The annual Bedford Fallfest, this year a 3 day event, opened Thursday night at the track. After perhaps the best Pure Stock race of the season, Kevin Weyandt held off Kyle Beckett for the exciting win. Although possibly the most experienced driver in the field, it was Weyandt’s first Bedford win in over ten years. Unlike Weyandt, who survived a dog fight, Kevin Van Horn rallied late to take the CrateMod win and Colin Welsh led late to win the 4 Cylinder finale.
Kevin Weyandt started on the front row in the 20 lap pill draw Pure Stock event. He wrestled the lead from pole sitter Denver Dishong at the start, but his battle was not over. Kyle Beckett also got by Dishong on lap one and instantly set upon Weyandt at the front. For the first nine laps the pair ran pretty much side by side, with Becketts inching ahead in the turns but Weyant shooting by on the straights.
That action allowed Derek Hinish to run down the leaders and get in on the action. But on lap 9, Hinish managed to bump Weyandt, opening the door for Beckett to slip by. But Hinish’s resulting spin resulted in a yellow, saving Weyandt.
On the restart, Charlie Clise, who had performed another of his charges to the front to third, was all over Beckett, forcing him to forget about Weyandt for a few laps. But by lap 12, Beckett had disposed of Clise and was able to resume harrassing Weyandt.
The pair replayed their earlier side by side battle at the front as Clise fell into the clutches of Dishong and Dalton Weyant who had come from 10th. Just with the win in sight, Weyandt was delayed as Clise spun on the last lap bringing out the caution.
On the one lap run to the finish, Weyandt scooted away as Beckett fell into the clutches of Dishong and Weyant before crossing the line in that order three wide. Cody Jarvie was fifth. Clise and Dalton Ritchey won the heats.
The 15 lap Crate Mod event turned into a cautionfest. Steve Axtell II was the early leader as the field went pretty much a caution per lap. Through it all, Kevin Van Horn worked his way through the field to appear in second early on. On lap 7 he made the successful pass for the lead and ran off to his first ever Bedford win. It was an emotional win as he has close ties to the Troutman family who had offered many bonus awards in memory of DJ Troutman.
Scott Daniels, Marcus Vanmeter, who had started last in the field, and Jason Kipp completed the top 5. Bull Vanmeter and Cody Quarrick won the heats.
Shawn Smith, started on the pole and was the early leader in the 4 Cylinder event. While Smith made the run look easy, Colin Welsh began to close as the first 13 laps ran off caution free. But Welsh was rewarded as Smith dropped out on the lap 13 caution, allowing Welsh to score the big win. Ryan Riggleman, Derek Long and Dalton Long trailed. Todd Price and Smith won the heats.
All the winners and various other competitors received extra bonuses as part of the Troutman memorial festivities.
PURE STOCK 20 LAPS 1 Kevin Weyandt, Kyle Beckett Dalton Weyant, Denver Dishong, Cody Jarvie, Dalton Ritchey, Damon Ritchey, Charlie Clise, Cody King, Kyle Deneen, Andrew Fertis, Dominic Weyandt, Derek Hinish, Barry Clark, DNS Mason Replogle.
CRATE MOD 15 LAP 1 Kevin Van Horn Steve AxtelI, Scott Daniels, Marcus Vanmeter, Jason Kipp, Matt Lashbaugh, Wyatt Marker, Bill Vanmeter, Daniel Cornman, Michael Wilhelm, Tommy Hughes, Ryan Dolan, Dale Sines, Ed Vogel, Josh Rinker, Cody Quarrick, Dakota Welsh.
4 CYLINDER 15 LAPS 1 Colin Welsh, Ryan Riggleman, Derek Long, Dalton Long, Jeff Marlett, Ernie Hewitt, Josh Ringer, Deshong Dempsey, Jimmy Delozier, Chris Graybill, Tommy Hughes, Shawn Smith, Todd Price, Darren Howsare, Dustin Kinser, Matt Jones, George Shore, Jeremy Miller, Steve Delozier, DNS Brad Marker, Richard Athey, Matt Kauffman, Jacob Miller DQ Dominic Shipley
