Mike Wagner, close so many times, scored the big win as the 410 sprints invaded the Bedford Speedway Sunday night. While Wagner rallied late to win going away, two of the other three races on the card featured last lap passes for wins, in one case two passes on the single last lap in exciting fashion. Troy Swindell, led, lost and then rallied to win his first ever Limited feature, Dennis Perigo won the economodified event and Andrew Pluta snagged the 4 Cylinder finale in the rare Sunday show.
Jack Sodeman took off from the pole in the Sprint car 25 lapper and stretched out the field early. By about lap 8, Wagner was closing on Sodeman quickly as Sodeman began to work through lapped traffic. After catching Sodeman, Wagner kept up the pressure and on lap 15, he shot by on the inside for the lead. A yellow flag only a lap later kept Wagner from running away but he did that on the ensuing 10 lap run to the finish.
While Wagner stretched out the field, Greg Hodnett came alive after the restart and ran down both Sodeman and third place runner Logan Shucart over the last 10 laps. But Hodnett, the winner of the last two Bedford events, ran out of time to get any further. At the finish it was Wagner Sodeman, Schucart, Hodnett and Lucas Wolfe across the line.
The all night rain that caused the program to be late starting also rewarded the teams with a lightning fast surface. In time trials Hodnett led a crew of 4 drivers who all eclipsed the existing track record by touring the big half mile in 16,273 seconds. Sodeman and Ryan Smith won the heats.
Josh Berrier was the early leader in the Limited event. He held on for 12 laps hoping to snag his first ever Bedford win, but Troy Swindell made the big move and took over. Robby Black was coming hard from his eighth place start. He also got by Berrier on lap 13, and immediately pressured Swindell.
Swindell held off every challenge but the tension mounted when Larry Foor detonated an engine and oiled down the front stretch on lap 17. The resulting caution gave Black one more shot at the leader. On the one lap shootout, Black shot by into the lead as the pair entered turn one. But Swindell stayed on it and in turn four he blew back by Black to score the big win Nathan Lasalle was third,. followed by Jake Jones, Berrier, Dion Lasalle and Craig Perigo. Dion Lasalle and Jones won the heats.
Dennis Perigo trailed early leader Tony Daniels early but rallied to easily win the Economodified event, Daniels was second ahead of Justin Milburn, Rob Varner and Adam Daniels.
Tom Brady got the jump oin the 4 Cylinder field and ran off early as the field battled. Andrew Pluta emerged from the pack and proceeded to narrow Brady’s lead with each passing lap. But on the last lap when the pair came off turn four, Brady’s car sputtered and Pluta stole the win. Brady finished a career best second, ahead of Robert Pluta, Jarrod Barclay and Dustin Drake. The Plutas and Cale Martin won the heats.
410 SPRINTS 25 LAPS 1 Mike Wagner, Jack Sodeman, Logan Schucart, Greg Hodnett, Lucas Wolfe, Doug Eas, Jacob Allen, Darryl Stimeling, Curt Stroup, Steve Kenawell, Logan Wagner, Ryan Lynn, Ryan Smith DNS Chad Layton
LIMITEDS 18 LAPS 1 Troy Swindell, Robbie Black, Nathan Lasalle, Jake Jones, Josh Berrier, Dion Lasalle, Craig Perigo, Jeff Johnson, Ron Bottenfield, George Dixon, Curtis Heath, Matt Eckman, Travis Calhoun, Larry Foor, Mike Altobelli Jr, Bryan Benton, Donnie Farlling, DNS Travis Cottle
ECONOMODIFIED 12 LAP 1 Dennis Perigo, Tony Daniels, Justin Milburn, Rob Verner, Adam Daniels, Brandon Lasalle.
4 CYLINDERS 12 LAPS 1 Andrew Pluta, John Brady, Robert Pluta, Jarrod Barclay, Dustin Drake, Pat Breahm, Garrett Watkins, Cale Martin, Nick Zborovancik, Tyler Beckett, John Diehl, EJ Johnson, Matt Diehl, Bailey Johnson, Dan Kinser, Brandon Conrad, Mike Meck, Robert Shore, Jordan Helsel, Stan Muir, Rusty Martin, Wayne Brenise, DNS Dave Harclerode, Nathan Altobelli