6.15.23 Bedford Speedway Results

The Bedford Speedway ran a rare Thursday show as part of 2023 Late Model Speedweek and the star of the show was Tyler Emory. Driving the Pete Cameron owned 72 it was the first career Bedford win for Emory and he became the 153rd different winner at the historic track. The win in the 35 lap event was worth $4000 to the team, plus a $200 reward for having set fast time for the show.

In the support event, John Miller led a rare Ford 1-2 sweep as he came from the pack to score the Semi Late win in his Ford beating Bob Jay in a similar racer.

After qualifications, Tyler Emory and Michael Norris were the front row starters and it was Norris jumping into the lead at the start, Norris actually pulled away to a safe lead over the first few laps but eventually Emory began to close slightly. Tension elevated as Norris entered heavy lapped traffic by about lap 10 but Norris maintained a safe lead,

But things changed when the first caution flew on lap 16 drawing Emory and the entire field to the back bumper of the 10 car. On the restart, Emory pounced and took the lead as Norris didn’t show the early race speed that he had started with. Once out front, Emory pulled away with every passing lap.

That restart was also pivotal for Jeff Rine, who secured third from Drake Troutman after several laps of battle, Behind the leaders, Kyle Lee and Gregg Satterlee were moving forward in a rush, Lee moved in on Troutman and after quite a few laps of hard battling he took fourth on lap 28. Troutman regained the spot on a restart a lap later but Lee kept the pressure on.

But the three leaders had stretched out over the field, weaving through heavy late race traffic in the waning laps. Emory rushed to the win by over two seconds over Norris and Rine. Lee regained fourth as Troutman dropped out on lap 33 and he finished there ahead of Satterlee.

Heat races were won by Bryan Bernheisel, Gregg Satterlee, Eddie Carrier and Lee. Colby Frye and Justin Weaver took the B features. The fourth heat race featured a spectacular event as Jimmy McBee had a throttle stick wide open and pounded the first turn wall at full speed. Ron Fink found himself involved with the crashing McBee and managed to flip in turn one causing a red flag event. Earlier Rick Eckert dropped out while leading heat three easily. He returned and grabbed a qualifying spot in a B feature. Jeff Miller was the track high point man provisional.

Dalton Weyant led the Semi Late event from the pole. He held that spot through several early cautions but there was a pack at the front. While Weyant led, John Miller was threading his way forward from sixth spot, Miller caught and passed Weyant for the lead on lap 10 but Weyant remained in hot pursuit. When Weyant dropped out on lap 12, Bob Jay inherited second but by then Miller was safely ahead.

Miller rushed to the win as Bob Jay completed the Ford sweep at the front. Bill Replogle led Brian Weyandt Jr and Greg Hainsey across the line. Miller and Weyandt Jr won the heats. With the event also run in the memory of Bob Elbin, many of the Semi Late drivers received extra cash courtesy of the Elbin family.

LATE MODEL 35 LAPS Tyler Emory, Michael Norris, Jeff Rine, Kyle Lee, Gregg Satterlee, Dylan Yoder, Kyle Hardy, Eddoe Carrier, Matt Cosner, Rick Eckert, Bryan Bernheisel, Dan Stone, Austin Berry, Jim Yoder, Bryan Booze, Keith Jackson, Drake Troutman, Chuck Clise, Justin Weaver, Mike Lupfer, Andrew Wylie, Jason Covert, Colby Frye, Jeff Miller, Matt Sponaugle. DNQ Dillon Stake, Cody Robbins, Kody Lyter, RJ Dallape, Ernie Millon, Matt Murphy, Andrew Yoder, Randy Christine, Larry Miederer, Ryan Christoff, Nathan Long, Jim McBee, Ron Fink

SEMI LATE 15 LAPS John Miller, Bob Jay, Bill Replogle, Brian Weyandt Jr, Greg Hainsey, Kyle Weyandt, Rick Potter, Travis Calhoun, Tony Catlett, Brandon Grubb, Laura Reilly, Josh Ringer, Devin Weyant, Dan Patterson, Josh Bumberger, Zack Frost, Cale Martin, Dave Brown