COSNER BIG WINNER AT THE BEDFORD FAIR
July 26th, 2025
Matt Cosner survived two short rain delays a determined Andrew Wylie and a late charge from Travis Stickley to score the big Late Model victory at the Great Bedford Fair Friday night. The win in the event, run in honor of former racer and car builder Gary Martz, was the 16th of his Bedford career but the first in over two years, and was worth $3000 with bonuses provided by the Martz family.
In other action on the night, Kyle Weyandt came from deep in the field to score the Semi Late win, and Charlie Clise took the Pure Stock honors before Jason Diehl closed the program with a near photo finish win in 4 Cylinder action.
The Late Model event started off rather weirdly as pole sitter Shawn Shoemaker shut down and pulled off as the field came to the green. With Shoemaker out of the way fellow front row starter Andrew Wylie took off from the field. Several early lap cautions slowed the field but Wylie prevailed on each restart with JT Spence in hot pursuit.
While most eyes were on the lead battle, Matt Cosner had moved from his 8th starting spot to third and was closing on the leaders fast. Spence stalled on the track and retired on lap 8 moving Cosner to second. On the restart the battle was on. With Wylie riding the cushion Cosner attacked from the bottom groove.
Lap after lap Cosner looked under Wylie but could not effect a pass. Finally on lap 16 Cosner slid by for the lead. Once in front Cosner opened up on Wylie who fell back into the clutches of a charging Travis Stickley, who had started way back in 12th. Wylie fought doggedly but Stickley got by two laps later. When Wylie’s day came to an end on lap 23 as he stopped on the track. the resulting caution closed the field for a two lap rush.
Over the last two laps Stickley put up a challenge but Cosner held on for the win. Stickley took second. While Stickley’s run through the pack was noticeable, the move of the night came from Jeff Rine who started 16th before finishing third. Mason Zeigler and Bryan Bernheisel completed the top 5. Cosner, Spence and Zeigler won the heats.
The Semi Late 15 lapper became a cautionfest as 10 slowdowns occurred to break up the action. Bradlee Means and Travis Calhoun were the front row starters and battled between themselves as the field bunched up behind them. Calhoun was the early leader and held on after each restart but Chubby Childers moved in to challenge by lap 5.
But as the leaders jockeyed, Kyle Weyandt was on the move. He caught the leaders and took second from Childers on lap 8. When Calhoun retired a lap later, he had the lead. He held off Childers for the duration to seal the win. Means, Dalton Weyant and Justin Michael completed the top 5. Calhoun and Kyle Weyandt won the heats.
The Pure Stock 15 lapper saw a herd of six equally matched racers battle in the lead pack. Ryan Becket led the mob for 4 laps before Dominic Weyandt took over . He led 4 laps before Charlie Clise got by to take over. Over the last few laps, Clise moved away from the fray but the pack continued amongst themselves for the duration.
At the finish it was Clise over Weyandt, Kyle Beckett, Ryan Beckett and Madison Miller. Childers and Weyandt won the heats.
Jeff Marlett led the first 4 Cylinder laps before Isaac Kormanski took over. Jason Diehl followed Kormanski to the front and hounded him for the lead. Lap after lap Diehl tried to get by but Kormanski was just strong enough to lead the two evenly matched cars.
With persistency Diel tried harder each lap and on the last turn of the last lap drew along side the leader. As the pair hammered toward the finish line, Diehl inched ahead for the narrow win. Kormanski took second ahead of Tyler Beckett, Tom Brady and Darren Chesney.
Kormanski and Todd Price won the heats.
LATE MODEL 25 LAPS Matt Cosner, Travis Stickley, Jeff Rine, Mason Zeigler, Bryan Bernheisel, Spike Moore, Jakob Piper, Matt Sponaugle, Austin Berry, Kyle Lee, Jeff Miller, Andrew Wylie, Jim Bernheisel, Ron Fink, Wayne Johnson Nathan Lasalle, JT Spence, Tyler Ritchey, Scott Sweeney Mike Lupfer, Shawn Shoemaker
SEMI LATE 15 LAPS Kyle Weyandt, Chubby Childers, Bradlee Means, Dalton Weyandt Justin Michael, Mooch Cornell, Kyle Deneen, Dave Brown, Nick Bechtel, Isiah,Miller, Andrew Stough, William Miller, Travis Calhoun, Bill Shehan, Erik Weyandt. Jarrett Paisley, Garrett Keifer, Cody Jarvie.. DNS Bob Jay, Brian Weyandt J
PURE STOCK 15 LAPS Charlie Clise, Dominic Weyandt, Kyle Beckett, Ryan Beckett,. Madison Miller, Denver Dishong, Eli Hinish, Chubby Childers, Anthony Troutman, Erik Weyant, Travis Group, Brittany Beach, Brad Boyd, Brock Bunn
Braydale Bauman, Derek Long, Brandon Emerick, DNS Dalton Ritchey, Darian Ritchey
4 CYLINDER 12 LAPS Jason Diehl, Isaac Kormanski, Tyler Beckett, Tom Brady, Darrin Chesney, Colin Welsh, Todd Price, Ethan Strait, Jeff Marlett,
Braden Powell, Zachery Ling, Anthony Stevens, Chris Graybill, Trevor Brown, Tyler Lockhart, Seth Jezeskie,