Jason Covert waited over half the race but rallied late to score the NDRL race at Bedford Friday night. For Covert, who usually rises to the occasion in Bedford’s bigger races, it was his first 2014 win at the track. Dave Brown beat the odds to score his first win in a long time in Semi Late action before Robby Black came from the pack to take the Limited win. Ryan Peer took his third consecutive 4 Cylinder win to complete the Friday action.
Pole sitter Keith Barbara got the jump on the field in the NDRL event and easily led the opening laps. Covert was up to second when the first caution flew on lap 3 for Jeff Rine. The yellow flew again on the restart as Jared Miley was involved in a back stretch fracas and Rine made yet another pit visit.
On that restart, Barbara seemingly had the field covered, running away from Covert and Dylan Yoder to a wide margin lead. But as the laps ticked off Covert began to close. After a Rance Garlock yellow on lap 18, Covert was all over Barbara for the lead. On lap 22, Covert made a serious challenge but overshot the runway in turn one and lost a lot of ground.
But Covert stayed with the program and three laps late was back all over Barbara. As the pair completed lap 26, Covert made a bold move and grabbed the lead. From that point on, Covert got faster and faster and ran off from the field.
Barbara meanwhile fell back into the clutches of Tim Fuller, who finally took over second on lap 31.
Fuller however did not mount a challenge to Covert and followed him to the line at the finish. Barbara held onto third after holding off Max Blair. Rine, who was dead last in the field on lap three rallied for fifth, the best of the Bedford regulars. Dylan Yoder, Mason Zeigler and Blair won the heats.
Dave Brown was certainly not the odds on favorite to win the Semi Late main. He started on the pole and jumped to the early lead. Then, as the field battled furiously behind him he ran 15 perfect laps to prevail. Chad Gambol held off a late race charge from both Justin Michael and Jim Sayler to take second. Michael, Sayler and Bob Jay completed the top five, Gambol and Brown won the heats.
Some say that you cant win from deep in the pack at Bedford but Robby Black proved otherwise in the Limited event. Black started eighth as the most recent winner and started climbing forward at the start as Dion Lasalle led early. Lasalle held off Curtis Heathh for several laps until Heath got by on lap six. By that time, Black was up to third and closing fast. He got by Lasalle the next lap and set out for Heath.
Black got by Heath on lap eight and ran off from the field. Ron Bottenfield , who had started behind Black, followed him through the field and took second from Heath on lap 12 Black ran off for his second win of the year at Bedford ahead of Bottenfield, Heath , Eric Irvin and Kyle Lee. Irvin and Josh Berrier won the heats.
Like Black, Ryan Peer started din the pack but came forward in a hurry. Cale Martin led early but Peer took over on lap three. Peer, saddled with a weight penalty as a frequent 2014 winner at the track, then held off Dustin Drake for the win, his third in a row. Martin, Bailey Johnson and Tom Brady were the top five. Peer and Drake won the heats.
NDRL LATE MODEL 35 LAP 1 Jason Covert, Tim Fuller, Keith Barbara, Max Blair, Jeff Rine, Mason Zeigler, Chuck Clise, Dylan Yoder, Justin Kann, Matt Sponaugle, Gene Knaub, Mike Altobelli Jr, Jack Pencil, Rance Garlock, Mike Knight, Travis Cottle, Wayne Johnson, Jared Miley, Dan Stone, DNS Travis Wilson, Matt Cosner
LIMITED 18 LAP 1 Robby Black, Ron Bottenfield, Curtis Heath, Eric Irvin, Kyle Lee, Troy Swindell, Travis Calhoun, George Dixon, Josh Berrier, Donnie Farlling, Brian Lessley, Darrell Dick, Kayden Smith, Brian Lowery, Matt Eckman, Craig Perigo, Dion Lasalle.
SEMI LATE 15 LAP 1 Dave Brown, Chad Gambol, Justin Michael, Jim Sayler, Bob Jay, Ryan Beckett, Lou Wannyn, Greg Cornell, RT Troutman, Jim Sacco, Kerry Molovich, Greg Hainsey, Jesse Snyder, Jamie Kohan, Dave Whetstone, Scott Sturtz, Tyler Beckett, Rick Wright, Joe Marple DNS Paul Gambol
4 CYLINDER 12 LAP 1 Ryan Peer, Dustin Drake, Cale Martin, Bailey Johnson, Tim Brady, Nick Zborovancik, Neil Bauer Jr, David Grimm, Mike Meck, Jason Riggleman, Steve Frederick, Kevin Beers, Wayne Brenize, Dave Harclerode, Josh Ringler, Rusty Martin.
