HAUS, FRIES, WEYANT, AND MORGAN CAPTURE BEDFORD VICTORIES
By Dave Harclerode
BEDFORD, PA - The Bedford Speedway continued it's season long streak of great racing Friday night, and the racing surface was in great condition. Scott Haus won the Miller Auto Parts Super Late Model feature, and Andy Fries won his first ever Bedford Valley Petroleum Limited Late Model feature in a very exciting race. Chuck Weyant inched a few steps closer to the championship by winning the Ritchey Sandblasting Hobby Stock feature, and Ralph Morgan, Jr. won the RWD 4 cylinder special. Tammy Smith, wife of Limited Late Model star Tim Smith, won the powder puff. A brief intermission was planned to induct several great people into the Bedford Speedway Legends Hall of fame, including active Super Late Model driver Larry Wright.
Scott Haus sits atop the all-time Super Late Model feature win list at Bedford, and Friday's win was number 34. Scott Haus also holds another record at Bedford, with the most consecutive winning seasons. That streak appeared to be in jeopardy this year. Haus has won atleast one feature event every year since 1995, and he was running out of time in '07 to keep that alive. The streak stays alive at 13 seasons however, as Haus won easily over a great field of cars. There was some grueling battles behind Haus' # 33, as Jeff Rine, Scott Rhodes, Wayne Johnson, and Jack Pencil dueled without mercy. Each driver in that pack had a shot at the championship, but in the end, several will now be out of contention. Rine suffered a late race flat while running in the top five. Although Rhodes ran a great race finishing third, point leader Pencil and Wayne Johnson scored enough points to eliminate him from the chase. The feature rundown was Haus, DJ Troutman, Rhodes, Johnson, and Pencil in the top five. They were followed by newcomer Ronnie DeHaven, Shane Beegle (from 13th), Andy Martz, and Larry Wright. Pencil and Rhodes won the heats. Jack Pencil leads Wayne Johnson by 110 points, with only one point race left coming this Friday.
Andy Fries has a long, storied history at Bedford. A long time crowd favorite in the Super Late Model division, Andy found out he has a huge fan base at Bedford when he made his return in a Limited Late Model a few weeks ago. Pole setter Donnie Farlling grabbed the early lead, and Fries, who started fifth, immediately put on his drive to the front. As Fries and Mike Shoemaker battled for the second position, contact was made in turn two, sending Shoemaker in a ring. Purely a racing incident, the racing resumed after the yellow with Fries now in second, and Shoemaker at the tail. Farlling and Fries battled side by side for many laps. Farlling drove the highside with precision, and always seemed to keep a nose ahead of Fries. However, with just 3 laps to go, Farlling pounded the cushion in turn 4, resulting in a flat tire. The race that had fans on their feet had ended, but there was still excitement in the pack. Shoemaker, who went to the tail on lap nine, went unnoticed by many as he worked his way back to third. Fries held on for the final three laps as Shoemaker and Shawn Claar battled it out for second. Claar won that battle, and was followed by Shoemaker, Travis Stickley, and Jerry Bard. Donnie Farlling, who went to the tail with three to go, worked his way back to sixth in only three laps, and was followed by Brian Lowery, Travis Calhoun, Andy Teno, and Derek Byler. Farlling and Shoemaker won the heats. Point leader Tim Smith, Jr. had a rough night. A stuck throttle sent him spinning into turns one and two on lap nine, and heavy contact was made with Craig Perigo. Both driver's went pitside for the night, but luckily for Smith, he earned enough points to seal the 2007 Limited Late Model Points Championship.
The Hobby Stocks put on a great show, as usual. Chuck Weyant came from his sixth starting spot to secure the lead, and was hounded lap after lap by Derrick Hinish. Things got scary for the front pack on the last lap. The yellow flag came out when Mark Shope's #53 erupted like a monsoon, dumping water all through the racing groove in turns three and four. The lead pack was just coming up on the 53 when the caution came out, and the ice skating started almost immediately. Weyant and Hinish made heavy contact, and Joe Railey went completely around in a circle. Luckily, nobody received race ending damage, and on the restart, Weyant held on for the win. He was followed by Hinish, Bill Replogle, Reed Stickel, and Jason Gilliland. Brandon Lasalle finished sixth, and Joe Railey, Mandy Jay, Charlie Walter, and Ray Shepherd completed the top ten. Weyant remains the point leader, 85 points ahead of Reed Stickel with only one point race remaining. A driver can earn a maximum of 150 points each night, so this one will go to the wire.
The rear wheel drive four cylinders were on hand for a surprise visit. Added late to the schedule, the four cylinders delivered a great show. Ralph Morgan, Jr. and Kyle Wiser ran side by side for much of the race, as the pack ran two and sometimes three abreast. Morgan took his first ever Bedford victory ahead of Larry Duvall, Wiser, Mark Digges, and Dave Leidy, Jr. Sixth through tenth went to Dave Leidy, Sr., Ronnie Garlock, Randy Wible, Brian Miller, and Sonny Williamson. Duvall and Morgan won the heats.
This Friday at the Speedway is the famed Labor Day 55. The final points show for all four divisions, the Super Lates will be running 55 laps for $5,055 to win. The Limited Lates, Street Stocks, and Hobby Stocks will all be on hand for one of the best races each season. The raindate will be September 3rd. Also, mark your calendars for Friday, September 21st. The World of Outlaws Late Models will make their first ever visit to the big Bedford Speedway oval. The Limited Late Models will also be on hand, racing for $1,000. The timing is perfect for the $10,000 to win show, and the speedway recommends making hotel arrangements now because fall is a busy season for Bedford County. Camping will also be available. Call the Speedway office at 814-623-0826 for more details.
SUPER LATE MODEL
FEATURE: 1. Scott Haus 2. DJ Troutman 3. Scott Rhodes 4. Wayne Johnson 5. Jack Pencil 6. Ronnie DeHaven 7. Shane Beegle 8. Andy Martz 9. Chris Eaton 10. Larry Wright 11. Eric Zembower 12. Gary Noel 13. TJ Wright 14. Rick Stouffer 15. Jeff Rine (DNF) 16. Chris Harr (DNF) 17. Dave Troutman (DNF)
HEAT 1: Pencil, DJ Troutman, DeHaven
HEAT 2: Rhodes, Haus, Eaton
LIMITED LATE MODELS
FEATURE: 1. Andy Fries 2. Shawn Claar 3. Mike Shoemaker 4. Travis Stickley 5. Jerry Bard 6. Donnie Farlling 7. Brian Lowery 8. Travis Calhoun 9. Andy Teno 10. Derek Byler (DNF) 11. Tim Smith, Jr.(DNF) 12. Craig Perigo (DNF) 13. Eddie Cornett (DNF)
HEAT 1: Farlling, Claar, Smith
HEAT 2: Shoemaker, Fries, Byler
HOBBY STOCKS
FEATURE: 1. Chuck Weyant 2. Derrick Hinish 3. Bill Replogle 4. Reed Stickel 5. Jason Gilliland 6. Brandon LaSalle 7. Joe Railey 8. Mandy Jay 9. Charlie Walter 10. Ray Shepherd 11. Justin Milburn 12. Don Imler 13. Matt Thomas 14. Mark Shope (DNF) 15. David Weyant (DNF) 16. Mike Siegele (DNF)
HEAT 1: Hinish, Jay, Shope
HEAT 2: C. Weyant, Replogle, LaSalle
FOUR CYLINDERS
FEATURE: 1. Ralph Morgan, Jr. 2. Larry Duvall 3. Kyle Wiser 4. Mark Digges 5. Dave Leidy, Jr. 6. Dave Leidy, Sr. 7. Ronnie Garlock 8. Randy Wible 9. Brian Miller 10. Sonny Willaimson 11. Rick Harper (DNF)
DNS: Ed Williamson
HEAT 1: Duvall, Leidy, Jr., Wiser
HEAT 2: Morgan, Leidy, Sr., Digges
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