After a couple of seasons of frustrations and missed opportunities, Matt Sponaugle rose to the occasion at Bedford Friday night, scoring a convincing win in the special 40 lap Late Model event. The win was Sponaugle’s 7th career Bedford Late Model win but the first in over a year. and was worth a cool $4000
In other action, 56 year old rookie driver Barry Clark scored his first ever Pure Stock win before Evan Taylor came from deep in the field to take the EMod finale.
Matt Sponaugle, cursed with horrid luck at Bedford in the past several seasons saw his luck change early as he ran well in his heat, becomming eligible for the redraw, and drew a front row starting spot for the 40 lapper.
It took several shots to get the event underway, but Sponaugle was able to get the jump and take the lead each time. When the field settled down to some racing, Sponaugle scooted out to a large lead over Jeff Rine and Max Blair battling for second.
After beginning to close slightly, Rine and Blair suddenly closed fast to Sponaugle’s bumper when he had difficulty with a lapped car as the race neared halfway. But just as the chasing pair descended on the leader, a yellow flew on lap 21 and gave Sponaugle new life.
From that point on, Sponaugle left no doubt as he pulled ahead. over the last 20 laps. The expected late race charge from Rine fell short as he closed on Sponaugle over the last five laps but it was too little too late falling five lengths short at the line.
Max Blair came across the line in third ahead of Jason Covert, who had come through the field but never challenged the lead trio, Dylan Yoder and Gregg Satterlee. Blair set fast time, Matt Cosner, Blair and Rine won the heats.
It was one of the happiest Victory Lanes in a long time after the Pure Stock event. 56 year old rookie Barry Clark held off the mob for the entire 15 lap distance to score his first ever win.
Clark started on the front row and shot by Cole Stickel on lap one for the lead. But Clark was immediately joined at the front by Bryce Broadwater and a host of others eager to snatch the lead. When Broadwater dropped out, Dalton Ritchey and Dalton Weyandt took up the chase but Clark never wavered and took the memorable win. With his wife away at the beach, Clark was joined on the stage by his overjoyed mom and crew for the celebration.
Behind Clark at the finish were Ritchey, Weyant, Charlie Clise, who came from dead last in the field, and Kevin Weyandt. Mike Duck and Broadwater won the heats. Duck had the thrill of his car catching fire during the feature and he ran two laps with the flames showing before pitting.
By far the best race of the night was the EMod finale. Mike Altobelli Sr led the opening laps but was eventually joined at the front by Altobelli Jr and Evan Taylor. The gang ran together for several laps before Taylor got by for the lead on lap five.
Altobelli Jr got by a lap later and gave Taylor all he could handle but Taylor hung on. Behind them, young Mitch Thomas gave Altobelli Sr fits as both Hardinge cars ran at the front, before sett;ling for fourth at the line. Ridge Bookwalter took fifth. The Altobelli family won all the heats.
LATE MODEL 40 LAPS 1 Matt Sponaugle, Jeff Rine, Max Blair, Jason Covert, Dylan Yoder, Gregg Satterlee, Ross Robinson, Andy Haus, Matt Cosner, Chuck Clise, Tim Smith, George Dixon, Clinton Hersh, Jason Dobson, Larry Neiderer, Dave Stamm, Deshawn Gingrich, Jim Yoder, Nathan Lasalle, DNS Ryan Claycomb
PURE STOCK 15 LAP 1 Barry Clark, Dalton Ritchey, Dalton Weyant, Charlie Clise, Kevin Weyandt, Reed Stickel, Cole Stickel, Andrew Stough, Kyle Deneen, Bill Sheehan, Cheyenne Ranker, Harlan Group, Larry Foor, Mike Duck, Gett Sosnowski. Delmar Donivan, Bryce Broadwater, Dakota Foor, DNS John Howsare
EMOD 20 LAPS 1 Evan Taylor, Mike Altobelli J, Mike Altobelli S, Mitch Thomas, Ridge Bookwalter, Chrios Cogan, Ryan Beckett, Kyle Beckett, Sam Reeder, Travis Cottle, Amber Mills, Willy Rowe, Ryan Peer, Bill Pluta, Ken Summers, DNS Ken Singer