In the face of dire weather forecasts and cool fall temperature, the annual Bedford Keystone Cup event went off as scheduled Saturday night and Kyle Hady rose to the occasion and took home the big prize. The win in the 60 lap finale was the first of Hardy’s Bedford career as he became the 156th Late Model winner at the historic track. Hardy bagged $23,000 for the win.
In opposition to first time winner Hardy, Michael Altobelli cruised to yet another Emod win to close out the chilly night of racing.
After the redraw of the top two in each heat race, Dylan Yoder and Alex Ferree started on the front row of the 60 lapper. Ferree, in a replay of the Labor Day 55, took the early lead at the start as Yoder fell back in the opening laps. Kyle Hardy jumped from his fifth starting spot to third on the opening lap and joined in with Yoder and a fast closing Tyler Emory in a rousing battle for second.
Hardy slid into second on lap 2 and set off after Ferree along with Emory. Hardy hunted down Ferree and slipped by for the lead on lap 10. leaving Ferree to battle with Emory and Yoder for second.
The trio ran in that order until the first and only caution of the event flew when Drake Troutman suffered a flat on lap 21. On the restart Hardy scooted away from the second place three way battle which raged for the next 25 laps.
But Yoder, who had slipped back to fourth, suddenly came alive on lap 45. He got by Emory and then Ferree on successive laps, taking second on lap 47. Yoder then set off after Hardy over the closing laps. He ran down Hardy for the lead and drew alongside with the finish in sight. But the two made hard contact in turn three and Yoder fell back. From that point on. Hardy raced to the big win.
Yoder continued on and scored second at the line, ahead of Ferree, Matt Cosner and Gregg Satterlee who had started ninth and tenth in the lineup. In what has become a tradition in the event which ran off caution free in 2021 and 2022, the Troutman caution was the only slow down in the 60 laps. 19 of the 25 starters were around for the finish. 2023 track champion Jeff Rine was an early race dropout, finishing 20th.
Qualifying heat races were won by Emory, Troutman, Ferree and Mike Lupfer. The twin B features went to Jon Lee and Tim Smith. The B events were interesting as Rick Eckert and Gary Stuhler, both early favorites with over 40 Bedford wins between them, each had to rally late to take the last transfer spots and started the feature together in the last row. Chuck Clise was the track high point man provisional.
Mr. Emod, Mike Altobelli drew the pole for the Emod event but Ray Kable III led the first lap. Altobelli took over on lap two and ran off from the field to take yet another Bedford win. Mitch Thomas rallied late to take second from Kable but nobody challenged Altobelli for the duration. Kable finished third ahead of Jacob Marker and Troy Johnson. Altobelli and Thomas won the heats.
LATE MODEL 60 LAPS Kyle Hardy, Dylan Yoder, Alex Ferree, Matt Cosner, Gregg Satterlee, Tyler Emory. Kyle Lee, Jason Covert, Bryan Bernheisel, Matt Sponaugle, Rick Eckert, Jon Lee, Justin Weaver, Jeff Miller, Coleby Frye, Andrew Yoder, Mike Lupfer, Rod Conley, Chuck Clise, Jeff Rine, Keith Jackson, Drake Troutman, Tim Smith, Gary Stuhler, Travis Stickley DNQ Logan Zarin, Nathan Lasalle, Chad Julius, Dave Stamm, Jamie Lathroum, Brandon Little, Nick Dickson, RT Dallape, John Wayne Weaver, Clinton Hersh, Ron Fink, Shaun Jones
EMOD 25 LAPS Mike Altobelli, Mitch Thomas, Ray Kable, Jacob Marker, Troy Johnson, Brandon Householder, Todd Goss, Michael Grady, Dusty Boley, Amber Mills, Jeff Miller, Matt Loshbaugh, DNS Donnie Farlling, Brandon Hoover, Bill Vanmeter
