TROUTMAN, SHOEMAKER, JAY AND WEYANT WIN BEDFORD FAIR RACES
By Dave Harclerode
BEDFORD, PA - Every driver wants to perform well at the Great Bedford Fair race. A capacity crowd and a race that's as old as the speedway are a few of the reasons drivers work hard to excel on fair night. The track surface was in excellent shape Friday, and four drivers earned the right to stand in victory lane in front of thousands of fans. Dave Troutman earned his first ever Bedford Speedway Super Late Model win, and Mike Shoemaker turned a cold season hot by winning a wild Limited Late Model feature. Bob Jay earned his 5th Street Stock win of the season, and Chuck Weyant won his third of the season in the Hobby Stock Division. The Fair race has now been dubbed the Dick Koontz Memorial, with Friday being the first one. Dick was a long time Fairboard member and race director, and is sorely missed by all at the speedway.
Dave Troutman was untouchable in the Super Late Model main event. Starting on the pole, Troutman immediately grabbed the top spot and assumed control. The racing behind him was exciting, as Chris Harr and Jeff Rine battled side by side for second for much of the race. Jack Pencil, who started 9th, worked his way up to fourth to make it a 3 car battle. Unfortunately for Pencil, a flat tire with 4 laps to go send him to the tail of the field after a brief stop in the pits. Two other drivers were also putting on a great show the entire race. Scott Haus, who started 16th, and Steve Everhart (started 14th) were charging through the field. Using the bottom, top and middle, the pair made an impressive run all the way to the top five. At the finish, it was Troutman winning comfortably over Harr, Rine, Everhart, and Haus. Wayne Johnson finished sixth, and Ron Delano, Scott Rhodes, Chuck Clise, and Jeff Miller rounded out the top ten. Heat race winners were Dave Troutman, Jeff Rine, and DJ Troutman.
In Limited Late Model action, pole sitter Andy Fries looked to emulate Troutman's Super Late Model run by getting out front early, and staying there until the end. It was a good plan, and it almost worked, but others in the field had different ideas. George Beckett hounded Fries lap after lap, and just would not let him get comfortable. Pulling along side several times, Beckett was unable to take the top spot away. Mike Shoemaker, who started 7th, worked his way up to third, got past Beckett for 2nd, and he took over where Beckett left off. It came down to the final lap. Fries held the same line that had kept him out front all race long, but Shoemaker made a last ditch effort going into turn one. Driving his car deep and high into the corner, Shoemaker made his car stick, and the pair came out of two side by side. Running the high side and again driving it deep, Shoemaker had the pass completed by the time they came out of turn 4. The fans were on their feet as Shoemaker, fist pumping the air in triumph, took the checkered just inches ahead of Fries. Beckett turned in a solid run finishing third, ahead of Tim Smith, Jr. and Derek Byler. Sixth through tenth went to Dave Troutman, who was pulling double duty, Donnie Farlling, Tyler Hershey, Andy Teno, and Craig Perigo. Fries, Troutman, and Smith won the heat events.
Bob Jay continued his winning ways in the Street Stock division. Starting on the pole, most on hand figured after the season he's had, Jay would win easily. Not so. Second starting Johnny Harr immediately grabbed the first spot, and led for 3 laps until Jay made the move for the lead. Ninth starting Michael Stiffler also passed Harr, and at the finish it was Jay, Stiffler, Harr, Greg Hainsey, and Brandon Hoover. Rounding out the top ten was Greg Cornell, Shelly Beegle, Jason Douglas, Greg Imler, and Rick Cragan.
Chuck Weyant came all the way from the 9th starting position to win the Hobby Stock feature event. Weyant was followed to the line by Charlie Walter, Curtis Heath, Derrick Hinish, and Shawn Wyles. Sixth through tenth went to Reed Stickel, Jamie Kohan, Devin Weyandt, Mark Shope, and Terry Thomas. Derrick Hinish, Shawn Wyles, and Chuck Weyant won the heat events. There was a total of 6 cautions in the feature. Several newcomers were on hand, with most of them performing well.
Next week at the speedway, it's the Walt Aikey Memorial for the Street Stocks. Also on hand will be the Limited Late Models, Hobby Stocks, and the Classic Cars will make a visit to the big Bedford oval. The Super Late Models will take the week off. Gates open at 5pm, with hot laps at 7pm, and racing at 7:30.
SUPER LATE MODELS
FEATURE: 1. Dave Troutman 2. Chris Harr 3. Jeff Rine 4. Steve Everhart 5. Scott Haus 6. Wayne Johnson 7. Ron Delano 8. Scott Rhodes 9. Chuck Clise 10. Jeff Miller 11. Rodney Sweitzer 12. Jack Pencil 13. Gary Beck, Jr. 14. Andy Martz 15. Eric Zembower 16. Larry Wright 17. Shane Beegle 18. Greg Fetters (DNF) 19. Shawn McGarvey (DNF) 20. Waylon Wagner (DNF) 21. DJ Troutman (DNF) 22. Doug Stine (DNF)
HEAT 1: DJ Troutman, Clise, Harr
HEAT 2: Rine, Martz, Johnson
HEAT 3: Dave Troutman, Pencil, Delano
LIMITED LATE MODELS
FEATURE: 1. Mike Shoemaker 2. Andy Fries 3. George Beckett 4. Tim Smith, Jr. 5. Derek Byler 6. Dave Troutman 7. Donnie Farlling 8. Tyler Hershey 9. Andy Teno 10. Craig Perigo 11. Robbie Black 12. Mike Altobelli, Jr. 13. Howie Bussard 14. Shawn Claar 15. Ashley Barrett 16. Mike Duck 17. Brian Lowery 18. Rodney Mock 19. Eddie Cornett 20. Lincoln Ritchey 21. Dion LaSalle (DNF) 22. Travis Calhoun (DNF) 23. Randy Burkholder (DNF)
HEAT 1: Fries, Black, Hershey
HEAT 2: Troutman, Byler, Shoemaker
HEAT 3: Smith, Beckett, Teno
STREET STOCKS
FEATURE: 1. Bob Jay 2. Michael Stiffler 3. Johnny Harr 4. Greg Hainsey 5. Brandon Hoover 6. Greg Cornell 7. Shelly Beegle 8. Jason Douglas 9. Greg Imler 10. Rick Cragan 11. Donald Wyles 12. Travis Brown (DNF)
DNS: Dave Brown
HEAT 1: Cragan, Stiffler, Hainsey
HEAT 2: Jay, Cornell, Hoover
HOBBY STOCKS
FEATURE: 1. Chuck Weyant 2. Charlie Walter 3. Curtis Heath 4. Derrick Hinish 5. Shawn Wyles 6. Reed Stickel 7. Jamie Kohan 8. Devin Weyandt 9. Mark Shope 10. Terry Thomas 11. Jason Gilliland 12. John Replogle 13. Justin Milburn 14. Bill Replogle (DNF) 15. Kevin Brown (DNF) 16. Ryan Beckett (DNF) 17. Mandy Jay (DNF) 18. Mike Siegele (DNF) 19. Kevin Hinish (DNF) 20. Nathan LaSalle (DNF) 21. Eric Weyant (DNF)
DNS: Ray Shepherd, Gary Morder, Kyle Steele
HEAT 1: D. Hinish, Kohan, B. Replogle
HEAT 2: Wyles, Walter, Heath
HEAT 3: C. Weyant, Jay, Siegele
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