By Dave Harclerode
BEDFORD, PA – Spared from area rain showers, the Bedford Speedway managed to complete the entire show without any delay from mother nature. Rookie sensation Super Late Model driver Derek Byler battled and passed a former track champion, and held off last year’s champ in the closing laps to win his second career division feature. Daniel Cornman earned his first career victory in Bedford’s Limited Late Model division, and Bill Henney won his first of the season in the Street Stocks. Justin Michael made it two in a row with his win in the Hobby Stocks, and Andrew Pluta, Jr. won his first career Bedford victory in the 4 Cylinder division.
After a very successful Limited Late Model career, many wondered how Derek Byler would fair in the Super Lates after making the jump this season. After Friday night, all doubts have been put to rest. Byler showed poise and skill in his performance, and received a well earned win. Three time division champ Scott Rhodes grabbed the early lead, but it wasn’t long until Byler had worked his way into second from his fifth starting spot. With Rhodes on the topside, and Byler on the bottom, the pair ran side by side for most of the early part of the race. After swapping the lead several times, Byler pulled into the lead for good with 11 laps to go and pulled out to a comfortable lead. Jack Pencil, who started eighth, seemed to be going nowhere until the final stages of the race. Pencil came out of nowhere with just a few laps remaining, grabbed second after battling Rhodes and Jeff Rine, and started reeling in Byler. Closing the gap on each circuit, Pencil put his number fourteen right on Byler’s rear bumper on the final lap, but it was too late. Byler took the win over Pencil, Rine, Rhodes, and Scotty Haus. Sixth through tenth went to Steve Everhart, Greg Fetters, Shawn Claar, Wayne Johnson, and Jeff Miller. Claar and Rhodes won the heat events.
Daniel Cornman has been super fast since about last July in the Limited Late Models, but that first win at the speedway has been elusive – until now. Pole sitter Eddie Cornett took the lead at the drop of the green but quickly relinquished the top spot to Justin Kann. Cornman, who started fifth, picked his way through the top five and found himself battling Kann for the lead. Similar to the Super Late Model feature, the top pair raced side by side for numerous laps as Rick Singleton and Tim Smith, Jr. charged through the field from mid-pack. Kann ran a steady line right on the cushion, and Cornman ran the bottom, and it was this formula that almost ended Cornman’s night. With 15 laps to go, Cornman entered turn 3 too low, hopped the berm, and bicycled his car for well over 50 feet. Cornman’s Chevy nearly rolled over, but he rode out the two wheel ride Joie Chitwood style until the car came back to earth on all four tires. Amazingly, Cornman barely lost ground to Kann after the wild ride, and on lap 12, Cornman powered by for the lead. Singleton came from his ninth starting spot to second after disposing of Kann, and soon after Tim Smith, Jr. followed. Cornman, however, had checked out. The top five at the checkered was Cornman, Singleton, Smith, Kann, and Matt Howsare. Completing the top ten was Matt Sponaugle, Rance Garlock, Brian Lesley, George Dixon, Jr., and Steve Bard. Heat winners were Howsare, Lesley, and Singleton.
The Street Stocks always put on a great show at Bedford. This time around, it was Bill Henney’s turn to take home the first place trophy. Henney, the only driver the entire evening to win from the pole position, held off Jim Sayler to earn his fourth career win. Sayler settled for second, Brian Duffy third, occasional visitor Dave Brown fourth, and Daryl Whetstone fifth. Sayler and Duffy won the heats.
The last time the Hobby Stocks raced, Justin Michael won his first ever Bedford race in his first ever Bedford start. Justin continued his winning ways this week, and won his second Hobby Stock feature in just his second Bedford start. Even more impressive is the fact that he won from the ninth starting spot. The race was red flagged on the first lap for a nasty crash involving several cars, and ending the night for Reed Stickel, Jr., veteran driver and former champ Terry Norris, and victory lane regular Charlie Walter. Following Michael across the finish line was Travis Group, Bill Replogle, Tyler Ritchey, and Jarrod Brown. Chad Gambol and Replogle won the heats.
The last time the 4 Cylinders raced, Ben Hittie took a wild ride in the number 68 car after heavy contact with the turn four wall. The car exited the speedway, and appeared to be severely damaged. On Friday night, Andrew Pluta, Jr. was behind the wheel of the same number 68 car, and put it in victory lane. Still showing scars from the Hittie wreck, Pluta came from the seventh starting spot to earn the win. Cindy Rhodes, wife of Super Late Model star Scott Rhodes, finished a Bedford career best second, Ian Will was third, point leader Paul Crynock fourth, and Davey Lambert fifth. Rhodes and Pluta won the heats.
This Friday, June 11th is the final leg of the Appalachian Mountain Speed Week for Super Late Models. Also appearing will be the Limited Late Models, who are also having a multi-track shootout along with the Super Late Model speed week. For more details, visit www.bedfordspeedway.com or www.lmspeedweek.com
SUPER LATE MODELS
FEATURE: 1. Derek Byler 2. Jack Pencil 3. Jeff Rine 4. Scott Rhodes 5. Scott Haus 6. Steve Everhart 7. Greg Fetters 8. Shawn Claar 9. Wayne Johnson 10. Jeff Miller 11. Randy Burkholder 12. Allen Lemin 13. Chuck Clise 14. Eric Zembower 15. Mason Zeigler 16. TJ Wright 17. Larry Wright (DNF) 18. Chris Harr (DNF)
DNS: Tom Decker, Jr.
HEAT 1: Claar, Haus, Lemin
HEAT 2: Rhodes, Rine, Byler
LIMITED LATE MODELS
FEATURE: 1. Daniel Cornman 2. Rick Singleton 3. Tim Smith, Jr. 4. Justin Kann 5. Matt Howsare 6. Matt Sponaugle 7. Rance Garlock 8. Brian Lesley 9. George Dixon, Jr. 10. Steve Bard 11. Darrell Dick 12. Eddie Cornett 13. Travis Stickley 14. Donnie Farlling 15. Grant Adams 16. Travis Calhoun 17. Eric Irvin 18. Craig Perigo (DNF) 19. Mike Duck (DNF) 20. Curtis Heath (DNF) 21. Matt Cosner (DNF)
HEAT 1: Howsare, Dick, Cornman
HEAT 2: Lesley, Cornett, Kann
HEAT 3: Singleton, Bard, Smith
STREET STOCKS
FEATURE: 1. Bill Henney 2. Jim Sayler 3. Brian Duffy 4. Dave Brown 5. Daryl Whetstone 6. Kerry Molovich 7. Rich Swope 8. Zane Weicht 9. Donald Wyles 10. Bob Jay 11. Jesse Snyder 12. Cody Buterbaugh 13. Khi Swanger 14. David Puckett
HEAT 1: Sayler, Whetstone, Brown
HEAT 2: Duffy, Henney, Molovich
HOBBY STOCKS
FEATURE: 1. Justin Michael 2. Travis Group 3. Bill Replogle 4. Tyler Ritchey 5. Jarrod Brown 6. Ed Vogel 7. Kevin Brown 8. Daren Desch 9. Mandy Jay 10. Justin Vaughn 11. David Riley 12. Charlie Walter 13. Terry Norris 14. Reed Stickel, Jr.
DNS: Chad Gambol
HEAT 1: Gambol, Norris, Ritchey
HEAT 2: Replogle, Stickel, Group
4 CYLINDERS
FEATURE: 1. Andrew Pluta, Jr. 2. Cindy Rhodes 3. Ian Will 4. Paul Crynock 5. Davey Lambert 6. Ralph Miller 7. Jeremy Miller 8. Phil Best 9. Steve Frederick 10. Jon Gephart 11. Ronnie Valentine 12. Jr. Hoover 13. Mike Lauffer 14. Juan Ryan
HEAT 1: Rhodes, Will, Ryan
HEAT 2: Pluta, Lauffer, Crynock