BEDFORD, PA – Dan Stone took the lead on lap 18 of the 40 lap Appalachian Mountain Speedweek’s final show at Bedford to earn $5,000 and his first ever victory at the historic fairgrounds. Robbie Black went three wide to take the win in the Limited Late Model $1,000 to win special, and Bill Henney won the Street Stock feature event.
In Super Late Model action, Jamie Lathroum set fast time in time trials and started on the pole in the feature. Lathroum blasted into the lead and kept up a furious pace using the top groove as Dan Stone, Austin Hubbard, and Gary Stuhler battled for the runner up spot. Lathroum had the field under his thumb until lap 18. Running on the cushion in turn two, Lathroum’s mount slid sideways in front of the entire pack. Second running Dan Stone made contact as he flew by, but the damage sustained wasn’t enough to force him pitside. On the restart it was Stone, Hubbard, Jason Covert, Dylan Yoder and Jack Pencil. Pencil, who started 15th, had been picking off cars on a steady pace as he charged to the front. Vic Coffey also was on the move. Coffey had to resort to a back up car for the feature, relinquishing his 6th starting spot to start last per track rules. By lap 18, Coffey had moved from last to sixth. Austin Hubbard had already won at Bedford this season, and he was going to be a handful for leader Dan Stone. But on lap 28, faint blue smoke rolled out of the 19 and the caution came out as he drifted to a stop in turn 4. The stage was set for 12 laps of mayhem, and Jason Covert, who assumed second place when Hubbard dropped out, was up for the challenge. Dan Stone was fast on the bottom, and Covert was left with the high groove to make his move. Lap after lap Covert would pull even with Stone entering turn three, but Stone was fast and steady. On the final lap, Covert entered turn three as hard as anyone could. Even with chunks of the cushion flying through the air, Covert couldn’t make the pass and Stone took the checkers. Following Covert was Dylan Yoder, Vic Coffey, and Ricky Elliott. Sixth through tenth went to Jack Pencil, Gary Stuhler, Matt Parks, JT Spence, and Nick Dickson. Qualifying events went to Hubbard, Stuhler, and Covert.
The Limited Late Model feature was about as exciting as racing gets. Brian Lessley and Craig Perigo led the field to the green with Lessley assuming the point position on the first lap. Robbie Black started seventh, and by lap 6 he was in second. Starting on lap 7, racing action at the front was intense. Lessley, Black, and third running Jake Jones ran two wide, three wide, and everything in between for laps. On lap 15, Jones officially took the lead just as point leader Grant Adams made hard head on contact with the wall in turn four. On the restart, Lessley faded through the pack quickly as Jones led Black and Rick Singleton. The trio battled hard, but Black made a courageous move using the top groove and snatched the lead from Jones. Jones, who had never raced at Bedford before, maintained the runner up spot and followed Black to the finish line. Tim Smith, who started 16th, drove an incredible race to finish third, Singleton fourth, and Matt Sponaugle recovered from a lap one spin to finish fifth. The win was Black’s second of the season. Singleton and Rance Garlock won the heats.
Bill Henney returned to victory lane for the second time this season in Street Stock action. Henney and Jesse Snyder battled for the lead for most of the race. On lap 10, Henney made a high side pass to take the lead, but a caution relegated him back to second. Two laps later, Henney used the same move to take the lead again, and once again a caution came out before the lap was completed. With four to go, Henney once again took the lead in turn three, and this time Snyder was the one to bring out the caution. Henney was unstoppable once out front and took the win ahead of Brian Duffy, Donald Wyles, Kerry Molovich, and Paul Gambol. Snyder won the lone heat event.
Next week at the Speedway will be a five division show consisting of Super Late Models, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks, and 4 Cylinders. It’s Williams Grove Old Timers Night, and the 4 Cylinders will be racing for $100 to win. For more information call the speedway office at 814-623-0500, or visit www.bedfordspeedway.com
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN SPEEDWEEKS SUPER LATE MODELS
FEATURE (40 Laps): 1. 2 Dan Stone 2. 43a Jason Covert 3. 32 Dylan Yoder 4. 32c Vic Coffey 5. 88 Ricky Elliott 6. 14 Jack Pencil (Tri-State Racing Photos Hard Charger) 7. 17s Gary Stuhler 8. 15p Matt Parks 9. 91 JT Spence 10. 17d Nick Dickson 11. 5 Chuck Clise 12. 3 Tim Wilson 13. 25z Mason Zeigler (DNF) 14. 06 Mike Lupfer (DNF) 15. 19 Austin Hubbard (DNF) 16. 5* Derek Byler (DNF) 17. 6L Jamie Lathroum (DNF) 18. 92 Jeff Rine (DNF) 19. 79 Mike Altobelli, Jr. (DNF) 20. F1 Coleby Frye (DNF) 21. 26 Jerry Bard (DNF) 22. 1k Gene Knaub (DNF)
HEAT 1: Hubbard, Lathroum, Parks
HEAT 2: Stuhler, Coffey, Yoder
HEAT 3: Covert, Stone, Elliott
LIMITED LATE MODELS
FEATURE (25 Laps): 1. 01 Robbie Black 2. 43 Jake Jones 3. 39 Tim Smith, Jr. (Tri-State Racing Photos Hard Charger) 4. 99* Rick Singleton 5. 8 Matt Sponaugle 6. 21 Dave Leidy 7. 13 Brian Lowery 8. 1a Craig Perigo 9. 116 Travis Mease 10. 5h Matt Howsare 11. 5z Brian Lessley 12. 15b Josh Berrier 13. 32 Travis Stickley (DNF) 14. 64 Grant Adams (DNF) 15. 19 Rance Garlock (DNF) 16. M14 Transtan Stoner (DNF) 17. 66 Justin Kann (DNF) 18. 36 Travis Calhoun (DNF)
DNS: 48 Donnie Farlling
HEAT 1: Singleton, Jones, Mease
HEAT 2: Garlock, Black, Calhoun
STREET STOCKS:
FEATURE (18 Laps): 1. 50 Bill Henney 2. 38 Brian Duffy 3. 10 Donald Wyles (Tri State Racing Photos Hard Charger) 4. 63 Kerry Molovich 5. 85 Paul Gambol 6. 73c Bill Pluta 7. 22 Jesse Snyder 8. 44 Rick Wright 9. 55x Scott Grubb
HEAT 1: Snyder, Wyles, Gambol
TIME TRIALS: Fast time – Jamie Lathroum 19.855 seconds