Walter won the Pure Stock event and Pat Brehm took the 4 Cylinder nightcap.
Yoder lined up fourth in the Late Model 25 lapper which had a rough time getting started. Two cautions in the first three laps slowed the event. Pole starter Jeff Rine showed the way from the start and was still the leader of the lap 3 restart.
The race went the remaing 22 laps all green and Rine had things under control, but Yoder was on the charge.He swept by Andy Haus for second on lap 4 and the chase was on. Rine already had burst out to a serious lead but Yoder cut into it with each passing lap. Several times he was on Rine’s bumper but Rine worked lapped traffic perfectly and kept getting away.
As the laps wound down Yoder kept up the pressure and was all over Rine again by lap 21. This time Yoder dove to the inside of Rine in turn two and took the lead. Once up front, Yoder romped off to a six length win. Rine chased him for second . Haus, Wayne Johnson and Rance Garlock completed the top five. They were followed by Matt Sponaugle, DJ Troutman, Chuck Clise, Travis Cottle and Shawn Claar. Yoder and Johnson won the heats.
The second heat was rather chaotic as a first lap crash involved the entire field and stopped the show.
Rick Singleton, an infrequent Bedford visitor in various classes, took the Limited lead from Travis Calhoun on a lap 3 restart and ran off from the field. 2013 big class winner Robby Black came from 15th to track Singleton down late in the race but ran out of laps. Black settled for second ahead of Calhoun, Ron Bottenfield and Eric Irvin. Singleton, Bottenfield and Calhoun won the heats.
Tom Warren led the first 8 Semi Late laps withstanding severe pressure from Chad Gambol. Gambol got side by side with Warren on lap 9 and Jamie Swank made it three wide. The three tangled and Swank emerged with the lead. From then on Swank held off Ryan Beckett to score the win. Greg Cornell, Bob Jay, who rallied back from a lap 5 spin, and George Beckett completed the top 5. Gambol and George Beckett won the heats.
Charlie Walter turned a front row start into a flag to flag win in the Pure Stock event which ran all green to the finish. Dave Riley rallied late to take second, well behind Walter at the line. Terry Norris, Kyle Beckett and Travis Group were the top 5. Preston Imler, Greg Beckett and Walter won the heats.
Certainly the happiest racer at Bedford was 4 Cylinder winner Pat Brehm. Recovering from a miserable 2013 season, he chased early leader Ryan Peer for 3 laps before squeezing by. He led the distance from there surviving a late race restart with two to go to take the win. Peer was second ahead of Dustin Drake, Cale Martin and Tom Brady. Heats went to Drake, Tom Brady and Brehm. Dustin Kinser thrilled the crowd in the first heat with a spectacular barrell roll in front of the grandstands.
LATE MODEL 25 LAPS..1Dylan Yoder, Jeff Rine, Andy Haus, Wayne Johnson, Rance Garlock, Matt Sponaugle, DJ Troutman, Chuck Clise, Travis Cottle, Shawn Claar, Eric Zembower, Jason Schmidt, Tom Decker III, Travis Wilson, Tom Decker Jr, Alicia Fox. DNS Justin Kann, Matt Cosner.
LIMITED 18 LAPS 1 Rick Singleton, Robby Black, Travis Calhoun, Ron Bottenfield, Eric Irvin, Troy Swindell, Kyle Lee, Curtis Heath, Nathan Lasalle, Brett Hockenberry, John Harr, Josh Berrier, Bryan Benton, Bob Foote, Brian Lowery, Craig Perigo, Kaden Smith, Jason Peachey, Matt Eckman, Ed Cornett, Chaz Walls, Dion Lasalle, Chad Walter, DNS George Dixon, Darrell Dick
SEMI LATE 15 LAP 1 Jamie Swank, Ryan Beckett, Greg Cornell, Bob Jay, George Beckett, Lou Wannyn, RT Troutman, Jerry Robinson, Jesse Snyder, Justin Michael, Justin Bonnett, Paul Gambol, Tom Warren, Chad Gambol. Kerry Molovich, Khi Swanger, Scott Sturtz, Chris Chamberlain, Brian Duffy, DNS Vigi Zucollotto, Jim Sacco
PURE STOCK 12 LAPS 1 Charlie Walter, Dave Riley, Terry Norris, Kyle Beckett, Travis Group, Brad Feight, Shawn Shoemaker, Preston Imler, Rod Mock. Bill Noll, Greg Beckett, Dave Lambert, Amber Mills, Shyann Bards, Matt Diehl. Mike Benton, Tyler Ritchey, Tyler Alkire, DNS Ed Vogel, Trent Clark, Dakota Foor, Denny Norris, Brad Nesline, Stan Muir
4 CYLINDER 10 LAP 1 Pat Brehm, Ryan Peer, Dustin Drake, Cale Martin, Tom Brady, Wayne Brenize, Andrew Pluta, Jeff Vasos, Garrett Watkins, Adam Morgan, Dave Harclerodr, Mike Meck, Cale Leppert, Ed Plummer, Chris Reckner, Zach Moist, Bailey Johnson, DW Lawrey, Josh Ringler, Michael Luther, Josh Dutko, Jordan Helsel, Nick Zaborovancik, DNS Dale Grimm, Dustin Kinser, Brandon Conrad
