Bryan Bernheisel got his 2025 season off to a great start with a big win in the Late Model event at Bedford Friday night. It was his third career Bedford win, placing him one ahead of his famous father. Jason Shultz shook off some rust as he returned to Bedford for the first time in years and grabbed the win in the annual URC sprint car visit, his first local win since 2019.
In other action, Kyle Weyandt came from deep in the Semi Late field to score a dramatic win, Darian Ritchey made it two in a row in Pure Stock action and Wayne Brenize scored in the 4 Cylinder finale which featured a wild frontstretch flip.
The Late Model 25 lapper started off with a bang as the back few rows all bottled up on the front stretch at the start. Six cars were involved in the wild crash with all but Darris Deneen able to continue with various damage although Del Rougeaux retired a lap into the event.
On the second try, Bryan Bernheisel took off at the start and opened up on the field. Alex Ferree wrestled with Matt Sponaugle for second before taking that spot on lap three, but Bernheisel was already way ahead.
Bernheisel maintained his distance early on as the field raced all green flag laps but Ferree began to close the gap by about lap 8. Ferree’s advancement became more noticeable as the race progressed and tension mounted as Bernheisel quickly neared heavy lapped traffic and Ferree looked to be poised to pounce.
Things changed on lap 20 as fourth running Jeff Miller drifted to a halt bringing out a caution. On the restart with 5 to go Bernheisel found new life and scooted away as Ferree was hassled by third place Jason Covert. Behind them, Tim Smith, who had come from13th to 5th without the aid of a caution, was all over Sponaugle for 4th.
With open track ahead, Bernheisel got away over the last 5 laps to score the win over Ferree and Covert. Smith completed his charge to the front by taking fourth at the line ahead of Nathan Lasalle and Sponaugle. Jakob Piper, Sponaugle and Lasalle won the heats.
Like the Late Model event, the URC event started off rough as Jake Galloway spun on the first lap. After that the feature went all green as Josh Weller took the early lead from Josh Spicer, in his URC debut. Spicer held second for several laps holding off Jason Shultz until lap 9.
After securing second, Shultz tracked down the leader and made the move into the lead on lap12, nearly making heavy contact. After that he ran the last 13 laps pretty much uncontested for the win. Wellar held on to grab second at the line, followed by Davey Franek, Spicer and J T Terry. Franek and Spicer won the heats.
The Semi Late event was all about Rick Potter up until it wasn’t. With the luck of the draw Potter started on the front row and ran off from the field at the start, holding that position easily. Kyle Weyant who had started ninth, boomed through the field in a hurry and ended up chasing Potter lap after lap.
Things changed though on lap 12 as six cars piled up in turn one causing a caution. With renewed vigor on the restart, Weyant attacked and grabbed the lead.as they took the white flag. As Weyant romped to the win, Potter’s car dropped off the pace. Brian Weyandt Jr, Spike Moore, Bob Jay and Dalton Weyant all completed the top 5 Moore was driving the famous Pork Sell #65. Heats were won by Potter and Travis Calhoun.
Opening day winner Darian Ritchey made it look easy in the Pure Stock event. After a huge first lap pileup which eliminated several cars, Ritchey took the lead at the start and led the distance in the all green flag event. Kyle Beckett chased Ritchey for the duration but never made a pass complete. At the finish it was Ritchey, Beckett, Derek Hinish, Chubby Childers and Charlie Clise. Ritchey and Beckett won the heats.
For the second week in a row the Pure Stock event went caution free (except for the initial start pileup) and every starter who actually started finished the 15 lapper.
Wayne Brenize finished the evening with a win in the 4 Cylinder closer, an event featuring the wildest crash so far in 2025, Josh Corbin was the early leader before chaos broke out on lap 2. On that lap several cars tangled on the front stretch with Cory Hirst leaping into the air and flipping and flipping and flipping, ending up upside down. After a few tense moments Hirst emerged from the car and waved to the crowd.
During the red flag delay, Corbin drifted into the pits and Brenize was the new leader. Brenize then led to the end to finish ahead of Devin Iser. When Iser had issues in the tech zone, Chris Graybill and Tom Brady filled out the top 3…Colin Welsh and Isaac Kormanski won the heats.
LATE MODELS 25 LAPS Bryan Bernheisel, Alex Ferree, Jason Covert, Tim Smith Nathan Lasalle, Matt Sponaugle, Trevor Feathers, Justin Weaver, Jeff Rine, Kyle Lee, Jakob Piper, Logan Zarin, Chuck Clise, Brandon Bard, Mitch Thomas, Ron Fink, Jeff Miller, Tyler Ritchey, Clinton Hersh, Wayne Johnson, Travis Stickley, Del Rougeaux Darras Deneen
URC SPRINTs 25 Laps Jason Shultz Josh Wellar, Davey Franek, Josh Spicer, J T Terry, Dallas Schatt. Adam Carberry, Nash Ely, Hayden Miller, Ken Meisner, Brian Wolfe, Dave Gundrew, Randy Wilbert, Jake Galloway DNS Braden McGough
SEMI LATES 15 LAPS Kyle Weyant Brian Weyandt J Spike Moore, Bob Jay, Dalton Weyant,,Cody Jarvie, Dave Brown, Travis Calhoun, Trent Clark, John Miller, Erik Weyant, Greg Cornell, Rick Potter, Greg Hainsey, Josh Bumbarger, Kyle Deneen, Jarrett Paisley, DNS Bill Shehan
PURE STOCK 15 LAPS Darian Ritchey, Kyle Beckett, Derek Hinish, Chubby Childers, Charlie Clise, Madison Miller, Dalton Ritchey, Denver Dishong, Brock Bunn, Ryan Beckett, Jay Talley, Brittany Beach, Dominic Weyandt Derek Long Braydale Bauman,
4 CYLINDER 12 LAPS Wayne Brenize, Chris Graybill, Tom Brady, Seth Jezeskie, Todd Price, Tyler Lockhart. Ethan Strait, Zachary Long Isaac Kormanski, Jason Diehl, Jacob Miller, Colin Welsh, PeeJay Tippen, Josh Corbin, Cory Hirst, Brayden Powell, Todd Hirst, DNS Matt Kauffman, DQ Devon Iser, Tyler Beckett
