Bedford Speedway » 2014 Results

ZEMBOWER ZOOMS AT BEDFORD

July 12th, 2014
  It was a night of first time winners at Bedford Friday night as two racers won their first ever features, one took his first in over a decade, and one took his first of the season.   Eric Zembower led the way with a popular win in the Late Model 25 lapper.  It was his fourth career Bedford win but his first since June of 2002.  Scoring their first ever Bedford wins were Brian Walker in the 305 Sprints and Brad Feight in the Pure Stocks.  Andrew Pluta was the surprise winner in 4 Cylinder action.  But in Economodified action it was more of the same with a Taylor family reunion in Victory Lane, this time Evan.
       Matt Cosner led the Late Model field to the green but it was Eric Zembower ahead by the end of the first lap.  Once in front Zembower pulled away with each passing lap as Cosner fought off a crowd.  Mike Altobelli was the most persistant threat to Cosner and he finally got by for second on lap 11.
    By the time Altobelli got second, Zembower had a huge lead again,  but Altobelli began to close. As each lap passed Altobelli narrowed the distance on the leader but the laps were winding down too quickly.  But Zembower’s lead was wiped out in an instant when Matt Sponaugle stopped on the track on lap 23 to bring out the first caution of the event.
    On the restart, Zembower sped away  from Altobelli but his celebration was again delayed as the caution again flew for a large piece of debris in turn 1. On the resulting one lap shootout,  Zembower again shot ahead and ran off to the popular win.  Altobelli, instead of chasing Zembower, fell victim to DJ Troutman on that last lap and finished third.  Jeff Rine and Gene Knaub completed the top five. Chuck Clise and Sponaugle won the heats.
      Steve Kennawell led the early laps of the 305 feature event.  He gradually attracted a crowd at the front as Brian Walker, Anthony Fiore and eventually Bob Salathe closed.  With the event going 15 laps green, the leaders caught and navigated lapped traffic.
     That lapped traffic was to play a role in the lap 15 caution that decided the race.  As the leaders came off turn four on that lap they encountered a slower car. As Kennawell  hesitated getting by, Kennawell and Fiore both shot to the inside and made it three wide.  Salathe followed them by but got crossed up, hitting the frontstretch wall and collecting Kennawell.
   On the restart,  new leader Walker led the final five laps with Fiore in tow to the finish.  Winner of the earlier 305 visit Wayne Dadetto was third with Joe Zapp and Dusty Shatzer completing the top five.  Salathe and Mike Wagner Jr won the heats.
     Derrick Graybill led the first few Economodified laps until Evan Taylor got by.  He was chased by Alyssa Rowe until she spun on lap 7, allowing brother Jonathan to take up the chase.  Even led to the finish with Jonathan taking second.  Deanna Groves, Brandon Lasalle and Dave Brown trailed.  Evan and Graybill won the heats.
     If you are going to win your first race ever, it might as well be a big one as Brad Feight scored in the extra distance Pure Stock 20 lapper.  Dave Riley led the first Pure Stock lap before  Feight got by.  Once in front,  Feight attracted a crowd as Charlie Walter and Travis Group charged from the pack.  They maneuvered into second and third by lap 12 and gave Feight lots of pressure but he held on.  A caution on lap 19 closed up the field once more but Feight was up to the challenge and held off the pair for the win.  Walter, Group, Riley and Dave Lambert completed the top five.  Group and Amber Mills won the heats.
      Wayne Brenize led the first few 4 Cylinder laps but it was a mob scene at the front.  Andrew Pluta got by to lead lap three, Cale Martin led lap four and Ryan Peer took over on lap 5.  Peer then held off relentless pressure from Pluta and Martin until Martin spun on lap 11.  That set up a one lap dash and Peer was able to hold on to win.  But Peer came up light on the scale, giving the win to Pluta, his first of the year.  Brenize, Tom Brady, Dustin Drake and Bailey Johnson trailed.    Peer and Brady won the heats.
    While there is no specific weight limit in the class, Multiple race winner must add weight after each win, setting specific limits for that particular car.  Peer has added weight after each of his 2014 wins as required and met his limits but came up a bit short  this time on the scale.  Pluta, as a first time 2014 winner did not have to scale.
LATE MODEL 25 LAPS  1  Eric Zembower,  DJ Troutman,  Mike Altobelli,  Jeff Rine,  Gene Knaub,  Chad Hollenbeck,  Matt Cosner,  Chuck Clise, Wayne Johnson,  Travis Cottle,  Travis Wilson,  Ernie Millon,  Matt Sponaugle,  DNS  Alissa Fox.
305 SPRINT 20 LAP  1  Brian Walker,  Anthony Fiore,  Wayne Daddetto,  Joe Zap.  Dusty Shatzer,  Mike Wagner II,  Ryan Lynn,  Jeff Bocha,  Nicole Walker,  Ed Mesaros,  Steve Kenawell,  Bob Salathe,  Robert Barclay,  Jim Kennedy
ECONOMODIFIED  1  Evan Taylor,  Jonathan Taylor,  Deanna Groves,  Brandon Lasalle,  Dave Brown,  Kevin Weyandt,  Derrick Graybill,  Alyssa Rowe,  Derek Davesenberry,  Alan Shives,  Adam Daniels,
PURE STOCKS 20 LAPS  1  Brad Feight,  Charlie Walter,  Travis Group,  Dave Riley,  Dave Lambert,  Jarrod Brown,  Ed Vogel,  Bob Jay,  Terry Norris,  Brad Nesline,  Matt Diehl,  Tyler Ritchey,  Denny Norris,  Josh McClellan,  Cale Leppert,  Brian Ringler,  Greg Beckett,  Amber Mills,  Travis Vogel,  Kyle Beckett,  DNS  Bill Replogle.
4 CYLINDER   12 LAPS  1  Andrew Pluta,  Wayne Brenize,  Tom Brady,  Dustin Drake,  Bailey Johnson,.  Rusty Martin,  Dave Harclerode,  Ed Plummer,  Chris Reckner,  Dustin Kinser,  Cale Martin,  Mike Meck,  DQ  Ryan Peer,  DNS  David Grimm,  Steve Riggleman,  Dan Lowery