Jim McBee shocked the crowd as he scored a big win in Limited competition at Bedford Friday night. The win came in the makeup feature for the class after rain washed out the original July 10 event For McBee, a three time Late Model winner at the track, it was his first Bedford win since this week in 1982 and his first win anywhere in over 25 years.
In other action, Ryan Sager grabbed the regular Limited event, Mike Altobelli Jr turned last lap luck into a EMod win, Brandon Hawkins took a first ever 305 win and Kyle Weyandt was the Semi Late winner as the track honored former competitor John Howsare.
Jim McBee and Ryan Sager brought the field to the green in the first event of the evening, the makeup Limited race. With the event the first event on the program, the track surface was wet and fast and McBee loved every minute of it. He grabbed the lead at the start and never looked back.
Sager gave chase alternately closing and falling back as the 20 lapper went all green, but never really mounted a threat. Tyler Ritchey finished third after holding off a race long threat from Donnie Farlling, who came from 8th. Spike Moore completed je top 5. Taylor Farlling and Moore had won the heats run on July 10
Dan Zechman led early in the second Limited 20 lapper, but he was passed by Sager. Sager then held on through several caution slow downs to score the win. Zechman held off challenges from first Brad McGinnis, who finished second, and then later from Moore who rallied to take third at the line. Zechman and Matt Parks completed the top 5. Devin Weyandt and McGinnis won the heats.
The Semi Late 30 lap event was a bit of a scoring dilemma as three 88 cars all driven by Weyandts paced the field early. Brian Weyandt led Kyle Weyandt early but a rear broke on the car after a restart allowing Kyle to take over.
While Weyandt led easily, te big battle was in his wake as Chubby Childers and a closing Bill Replogle battled furiously for second. That action ended badly as the pair collected up two others while lapping cars on lap 22 and retiring from the event.
That allowed Weyandt to run off to win the 30 lapper pretty much uncontested. Jarrod Brown had his career best Bedford run with a second, but had issues in the tech line, allowing Mike Desch, Greg Hainsey, Erik Weyandt and Travis Calhoun to fill the top spots. Brown and Nick Bechtel won the heats.
Brandon Hawkins made it look easy in the 305 event. He grabbed the lead at the start and walked away from the field in the all green flag event. Brad Mellott, Ryan Lynn, Dylan Shatzer and Ray Sheetz trailed. Shatzer came from 10th in a fine run. Mellott and Lynn won the heats.
In the most controversial race of the evening, Mike Altobelli snared a surprise win in the EMod closer. Jacob Marker led early as the heavy hitters moved through the field. Drake Troutman was the first among them to challenge Marker and he took over on lap 6. Daniel Cornman arrived in second a lap later and he brought Altobelli with him.
Altobelli was all over Cornman and finally got by for he spot on lap nine just as tthe caution flew. On the restart Altobelli was all over Troutman but could not fashion a pass for the lead until Troutman suddenly slowed on lap 19 with a flat tire. Quick pit work allowed Troutman to rejoin the field for the one lap shootout but Altobelli secured the win. He was followed by Cornman, Mitch Thomas, Amber Mills who started in the last row and Josh Cramer. Evan Taylor, a crash victim on lap 5 and Troutman won the heats.
LIMITED MAKEUP 20 ;AP 1 Jim McBee, Ryan Sager, Tyler Ritchey, Donnie Farlling, Greg Moore, Shawn Shoemaker, Clinton Hersh, Taylor Farlling Devin Weyandt, Dan Zechman, Brian Lowery, Josh Whetstone, Shane Nihart, Bryan Benton, DNS Jordan Kauffman
LIMITED 20 LAP 1 Ryan Sager, Brad McGinnis, Spike Moore, Dan Zechman, Matt Parks, Shawn Shoemaker, Jim McBee, Devin Weyandt, Brian Lowery, Clinton Hersh, John Seiler, Shane Nihart, Donnie Farlling, Taylor Farlling, Tyler Ritchey, Garrett Walls, Chad Desmitt, DNS Bryan Benton, Jesse Snyder.
SEMI LATE 30 LAPS 1 Kyle Weyandt, Mike Desch, Greg Hainsey, Erik Weyandt, Travis Calhoun, Danny Atherton, Ron Benton, Bryan Savino, Chubby Childers, Bill Replogle, Matt Mellott, Joe Kephart, Josh Bumburger, Cale Martin, Laura Reilly, Khi Swanger, Nick Bechtel, Brian Weyandt J, DNS Tyke Musselman, Bill Shehan DQ Jarrod Brown
305 20 LAPS 1 Brandon Hawkins, Brad Mellott, Ryan Lynn, Dylan Shatzer, Ray Sheetz, Darryl Stimeling, Scott Lutz, Kyle Colwell. Reed Thompson, Matt Kline, Josh Spicer, DNS Jim Kennedy
EMOD 20 LAP 1b Mike Altobelli J. Dan Cornman, Mitch Thomas, Amber Mills, Josh Cramer, Ridge Bookwalter, Chris Cogan, Sam Reeder, Jacob Marker, Ryan Beckett, Kyle Beckett, Mike Meck, Drake Troutman, Ken Singer, Tom Wakefield, Evan Taylor, Ken Summers, Mike Altobeli Sr