7.30.17 Bedford Speedway Results

Due to weather, it took three tries to get a racing program in during the 2017 Great Bedford Fair, but it finally happened Sunday night. It was a unique event as the third try produced three first time Bedford winners, each coming in unique ways, and almost produced a fourth first timer.

Second generation racer Mark Watkins led pole to pole in the headline 305 event, Taylor Farlling won the Limited event in the tech line and Josh Frankenberry rallied late to snare the Pure Stock win. Chris Reckner was enroute to a first ever 4 Cylinder win until his engine expired with two to go, allowing Wayne Brenize to end the evening with that win

After a quick lap one yellow, front row starter Mark Watkins got the jump in the 305 event ahead of Drew Ritchey. The pair stretched out over the field until Ritchey closed dramatically as they entered heavy lapped traffic around lap nine.

But action was interrupted on lap 14 as Colt Lepley hit the turn 4 wall hard and was eliminated. On the restart, Robby Bartchy slid into third and joined Ritchey in the chase, but Watkins again opened up a lead.

A quick caution on lap 20 again closed the field, just after Scott Lutz had secured third, but Watkins was not to be denied and scooted on to the win. Ritchey, Lutz, Bartchy and Ryan Lynn trailed. Kyle Colwell, Watkins and Bartchy won the heats.

Ron Bottenfield got the drop on the field at the start and ran 20 perfect laps to dominate the Limited event. Taylor Farlling and Curtis Heath battled for second for the duration as Justin Weaver clawed his way through the field to join that mix, along with Donnie Farlling. Farlling took third from Heath on lap nine, and Weaver appeared in fourth on lap 19, but none were able to close in on Bottenfield, who streaked to the easy apparent win.

But Bottenfield refused a cursory check in the tech line and was stripped of the win, moving Taylor Farlling into the coveted win. The official order showed father Donnie Farlling second, ahead of Weaver, Heath and Frank Gordon, who started 10th in the field. Robby Black and Heath won the heats. The event went all the way green and Nolan Dalton, who retired on lap 16 was the only starter to not go all 20 laps.

Joe Means led the early Pure Stock laps but was hounded by Josh Frankenberry and eventually Denny Pittman. Frankenberry took over on lap three but Means stayed on his bumper. The three ran in that order until Means spun in turn two on lap 10, a move which collected Pittman and 4 other lead pack cars.

The last five laps saw Frankenberry running ahead of three Weyandts and Jim Dearmitt. But Frankenberry prevailed to score the win. He was followed to the line by Erik Weyandt, Dearmitt, Kyle Weyandt and Barry Weyandt. Frankenberry and Pittman won the heats.

Looking to complete an evening sweep of first time winners, Chris Reckner led the 4 Cylinder event and held off a 6 car mob at the front. Steve Frederick and then Wayne Brenize chased Reckner but could not get by. But the fairy tale ride ended for Reckner on lap 10 as his motor detonated spectacularly on the front stretch, spewing oil and bursting the car into flames.

After that, Brenize held off Chris Graybill and Frederick for the win. Graybill and Reckner won the heats.

305 SPRINTS 24 LAPS 1 Mark Watkins, Drew Ritchey, Scott Lutz, Robbie Bartchy, Ryan Lynn, Roger Irvine, Reed Thompson, Dylan Shatzer, Joe Zapp, Tim Lash, Steve Kenawell, Ed Mesaros, Jim Kinosky, Jim Kennedy, Matthew Kline, Kyle Colwell, Colt Lepley, Brad Mellott, Ron Aurand, Bob Salathe, DNS Ray Sheets

LIMITEDS 20 LAPS 1 Taylor Farlling, Donnie Farlling, Justin Weaver, Curtis Heath, Frank Gordon, George Dixon, Robbie Black, Kadden Smith, Brian Lowery, Shawn Jones, Devon Weyandt, Dan Zechman, Bryan Benton, Greg Cornell, Dalton Bilger, Mike Ott, Nolan Dalton, DNS Nick Tressler DQ Ron Bottenfield

PURE STOCK 15 LAP 1 Josh Frankenberry, Erik Weyandt, Jim Dearmitt, Kyle Weyandt, Barry Weyandt, Kyle Beckett, Dave Lambert, Brad Feight, Bill Replogle, Joe Dearmitt Travis Group, Laura Chamberlain, Denny Pittman, Tyler Thomas, James Foor, Jason Gilliland, Joe Means, Trent Clark, Tyler Ritchey, DNS Dakota Foor

4 CYLINDER 12 LAP 1 Wayne Brenize, Chris Graybill, Steve Frederick, Kolby Crawley, Todd Price, Carl Reddinger, Rob Leidy, Morgan Price, Rodney Hartman, Phil Best, Chris Reckner, Delmar Donovan, Chris Fleegle, Eric Zimmerman, Josh Fetters, Kyle Frankenberry, Bryan Ickes