After a tough luck season, Justin Weaver turned things around to score the Late Model win at Bedford Friday night. It was Weaver’s first ever Bedford Late Model win and he became the 155th different winner at the track. He was also the 12th consecutive different Bedford winner in the 2023 season.
In other action, Tony Jackson took the special wingless Super Sportsman visit to the track, before Dave Brown, back from a long retirement, took the Semi Late main. Denver Dishong was the Pure Stock victor and Isaac Kormanski took the 4 Cylinder finale.
2023 hard luck driver Justin Weaver found himself with a low point average and consequently a great starting position in the Late Model event. He rose to the occasion with honors, jumping around Travis Stickley at the start and running away from the field. Stickley chased Weaver but lost distance with every passing lap as Weaver pulled away.
Eventually Stickley found himself challenged for position by Bryan Bernheisel, a challenge that intensified after a lap 17 caution. On that restart, Weaver again zoomed away from the field. Stickley again held off Bernheisel for second, but the mover in the field was Jeff Rine.
iWhile the front three remained constant, it was Rine, trailed by Kyle Lee slowly moving forward. Rine moved to fourth around Tim Smith on the lap 17 restart, bringing Lee with him, but the front three were well ahead. At the finish, Weaver was the easy winner, ahead of Stickley, Bernheisel, Rine and Lee. Jakob Piper, Rine and Stickley won the heats.
Like Weaver, Tony Jackson used a front row starting spot to get the jump on the Super Sportsman field and never looked back. Cliff Brian Jr gave chase to the leader but posed little threat. But the big mover in the field was Trent Yoder. Yoder started 13th in the field and ran down the lead duo as the race wore on.
Lapped traffic, consisting of a five car pack gave the chasers some hope as the race neared halfway but Jackson successfully threaded through before a lap 15 caution calmed things down.
Jackson again ran off on the restart, finishing ahead of Brian, Yoder Steve Wilbur and Brett Perigo. Craig Perigo and Jackson won the heats.
Dave Brown returned to the Semi Late action earlier this season after a long retirement and showed he hadn’t lost a step with the Semi Late victory. He got the jump at the start and held off Bob Jay for the duration. Kyle Deneen got by Rick Potter for third on lap 7 and applied pressure to Jay for several laps, but as they raced together Brown pulled away.
At the finish, it was Brown, with his first win since May of 2015, followed by Jay, Deneen, Nick Bechtel and Potter. Andrew Stough and Brian Weyandt Jr won the heats.
The Pure Stock event was a barn burner with a surprise ending. Kyle Beckett took the lead at the start. but Cody Jarvie gave him no rest. Charlie Clise injected himself into that battle, getting second from Jarvie and hassling Beckett. But Clise brought out the caution on lap 6, allowing Jarvie to pursue Beckett alone. Lap after lap Jarvie kept up the pressure, frequently getting up along side the leader but Beckett held on. In their wake Denver Dishong and Dalton Weyant lurked in third and fourth. Things changed on lap 14 however as the two leaders tangled and spun in turn four. Dishong found just enough room to get by and became the new leader. When action resumed, Dishong held off Weyant for the win. Darian Ritchey, Charlie Clise and Chubby Childers trailed. Dishong and Beckett won the heats.
Isaac Kormanski got a late start on the season while building a new car and reaped the rewards with his first 4 Cylinder win of the season. He wrestled the lead from Wayne Brenize then held off Brenize for the win. Josh Corbin survived a wild battle to take third over Todd Price and Dominick Heeter. Corbin and Kormanski won the heats.
LATE MODEL 25 LAPS Justin Weaver, Travis Stickley, Bryan Bernheisel, Jeff Rine, Kyle Lee, Dan Stone, Tim Smith, Drake Troutman, Michael Lake, Jakob Piper, Jeff Miller, Matt Sponaugle, Chuck Clise, Mike Lupfer, Ryan Christoff, Dalton Ritchey, Nathan Lasalle, Ron Fink, Wayne Johnson, DNS Joey Hoffer, Travis Fleegle, Brian Booze
SUPER SPORTSMAN 20 LAPS Tony Jackson, Cliff Brian J, Trent Yoder, Steve Wilbur, Brett Perigo, Joe Gabner, Ricky Rutt, Dexter Ehrenzeller, Luke Lenker, Sam Leonard, Troy Fraker, Jason Moore, Jonathan Clay, DNS Craig Perigo, Jack Liddick
SEMI LATE 15 LAPS Dave Brown, Bob Jay, Kyle Deneen, Nick Bechtel, Rick Potter, Kyle Weyant, John Miller, Josh Bumberger, Travis Calhoun, Bradlee Means, Laura Reilly, Greg Hainsey, Andrew Stough, Brian Weyandt J, Bill Replogle, Dalton Weyandt, William Miller, DNS Jarrett Posley
PURE STOCK 15 LAPS Denver Dishong, Dalton Weyant, Darian Ritchey, Charlie Clise, Chubby Childers, Dominick Weyandt, Mark Shope, Jay Talley, Tom Lewis, Madison Miller, Cody Jarvie, Kyle Beckett, Braxton Mongold, Barry Clark, Derrick Hinish, Dalton Ritchey, Cody King DNS Mike Lewis
$ CYLINDER 12 LAPS Isaac Kormanski Wayne Brenize, Josh Corbin, Todd Price, Dominick Heeter, Steve Delozier, Jeff Marlett, Tom Brady, Dwayne Wotring Matt Kauffman, Bryan Wright, Colin Welsh, Derek Long, Neveah Helsel, Isaac Hoover, Jimmy Delozier, Brandon Bowman, DNS Morgan Price, Richard Athey, Bradley Ross
