MAY 14,
2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
PENCIL WINS 30 LAP SWEITZER MEMORIAL
By Dave Harclerode
BEDFORD, PA - Ninety-six cars packed the pits at Bedford Speedway Friday
evening, on a night dedicated to the memory of Super Late Model driver Rodney
Sweitzer's father Bob Sweitzer. Last year's Super Late Model champion Jack
Pencil returned to his winning ways by taking the 30 lap Bob Sweitzer Memorial
race, prevailing over a hard charging Wayne Johnson. John Bookwalter picked
up his first ever win at the speedway in the Limited Late Models, Bob Jay won
the Street Stock main event, and Brian Weyandt, Jr. cruised to the win in the
Cruiser-Hobby Stock division.
Many consider Friday the 13th to be an unlucky day. That's apparently not
the case for Bedford's Jack Pencil. His last win at the speedway was in
August of last year, on Friday the 13th. Jack had his hockey mask on again
Friday night, as he bludgeoned the field with speed and power to take the 30
lap $1,500 to win Super Late Model feature. Pencil started outside the
front row, and immediately grabbed the lead from pole sitter Wayne Johnson. Pencil
was able to maintain a 3 car length lead for most of the race, but Johnson would
make it interesting near the end. Early in the race, traveling racer Jim
Bernheisel nearly exited the track in turn two after hard contact with the wall
and retaining guardrail. For most of the event Pencil, Johnson, and Scott
Rhodes paced the field as Superstar drivers Gary Stuhler and Scott Haus picked
their way through the competition. Stuhler, who started 9th, made it as
far as fifth place, but could not advance any further as fourth place runner
DJ Troutman proved to be too strong. Scotty Haus started 14th, and found
himself on Stuhler's bumper late in the race, but the real hard charger was Rodney
Sweitzer. Surely racing with his father's memory riding along in his car,
Sweitzer came from the 21st starting position to run seventh behind Haus. He
worked hard for every position, passing some very tough competition. Back
to the front of the pack, Wayne Johnson's hopes for taking the win started looking
better. A few late race cautions helped Johnson stay right on Pencil's
bumper, and with two to go Wayne made his move in turn three. Wayne and
Pencil were side by side in turn four, but the pass attempt failed. Johnson
tried the same move on the last lap, but Pencil just had too much, beating Johnson
narrowly at the finish line. Rhodes watched a good show from a close third
position, and Troutman, Stuhler, Haus, Sweitzer, Devin Friese, Chris Harr, and
Andy Fries finished the top ten.
Harr, Pencil, and Stuhler won the heat races, and TJ Wright took the B-Main event.
Occasional Bedford racer John Bookwalter found a good reason to spend more weekends
at the big 5/8 mile speedway, by winning his first ever Limited Late Model feature
event at the historic track. It took nearly the entire race for the 2004
Track Champion Mike Shoemaker to move from his sixth place starting spot to second. However,
Bookwalter had his red # 1 racer hooked up, and Shoemaker had to settle for the
second spot at the finish. Matt Parks, Craig Perigo and Tim Smith, Jr.
completed the top five. Sixth through tenth went to George Beckett, Robbie
Black, Howie Bussard, Shane Bilger, and Ray Dallape.
Bookwalter and Perigo won the qualifying events.
It's a rare occasion when someone dominates a Street Stock feature event at Bedford
Speedway, but Bob Jay checked out early and won easily. Usual front runner
Daniel Cornman had a hard turn 3 crash, ending his evening along with Terry Wyles. Last
year's champ Jim Sayler was moving through the field hoping to get a shot at
Jay for the lead, but a late race flat tire sent him to the rear to try again. Jay
won the event easily over Jamie Swank, Dave Brown, Travis Calhoun, and Donald
Wyles.
Heat winners were Jay and Ashley Barrett.
Brian Weyandt, Jr. continued to hone his racing skills in the Cruiser Hobby Stock
division, coming from fifth place to win the feature event. Last week's
winner Lincoln Ritchey led nearly the entire race, but a bobble in turn one with
two to go would prove devastating for Ritchey. Weyandt, Jr., Shawn Wyles,
Travis Stickley, and Chuck Weyant all worked past Ritchey. They finished
in that order at the checkered, with Jerry Robinson, Terry Norris, Barry Weyandt,
Derrick Hinish, and Chris Chamberlain completing the top ten.
Next week will be a regular 4 division show, consisting of the Interstate NAPA
Super Late Models, Limited Late Models, TC Race Cars Street Stocks, and the Cruiser-Hobby
Stocks.
SUPER LATE MODELS (30 cars)
FEATURE (30 laps): Jack Pencil 14, Wayne Johnson 17j, Scott Rhodes 83R,
DJ Troutman 151, Gary Stuhler 90, Scott Haus 33, Rodney Sweitzer 84, Devin Friese
12, Chris Harr W1, Andy Fries 82, Ron Delano, Jr. 0, Jeff Rine 92, Larry Wright
31, Andy Martz M1, TJ Wright 31j, Eric Zembower 49, Chuck Clise 5, Matt Sponaugle
8, Dave Hoover 45, Darrell Dick 94, Bo Feathers 00, Chuck Lasalle 37 (DNF), Dave
Troutman 7 (DNF), Jim Bernheisel 119 (DNF), Greg Fetters 39 (DNF), Coleby Frye
F1 (DNF)
HEAT 1: Harr, Johnson, Rhodes
HEAT 2: Pencil, Martz, Friese
HEAT 3: Stuhler, DJ Troutman, Fries
CONSI: TJ Wright, Sponaugle, Bernheisel
DNQ: Shane Beegle, Doug Ishler, John Harr, Nick Dickson
LIMITED LATE MODELS (21 cars)
FEATURE: John Bookwalter 1, Mike Shoemaker 8, Matt Parks 15P, Craig Perigo
1a, Tim Smith, Jr. 39, George Beckett 58, Robbie Black 01, Howie Bussard 15B,
Shane Bilger 10, Ray Dallape 95, Rance Garlock 19, Brian Duffy 38 (DNF), Kevin
Weyandt 88 (DNF), Mike Altobelli, Jr. 79 (DNF), Shawn Claar 20 (DNF), John Hedge
80e (DNF), Chris Rhodes CR9 (DNF), Scott Grubb 55x (DNF), Dan Lee 16 (DNS), Andy
Teno 48 (DNS)
HEAT 1: Bookwalter, Shoemaker, Parks
HEAT 2: Perigo, Duffy, Rhodes
STREET STOCKS (18 cars)
FEATURE: Bob Jay 4j, Jamey Swank 22, Dave Brown 110, Travis Calhoun 36,
Donald Wyles 10, Jim Sayler 96, Rick Cragan, Jr. 18, Shane Molovich 63x, Greg
Hainsey 31, Ashley Barrett 75x, JR Bowers 76, Mike Stiffler 17s, Terry Wyles
98, Daniel Cornman 3, John Pahulick 13, Willie Ling 13L, Patrick McDonaugh 96H,
Travis Brown 29
HEAT 1: Jay, Terry Wyles, Cornman
HEAT 2: Barrett, Brown, Cragan, Jr.
CRUISER-HOBBY STOCKS (27 cars)
FEATURE: Brian Weyandt, Jr. 88jr, Shawn Wyles 21, Travis Stickley 32, Chuck
Weyant 88c, Lincoln Ritchey 3, Jerry Robinson 711, Terry Norris 73, Barry Weyandt
65, Derrick Hinish 12, Chris Chamberlain 31c, AJ Foor a4, Devin Weyandt 88, Chad
Walter 38, Robert Weist 8, Ray Shephard 9, Mark Shope 53, Curtis Heath 71, Brandon
LaSalle 37, Matt Mellott 6m, Kevin Johnson 97, Ryan Beckett 58, Mike Duck 73x,
Brandon Hoover 45b, Todd Price 7p, Brian Shaffer 5, Reed Stickel RV85
HEAT 1: Weyant, Robinson, Foor
HEAT 2: Stickley, Wyles, Ritchey
HEAT 3: Weyandt, Jr., Norris, Duck
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