AFTON, NY – Ryan Godown made a rare trip to New York state worthwhile on Wednesday night at I-88 Speedway.
Godown hauled from Ringoes, N.J., to the Afton Fairgrounds for the fourth annual ‘Crazy 8s Special’ headlined by the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By VP big-block/small-block Modifieds. After 48 laps of feature racing, Godown left with his first I-88 victory and a $9,028 payday.
The ‘Ringoes Rocket’ earned $8,888 from the posted purse and an additional $140 in lap money.
The ‘Crazy 8s Special’ served as event No. 6 of the STSS Halmar International North Region. More than $31,000 was distributed to STSS Modified drivers in the region’s richest race.
“This a huge win for us,” offered Godown, the defending champion at New Jersey’s New Egypt Speedway. “We really didn’t plan on coming up here until the last minute. I ran this car Friday at Georgetown (Delaware) and finished second. I knew we had the bugs worked out of it.
“I’m glad we decided to come now.”
Via a redraw of top qualifiers Godown launched off the pole for the main event. While he led the entire distance, there were several challenges during the feature. Lapped traffic was his most formidable challenge with the first 21 laps going caution-free.
“I like starting on the pole, but it makes it hard because you don’t know what the fast line is,” Godown said. “I got to the lapped cars and I was being conservative at first. I didn’t know who was second or where they were, so I picked it up.”
As Godown led, Andy Bachetti thrilled the I-88 crowd with a breathtaking charge. Bachetti drew the race’s first caution on the 21st lap when he slowed from second position with a flat right-rear tire. The Sheffield, Mass., driver pitted, replaced the right-rear and restarted from the rear and began a charge toward the front. Bachetti rim-rode on the topside of the three-tenths-mile oval, slicing through the field.When the event’s final caution flew on the 46th lap – with just two laps remaining – Bachetti sat third behind Godown and an emerging Shaun Walker.
At the drop of the green, Bachetti cleared Walker for second. With a wave of momentum, Bachetti pulled up to Godown, falling just a car-length shy at the checkered.
Former Short Track SuperNationals winner Walker, of Masonville, N.Y., completed the top-three after starting 12th in his family fielded No. 21. Brett Tonkin of Carbondale, Pa., a past I-88 Modified champion, ran inside the top-five for the entire event, even challenging Godown for the lead at one point, before finishing fourth, his best STSS finish. Montgomery, N.Y., driver Anthony Perrego completed the front five in Gary Mann’s No. 55.
Tommy Meier of Waldwick, N.J., advanced from 20th to finish sixth in Jeff Behrent’s No. 3, followed by Rusty Smith of Oxford, N.Y. (from 15th); Alan Barker of Norwich, N.Y.; 26th-starter Jerry Higbie of Newburgh, N.Y.; and legendary Jimmy Horton of Neshanic Station, N.J.
A field of 44 Modifieds filed into the I-88 pit area. Heat winners were Craig Hanson of Johnstown, N.Y., Perrego, Tonkin, Darwin Greene of Susquehanna, Pa. and Rich Ricci Jr. of New Paltz, N.Y.
Consolation victors were Danny Creeden of Wurtsboro, N.Y., Brian Malcolm of Lake Ariel, Pa. and Mitch Gibbs of North Norwich, N.Y.
Kurtis Hohensheldt of Palatine Bridge, N.Y., topped the GRIT Crate 602 Sportsman 25-lap GRIT Series Crate 602 Sportsman main. Korey Inglin of Milford, N.J., took hi Bar Exam during the day and then drove to the XCel 600 Modified 20-lap triumph.
Both Hohensheldt and Inglin collected $1,000 for their efforts.
CRAZY 8s QUIPS: A picture-perfect summer day drew a huge crowd to the Afton Fairgrounds. In fact the crowd was the largest in the four editions of the ‘Crazy 8s Special’ midweek program….
The pit area was filled with 44 STSS Modifieds, 28 GRIT Crate 602 Sportsman and 22 XCel 600 Modifieds….
A rapidly run program saw the STSS Modified event completed by 10 o’clock….
Tough break for Matt DeLorenzo, who ran inside the top-five for the entire event before suffering a flat tire just two laps from the finish….
Next up for the STSS Halmar International North Region is the ‘Hustlin’ the High Banks 52’ at N.Y.’s Woodhull Raceway on Tuesday, August 16 – a 52-lap event paying $5,200 to win.
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP or BD Motorsports Media LLC, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com or www.bdmotorsportsmedia.com, call 845.728.2781 during business hours, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, “like” Short Track Super Series on Facebook or follow @ShortTrackSS on Twitter.
The 2016 Short Track Super Series is presented by American Racer/Lias Tire, VP Racing Fuel, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Halmar International, Allstar Performance, ATL Racing Fuel Cells, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Bicknell Racing Products, COMP Performance Group, Dirt Track Digest, Fast Axle, Fox Racing Shocks, Hig Fab, Henry’s Exhaust, Hurlock Auto & Speed Supply, HyperCo, Kirkey Racing Fabrication, K&N, Race Pro Weekly, Racing Optics, Teo-Pro Car, Vahlco Wheels & Velocita
‘CRAZY 8s SPECIAL’ RACE SUMMARY – I-88 SPEEDWAY JULY 27, 2016
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Halmar International North Region Event No. 6 Big-Block/Small-Block Modified Feature Finish (48 laps): RYAN GODOWN, Andy Bachetti, Shaun Walker, Brett Tonkin, Anthony Perrego, Tommy Meier, Rusty Smith, Alan Barker, Jerry Higbie, Jimmy Horton, Craig Hanson, Rich Ricci Jr., Darwin Greene, Danny Creeden, Nick Rochinski, Colton Wilson, Matt DeLorenzo, Erick Rudolph, Brian Malcolm, Billy Van Inwegen, Mitch Gibbs, Mike Ricci, Duane Howard, Nick Nye, Jeff Heotzler, Kurt Decker.
‘Lucky 7’ Lap Money Breakdown ($970):Brett Tonkin ($160); Jimmy Horton ($145); Ryan Godown ($140); Anthony Perrego ($105); Craig Hanson ($100); Shaun Walker ($80); Erick Rudolph ($60); Matt DeLorenzo ($60); Andy Bachetti ($45); Darwin Greene ($20); Tommy Meier ($20); Rusty Smith ($20)
Allstar Performance Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Shaun Walker (third) & Alan Barker (eighth)
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire): Tommy Meier (sixth) & Craig Hanson (11th)
ATL Fuel Cell Bonus ($200 Certificate):Anthony Perrego (fifth)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Brett Tonkin (fourth) & Jerry Higbie (ninth)
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Hard Charger Award ($100): Jerry Higbie Jr. (26th to ninth)
Greg Page Construction Top I-88 Regular Bonuses: Andy Bachetti (second - $200) & Brett Tonkin (fourth - $100)
Fast Axle Bonus ($50 Certificate): Rusty Smith (seventh)
NYSSCA Bonus ($100): Andy Bachetti (second)
QA1 Hard Charger Bonus ($50 Certificate): Jerry Higbie Jr. (26th to ninth)
Racing Optics Bonus (Sleeve of Tearoffs): Andy Bachetti (second)
Vahlco Racing Wheels Bonus (FREE Wheel): Anthony Perrego (fifth)
VP Racing Fuels Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Andy Bachetti (second), Rich Ricci Jr. (12th) & Mike Ricci (22nd)
Did Not Qualify: Richard Smith, Scott Boudinot, Kenny Sparks, Jackie Brown Jr., Lee DeWitt, J.R. Hurlburt, Chad O’Hara, Tyler Siri, Mike Clapperton, Brad Szulewski, Josh Hohenforst, Kurt Hundeland, Mike Trautschold, Ken Titus, Dom Roselli, Aaron Shelton, Paul Jensen, Dominic Roselli Jr.
GRIT Series Crate 602 Sportsman Feature Finish (25 laps): KURT HOHENSHELDT, Travis Smith, Harold Humphrey, Donnie Lawson, Stacy Jackson, Josh Keesey, Kinser Hill, Allan Hodge, Dale Welty, A.J. Miller, Chris Stevens, Mike Jackson, Brad Weaver, Dave Rosa, Robby Knipe, Casey Pavlick, Allison Ricci, Olin Renwick, Matt Brewer, Tim Guild, A.J. Digsby, Matt Roberts, Tyler Singleton, Dustin Jordan, Tim Howell
Did Not Qualify: Jacob Dgien, Michael Murphy, Bob Stahl
XCel 600 Modified Feature Finish (20 laps): KOREY INGLIN, Will Eastman, Billy Koch, Josh Pepe, Aaron Bowes, Kamdin Maby, Brian Blankenbiller, Dylan McCrone, Richie Hitzler, Scott Heilman, A.J. Miller, Bailey Boyd, D.J. Hunt, Grant Schibilia, C.J. Jochum, Eric Boyd, Kevin Van Valkenburg, Chris Kithcart, Steven Sherwood, Michael Burrows, Jon Josko, Jeromy Guistwite.
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