Only a few weeks after losing to Kyle Lee after a late race pass, Matt Sponaugle held off Lee to take a popular Late Model win at Bedford Friday night. The win, part of the 150th Great Bedford Fair, was part of the Gary Martz Memorial event and was worth $3700 to the winner. It was Sponaugle’s first win at the track in over two years.
In other action before the huge fair crowd were Kyle Deneen in the Semi Lates, Kyle Beckett in the Pure Stocks and Wayne Brenize in the 4 Cylinder finale.
When original pole sitter Clinton Hersh failed to answer the call, the Late Model front row became Matt Sponaugle and Tim Smith. Sponaugle got the jump at the start and motored away to a large early lead.
That lead evaporated with a quick caution on lap six which brought new second place runner Bryan Bernheisel and Smith back to Sponaugle’s bumper. On the restart, Sponaugle could not get away from Bernheisel but while they ran at the front, Kyle Lee was charging through the field.
Lee caught Bernheisel and occupied his attention as Sponaugle again slid away, As Sponaugle entered lapped traffic by lap 15 the pair closed dramatically on the leader, but Sponaugle survived the threat. and hung on. Lee finally got by Bernheisel for second on lap 18, just before the caution flew for a large piece of debris on the front stretch.
That set up a 7 lap late race dash between the same two who had done that act three races ago. Lee moved in hoping for a repeat of his June last lap pass for the win but Sponaugle did not fade. The pair took the two to go side by side with the large crowd on its feet.
But this time Sponaugle, running to far outside groove, prevailed to secure the win.
Lee finished a car length short to take second, ahead of Bernheisel, Drake Troutman and Jeff Rine. Clinton Hersh, Tim Smith and Taylor Farlling won the heats.
Bill Replogle was the pole sitter and early Semi Late leader. as Andrew Stough ran second. On lap 6, Kyle Deneen slid by Stough at the line to take second, a move which proved fortuitous as on that lap Replogle suffered a car malady and brought out the caution.
With Deneen the new leader, He ran off from the field the remaining laps to score the win. Stough hung on for a career best second place finish ahead of Khi Swanger, Dave Brown and Nick Bechtel. Deneen and Bradlee Means, making his first start of the year, won the heats
By comparison, the Pure Stock 15 lapper was fairly docile. Kyle Beckett took the early lead and held off a 3 car gang the distance for the win. Chubby Childers caught the group late but Beckett was never really threatened for the win.
At the finish it was Beckett, Braydale Bauman, Denver Dishong, Chubby Childers and Daulton Weyant. Childers and Derrick Hinish won the heats.
Wayne Brenize made another of his sporadic visits and easily took the 4 Cylinder finale. Shawn Smith emerged in second early but never really threatened the leader The event was stopped on lap 9 for a grinding turn 3 crash involving Caleb Vasos.
.Smith settled for second at the line ahead of Chris Graybill, Tom Brady and Isaac Kormanski. Brenize and Smith won the heats.
LATE MODEL 25 LAPS Matt Sponaugle, Kyle Lee, Bryan Bernheisel, Drake Troutman, Jeff Rine, Tim Smith, Jim Bernheisel, Jakob Piper, Chuck Clise, Jeff Miller, Devin Weyandt, Nathan Lasalle, Matt Murphy, Danny Snyder, Del Rougeux, Ron Fink. Darris Deneen, Tyler Ritchey, Taylor Farlling, Wayne Johnson, DNS Clinton Hersh
SEMI LATE 15 LAPS Kyle Deneen, Andrew Stough, Khi Swanger, Dave Brown, Nick Bechtel, Bradlee Means, Bob Jay, Garrett Keifer, Travis Calhoun, Brian Weyandt J, Erik Weyandt, Kyle Weyandt, Cody Jarvie, Cale Martin, Dillon Isenberg, Bill Replogle, DNS Rick Potter
PURE STOCK 15 LAPS Kyle Beckett, Braydale Bauman, Denver Dishong, Chubby Childers, Daulton Weyant, Charlie Clise, Jason Haggerty, Eli Hinish, Barry Clark, Jay Talley, Dominic Weyandt, Madison Miller, Alex Mock, Brad Boyd, Franklin Foor, Dalton Ritchey, David Green, Mark Shope, Anthony Troutman,
4 CYLINDER 12 LAPS Wayne Brenize, Shawn Smith, Chris Graybill, Tom Brady, Isaac Kormanski, Josh Corbin, Todd Price, Colin Welsh, Cody Hetrick, Seth Jezeskie, Josh Ringer, Matt Kauffman, Jimmy Delozier, Bryan Wright, John Diehl, Elijah Friend, Maxton Mosgrove, Matt Jones, Nevaeh Helsel, Caleb Vasos, Bradley Ross, Darrin Chesney, Richard Athey, DNS Jeff Marlett
