Bandoleros raced Saturday, June 15, at Bethel Motor Speedway (NY), with Colten Welsch (Beginner Bandoleros) and James Bauernfeind (Bandoleros) winning features.
A recap of the Bandolero division is below, as provided by the track PR (Bandolero portion extracted for posting on LN).
Competition has been fierce in the INEX Bandoleros division this year, and Saturday night wouldn’t
disappoint. Alyson Smith and 2023 Beginner Bandolero champion James Bauernfeind paced the field for
the 15 lap event. In the first turn of lap 1, Smith’s brother Jordan and her, made contact, ending Alyson’s
night. Jordan would pit for a flat left rear tire. The restart found Bauernfeind in control, with points
leader Easton Houghtling to his outside. A lap after the restart, Jordan would make the pass for the lead,
but a quick yellow, slowed the field. The restart had Jordan with the advantage over Bauernfeind. On lap
5, Jordan slid high in turn 2, and Bauernfeind regained the lead. A lap later, saw yellow for Jordan. Field
regrouped for the final restart, Bauernfeind got away first, while Jordan and Houghtaling battled side by
side behind him. Bauernfeind would hold on for his first win of the year, after moving up to the INEX
division. Smith and Houghtaling would be the top 3.
Bad Company Racing would clean up with Kyle Welsch taking the Renegades victory, and son Colten
would take his first ever Beginner Bandolero victory.
INEX BANDOLEROS
1) JAMES BAUERNFEIND 2) JORDAN SMITH 3) EASTON HOUGHTALING 4) ALYSON SMITH
BEGINNER BANDOLEROS
1) COLTEN WELSCH 2) LEVI HOUGHTALING
Photo credits: team photos