Defending Late Model track champion DJ Troutman and 305 racer Ralph Engle both rallied late to score wins at Bedford Speedway Friday night. Greg Cornell took the Semi Late win and Jonathan Taylor continued the Taylor family domination of the E Mod division. In the evening’s most controversial event, Travis Group took the Pure Stock nightcap.
Allen Brannon led the Late Model field to the green and took the initial lead. But from the end of the first lap, Andy Haus was all over Brannon with a furious attack. Lap after lap Haus tried the leader to no avail. When the leaders caught the first lapped car on lap 7, Brannon went high and Haus shot low, splitting the lapped car. and almost getting the lead
When they caught the next lapped car two laps later, Brannon again went to the outside and Haus inside, but this time the move was less successful as Haus and the lapper crashed.
On the restart, Brannon found himself ahead of DJ Troutman, who had started sixth. But the challenge did not come as Matt Sponaugle shot by Troutman for second on lap ten. The battle for second raged for several laps as Brannon moved ahead until Troutman took second spot back on lap 15
At that point Troutman began to reel in the leader. slowly at first but then noticeably. On lap 19, he shot by for the lead and then opened up over Brannon. Brannon found himself in the clutches of Sponaugle and a fast closing Jeff Rine
who both got by in the closing laps.
At the finish it was Troutman, Sponaugle, Rine, Brannon and Chuck Clise. Brannon and Troutman won the heats.
After one false start, Drew Ritchey led the 305 field to the line and took the early lead. Ritchey moved to an impressive lead over Ralph Engle and Nathan Gramley battling for second as the race went all green for 17 laps.
That alll changed as Steve Kennewell flipped in turn four on lap 17, bringing out the red flag. On the restart, Engle came alive, blowing by Ritchey and holding on to the finish. Ritchey, Gramley, Reed Thompson and Ryan Lynn trailed. Engle and Thompson won the heats.
Travis Calhoun held off Greg Hainsey for the first few Semi Late laps, with Bob Jay and others in hot pursuit. Among the chasers was Greg Cornell, who inserted himself into second by lap seven. A lap later Cornell took over and held off Calhoun to the finish. Jay, Tom Warren and Dave Whetstone trailed. Hainsey and Lou Wannyn won the heats. Wannyn was eliminated in an early race crash.
The E Mod event was halted almost before it began as nine cars piled up in turn 4 on the first lap. John Whitfield led at the start but Jonathan Taylor, who has missed the wreck, shot by on lap two, When Brother Evan got to second, it was another Taylor family event to the finish. Jonathan took the win with Evan second,followed by Bill Pluta, Alyssa Rowe and Ken Singer. Pluta and Evan Taylor won the heats.
The best race of the night, and certainly the most controversial, was the Pure Stock event. After one complete restart, Justin Queen led the field from lap one. Queen led a six car breakaway with only a small gap to a seven car mob in hot pursuit. Beau Aikey finally slipped by Queen on lap six and it was his chore to hold off the mob. Aikey led to the finish. Queen fell back late allowing Travis Group, and Brandon Inglish to get by at the line. Brad Feight, whio was involved in a late race skirmish with Joe Dearmitt but did not stop, was fifth.
Action did not cease at the finish line though as Aikey’s car was protested by Feight. and failed that inspection. An hour after the feature finish, Travis Group was declared the winner. New second place finisher Inglish was also found illegae, moving Queen up another spot to second. Feight, Kevin Weyandt and Jason Haggertyu were the revised top 5. Feight, Kevin Weyandy and Group won the heats.
LATE MODEL 25 LAPS 1 DJ Troutman, Matt Sponaugle, Jeff Rine, Allen Brannon, Chuck Clise, Matt Cosner, Dave Troutman, Dacron Powell, John McCloskey, Eric Zembower, Andy Haus, Zach Price, Kadden Smith, Travis Wilson.
305 SPRINTS 20 LAPS 1 Ralph Engle, Drew Ritchey, Nathan Gramley, Reed Thompson, Ryan Lynn, Brad Mellott, Joe Zap, Brian Haney, Dylan Shatzer, Bob Garvey, Steve Kennawell, Jim Kennedy, Colt Lepley, Ed Messaros, Gary Kriess.
SEMI LATE 15 LAPS 1 Greg Cornell, Travis Calhoun, Bob Jay, Tom Warren, Dave Whetstone, Chad Gambol, Jesse Snyder, Greg Hainsey, Chris Camberlain, Joe Pluta, Rick Wright, Scott Sturtz, Lou Wannyn, Don Wyles, Justin Michael
EMOD 18 LAPS 1 Jonathan Taylor, Evan Taylor, Bill Pluta, Alyssa Rowe, Ken Singer, John Whitfield, Mike Meck, Rich Goodman. Justin Milburn, Travis Vogel, Brandon Lasalle, Deanna Groves, Ed Vogel, DNS Andy Swope
PURE STOCKS 15 LAPS 1 Travis Group, Justin Queen, Brad Feight, Kevin Weyandt, Jason Haggerty, Denny Pittman, Dave Lambert, Reed Stickel, Owen Baughman, Tyler Ritchey, Dakota Foor, Mike Lewis, Erik Weyandt, Terry Norris, Joe Dearmitt, Trent Clark, Dan Jackson, Nick Bechtell, David Beahr, Brad Hoffman, DQ Beau Aikey, Brandon Inglish DNS Kyle Weyandt, Matt Brode, Josh McClellan, John Howsare
