The Bedford 2023 point season closed Friday with the annual Labor Day weekend 55 lapper, this year sanctioned by the ULMS series, and Mason Zeigler rose to the occasion by taking the big win. It was the second 2023 win at Bedford for Zeigler as he became the first repeat winner if the season at the track in the thirteenth event. In the companion EMod event, Mike Altobelli Jr came from deep in the field to take another win to close the evening.
Alex Ferree was the pole sitter in the famous Cochran car and he burst into the lead at the start. Ferree blew out to a serious lead in the first few laps, but Coleby Frue, after falling back a bit early on, began to make a challenge as the pair negotiated heavy lapped traffic by lap 12. Frye closed noticeably after about lap 20, bringing Mason Zeigler and Matt Cosner with him.
Frye presented a serious threat to the leader until a lazy spin brought out the first caution on lap 29. Zeigler, who had started fifth in the field, had reached third by that time and posed as a threat to the leaders, joining the battle up front.
On the restart, Frye was all over Ferree until he brushed the first turn wall on lap 38 and fell back to regroup. Frye’s slip allowed Mason Zeigler to move into second and he made the most of his position. Zeigler actually got the lead with a perfectly executed slide job in turn one on lap 40, but Ferree responded with a crossover move and retook the spot in turn two..
After having gone 29 green laps to start, the event was plagued with several cautions in the late laps, one of which proved pivitol to Max Blair who got caught up with Frye on a lap 44 restart and heavily impacted the front stretch wall, retiring from the event.
That yellow closed Zeigler and also Matt Cosner on the leader and set up the race’s dramatic moment. Zeigler got a great jump on a lap 38 restart and went into turn one side by side with the leader. The pair got together with Ferree spinning. During the caution, Zeigler stopped on the track for some cosmetic work, but by ULMS rules was allowed to maintain the lead.
Zeigler’s body damage did not slow him down as, with Cosner in hot pusuit, he then led the last 7 laps to score the $12000 win. Cosner took second at the line, followed by Frye, Kyle Hardy, who knifed through from deep in the pack and Jeff Rine. Tyler Emory, Frye, Ferree and Bryan Bernheisel won the heats for the 37 entries, Ryan Montgomery and Logan Zarin won the B events.
Kyle Lee, who had dramatically closed on the point lead over the late season, was a retiree after a skirmish on lap 37. That retirement, coupled with Jeff Rine’s top 5 finish nailed yet another Bedford track title for Rine.
Point leader Donnie Farlling needed to only start to claim the 2023 EMod title but he planned to go out in style. He grabbed the EMod lead at the start and got away from the field. Drake Troutman closed after a few laps but Mike Altobelli came from deep in the field to third by lap 4. Altobelli zipped Troutman in lapped traffic on lap 12 and set off after Farlling.
It took only two more laps to get the lead and then Altobelli ran off to take another win. Farlling held on to take second as well as the track title, ahead of Troutman, Jacob Marker and Ridge Bookwalter. Altobelli and returning Mitch Thomas won the heats.
ULMS LATE MODEL 55 LAPS Mason Zeigler, Matt Cosner, Coleby Frye, Kyle Hardy, Jeff Rine, Dylan Yoder, Logan Zarin, Tyler Emory, Ryan Montgomery, Bryan Bernheisel, Dylan Cecce, Chuck Clise, Dave Stamm, Jakob Piper, Alex Ferree, Justin Weaver, Max Blair, Kyle Lee, Michael Norris, Matt Sponaugle, Jason Covert, Colton Flinner, Gregg Satterlee, Dan Stone DNS RJ Dallape, Tim Smith, Ron Fink, Mitch Thomas, Andrew Wylie, Dan Angellichio, Clinton Hersh, Andrew Yoder, Drake Troutman, Mike Lupfer, Tyler Horst, Jeff Miller, Nathan Lasalle.
EMOD 25 LAPS Mike Altobelli J, Donnie Farlling, Drake Troutman, Jacib Marker, Ridge Bookwalter, John Whitfield, Dave Troutman, Bruce Dreistadt, Tom Wakefield, Ryan Dolin, Brandon Hoover, Dan Patterson, Mike Meck, Tommy Hughes, Charlie Clise, Wyatt Marker, DNS Mitch Thomas, Travis Cottle
