Max Blair and Mason Zeigler easily swept the two qualifying events in the first night of the 2024 Keystone Cup event at Bedford Friday night. In the unique Keystone format, the racers were divided into two events based on time trial results with nine to qualify from each 20 lap event.
Blair shot by fast timer Alex Ferree on the first lap and led the distance in the first event. Dan Stone got by Ferree on lap two and chased Blair for the distance. While the top two easily pulled away from the field, the real battle was for the ninth and final qualifying spot as Jason Covert and Colby Frye came from deep in the field to wrestle all race long with John Lee and Jared Miley for that spot.
At the finish it was Blair and Stone followed by Ferree, Justin Weaver, Travis Stickley, Gregg Satterlee, Trevor Feathers, Covert and Frye. Among the notable non qualifiers were Miley, and the top two in 2024 Bedford points Kyle Lee and Bryan Bernheisel.
Fast group B timer Mason Zeigler started on the pole in the second event and zoomed away from the field at the start, leading the distance for the win. Rick Eckert ran second for the first 8 laps before falling to Matt Cosner and Jeff Rine who chased but never caught Zeigler, finishing in that order. Qualifiers behind the top 3 were Kyle Hardy who thrilled the fans by coming from 13th position by riding the far outside groove along the wall, Matt Sponaugle, Dylan Yoder, Eckert, Brent Robinson and Jim Yoder.
The Late Models returned one more time as the top 3 in each qualifier ran a dash to determine the Saturday starting spots. Blair and Zeigler ran off from that field to run first and second ahead of Stone Rine and Ferree.
Three other divisions were part of the evening featuring two dramatic finishes. Brian Weyandt Jr rallied late to take the Semi Late win over Bill Replogle, Derek Hinish scored a wild last lap win over Denver Dishong in the Pure Stock event, and Javid Fairall led the distance to tin the 4 Cylinder finale.
Brian Weyandt Jr dogged early leader Replogle lap after lap before squeezing by on lap 8 then took the Semi Late win. Replogle held on for second ahead of Garrett Keifer, Dave Brown and Greg Hainsey. Brown and Replogle won the heats.
Ryan Beckett was the early Pure Stock Leader but was pressured from the start by Derek Hinish. While the two battled hard, Denver Dishong found the bottom groove and slowly worked through the pack. Dishong made it a three car battle at the front but eased by both Beckett and Hinish to take the lead on lap 11. Hinish finally got by Beckett with two laps to go but Dishong was seemingly headed for the win before the caution flew on the last lap. On that one lap shootout, Hinish was able to make the winning pass and beat Dishong to the line.
Hinish and Dishong were followed by Beckett, Jason Haggerty and Charlie Clise. Darian Ritchey and Clise won the heats.
Javid Fairall started on the pole and led the distance in the 4 Cylinder event. He was trailed by Colin Welsh and Chris Graybill. Todd Price and Isaac Kormanski won the heats.
LM QUALIFIER #1 20 LAPS Max Blair, Dan Stone, Alex Ferree, Justin Weaver, Travis Stickley, Gregg Satterlee, Trevor Feathers, Jason Covert, Colby Frye Jared Miley, John Lee, Colton Flinner, Bryan Bernheisel, Tim Smith, Kyle Lee, Mike Duritsky. Ryan Christoff, Keith Walls, Matt Martin, Matt Nailor, Nathan Lasalle
LM QUALIFIER #2 20 LAPS Mason Zeigler, Matt Cosner, Jeff Rine, Kyle Hardy, Matt Sponaugle, Dylan Yoder, Rick Eckert, Brent Robinson, Jim Yoder, JT Spence, Jeff Miller, Shawn Shoemaker, Andrew Yoder, Chuck Clise, Mike Lupfer, Del Rougeux, Scott Sweeney, Ron Fink, Darrass Deneen, Tyler Ritchey.
SEMI LATE 15 LAPS Brian Weyandt J Bill Replogle, Garrett Keifer, Dave Brown, Greg Hainsey, John Miller, Travis Calhoun, Andrew Stough, Ryan Sager, Bob Jay, Cody Jarvie, Bradlee Means, Laura Reilly, Dillon Isenburg, Kyle Deneen, Kyle Weyandt, DNS Rick Potter, Geoff Sosnowski, Jarrett Paisley,
PURE STOCK 15 LAPS Derek Hinish, Denver Dishong, Ryan Beckett, Jason Haggerty, Charlie Clise, Madison Miller, Chubby Childers, Jay Talley, Dalton Weyant, Tony Catlett, Darian Ritchey, Barry Weyandt, Erik Weyandt
4 CYLINDER 15 LAPS Javid Fairall, Colin Welsh, Chris Graybill., Tom Brady, Isaac Kormanski, Todd Price, John Diehl, Keshawn Dempse Don Hillegas, Jimmy Delozier, Blake Bish, Travis Shaffer, Matt Jones.
