In one of the most popular wins in recent history, Tyler Ritchey scored his first ever Late Model win at Bedford Friday night. To make the win even more dramatic, to score the momentous win, he held off the late race run from the track leading career winner Jeff Rine to seal the deal
At the other end of the spectrum, Bob Jay added another win to his Semi Late total as he inched closer to the top of the all time total win mark in all divisions. Suffering through a win drought it was the first Bedford win for Jay in over two years and his 41st career win in the class.
In other action on the topless Friday program, Lane Snook took the Limited event, Steve Wilbur eeked out the Super Sportsman win and Raymond Moore swept the Crown Vic closer.
Due to his low point average, Tyler Ritchey started on the Late Model pole and took off at the start. Shawn Shoemaker gave chase for the first few laps before Travis Stickley grabbed second on lap 4. Stickley chased but did not close on Ritchey.
Stickley’s chase was made complicated as Jeff Rine arrived in third on lap 5 and occupied his attention. But they could not close on Ritchey who was running perfect laps. The pair did finally close on the leader as he encountered lapped traffic by lap 14 but Ritchey perfectly maneuvered through that group and set sail again.
When the caution flew on lap 17, Stickley and Rine were on Ritchey’s bumper but he scooted away on the restart. Rine got by Stickley a lap late and set off after Ritchey who had already put a distance on the second place battle. Over the last 8 laps, Rine was able to close slightly but Ritchey never faltered and raced to the win.
Behind Ritchey and Rine at the finish were Stickley, Kyle Lee and Matt Sponaugle, both of whom came from the 6th row in the initial lineup. Jeff Miller and Stickley won the heats.
Gunner Walls took the initial Limited lead with Kyle Lear in hot pursuit. Lane Snook moved into the picture and got by Lear for second on lap 7. Walls held him off for several laps but eventually Snook swept by for the lead on lap 14. From that point on Snook moved away from the Walls-Lear battle to score the win, his third at Bedford this year.
Behind Snook at the finish were Walls, Lear, Devin Weyandt and Brad Benton. Lear and DJ Myers won the heats.
Steve Wilbur started on the front row of the visiting Super Sportsman field and took off at the start. Meanwhile Tony Jackson was inching forward through the field. Jackson took second on alp10 and began to close slightly on Wilbur each lap but was quickly running out of time.
A quick yellow for Curt Stroup with two to go closed the field and Jackson saw opportunity. Over the last two laps Jackson was all over Wilbur making for an exciting finish but Wilbur held on for the win. Behind Wilbur and Jackson were Andy Burkhart Brad Mellott and Dexter Emrenzeller. Jackson and Wilbur won the heats.
After a wait of over two years, Bob Jay, the leading career Semi Late feature winner scored again. After a season of mechanical issues and crashes, his low point average awarded him the pole for the feature and he wasted no time grabbing the lead at the start and led the distance.
Behind Jay the action was hot and heavy as the gang battled. Isiah Miller ran second, holding off among others Cody Jarvie until Jarvie got by on lap 13 but Jay had things well under control at the front and romped to the win. Jarvie, Miller, Dave Brown and Ryan Sager completed the top 5. Jarvie and Garrett Keifer won the heats.
In his excitement to get to Victory Lane, Jay had issues entering the stage and hit the base of one of the roof supports, damaging both his car and the support.
Raymond Moore started on the pole and led the entire Crown Vic event…Jonathan Barron and Noah Swank won the heats.
In a bit of statistical oddity, every one of the 88 cars on hand survived qualifying and started their feature events.
LATE MODELS 25 LAPS Tyler Ritchey, Jeff Rine, Travis Stickley, Kyle Lee, Matt Sponaugle, Jakob Piper, Spike Moore, Shawn Shoemaker, Bryan Bernheisel, Tim Smith, Jeff Miller, Mike Lupfer, Nathan Lasalle, Colin Casale, Scott SweeneyS Drew Weiser, Del Rougeaux, Wayne Johnson.
LIMITEDS 20 laps Lane Snook, Gunner Walls, Kyle Lear, Devin Weyandt, Brad Benton, Keith Walls, Treyton Lee, Taylor Farlling, Kaden Bard, Curtis Heath, Madeline Miller, D J Garrett, DJ Muers, JOhn Miller, Spike Moore, Ray Ciccarelli
SUPER SPORTSMAN 20 LAPS Steve Wilbur Tony Jackson, Andy Burkhart, Brad Mellott, Dexter Emrenzeller, Jay Fannasy, Cooper Shue, Chad Thomas, Luke Lekner, Scott Smith, Curt Stroup, Donnie Farlling, Craig Perigo
SEMI LATE 15 LAPS Bob Jay, Cody Jarvie, Isiah Miller, Dave Brown, Ryan Sager, Kyle Weyandt, Dalton Weyant, Travis Calhoun, Justin Michael, Mooch Cornell, Bill Shehan, Shawn Smith, Erik Weyandt, Kyle Deneen, Garrett Keifer, Chubby Childers, Brian Weyandt J, Nick Bechtel, Rick Potter,
CROWN VIC 12 LAPS Raymond Moore, Quintan Beeman, Byler Aikey, Jonathan Barron, Brennan Shroyer, Brady Chabol. Travis Kause, Noah Swank, Jake Waugh, TJ New, Ed Vogel, Brandon Bowman, Tyler Varnish, Madison Sponaugle, Allen Harding, Charlie Clise, Travis Vogel, Kainan Brown, Doug Winning, Carter Kause, Devin Bishop
