For over 50 laps it appeared that Travis Stickley was going to win the biggest race of his career, but in the end it was Mason Zeigler on the stage after the annual Bedford Labor Day 55 Friday night. It was Zeigler’s second consecutive Labor Day event win at the track and was worth over $12000. In other action. Mike Altobelli also repeated his 2023 event win as he prevailed in the EMod event
Travis Stickley burst into the early lead in the 55, run in honor of former driver and car owner Bob Elbin, and quickly pulled away from second place chaser Jeff Rine. driving the Elbin family car. Zeigler easily threaded through early lapped traffic by lap 12 and actually increased his lead.
Rine got a poor restart after the first caution of the event on lap 18 and both Zeigler and Gregg Satterlee who had already rushed from 11th starting position rushed by. But that pair, while battling between themselves, were no more successful than Rine had been and Stickley zoomed away.
Rine meanwhile found himself in a battle with Max Blair, a battle which saw them trading fourth spot several times during the event. Meanwhile, with the season point title on the line, Kyle Lee was tearing forward after starting way back after qualifying in a B feature.
Lap after lap and throughout a series of cautions and restarts, Stickley remained in total command of the race while the others fell behind. But things began to change by about lap 45 as Zeigler started to noticeably close. By lap 50, Zeigler was there and challenged Stickley for the lead. If the event were 50 laps Stickley would have been the close winner, but there were 5 laps remaining and Zeigler was within striking distance.
Zeigler shot by for the lead as they came off turn 4 on lap 53 and Stickley’s day went totally sour as his car slowed on the backstretch later that lap. On what would be the final restart of the event Zeigler held off second place runner and secured the win the fifth of his Bedford career.
Jeff Rine, running fourth, also dropped out on that caution ending his day.
At the finish it was Zeigler followed by Satterlee and Blair. B feature winners Kyle Lee and Dylan Yoder who started 17th and 18th ended their charges with fourth and fifth place finishes at the line. Lee’s performance and Bryan Bernheisel’s sixth place run was enough to declare Lee the 2024 track champion.
Justin Weaver set fast time in early qualifying and heats were won by Stickley, Dan Angellichio, Zeigler and Rine. Lee and Yoder won the B events. Chuck Clise was the track high point provisional Pre race favorites Rick Eckert, Drake Troutman, Matt Cosner and Jared Miley were feature non qualifiers after various maladies…
Mike Altobelli started on the front row of the slim EMod field and led the distance. He was joined almost instantly at the front by Spike Moore who challenged often but never got by. At the finish it was Altobelli, Moore, Drake Troutman, and Jacob Marker.
LATE MODEL 55 Mason Zeigler, Gregg Satterlee, Max Blair, Kyle Lee, Dylan Yoder, Bryan Bernheisel, Matt Sponaugle, Devin Hart, Jim Bernheisel, Dan Angellicchio, Michael Lake, Tim Smith, Logan Zarin, Jeff Rine, Travis Stickley, Justin Weaver, Chuck Clise, Dave Stamm, Alex Ferree, Jason Covert, Mike Lupfer, Danny Snyder, Ross Robinson, Jeff Miller DNQ Rick Eckert, Andrew Yoder, Andrew Wylie, Del Rougeau, Matt Cosner, Tyler Ritchey, Nathan Lasalle, Shaun Jones, Ron Fink, Darrass Deneen, Drake Troutman, Mike Norris, Jared Miley, Jakob Piper, Wayne Johnson, Dylan Lewis.
EMOD 20 LAPS Mike Altobelli, Spike Moore, Drake Troutman, Jacob Marker, John Whitfield, Brandon Hoover, Tommy Hughes, TJ Dehaven.
