First-Timer: Ryan Godown Drives Five Hours To Woodhull Raceway, Leaves With $5,360 Short Track Super Series ‘Hustlin’ the High Banks 52’ Payday Wednesday Night

WOODHULL, NY – A five-hour, one-way ride and first appearance at Woodhull Raceway were worthwhile for Ryan Godown.

The Ringoes, N.J., driver made his debut at the Steuben County facility a winning one Wednesday night, earning a $5,360 payday in the ‘Hustlin’ the High Banks 52’ presented by NAPA of Addison and Corning, Outman Equipment, Maple City Dodge and Two Rivers Timber.

For Godown, the victory was his third in a row with the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By VP, having previously won with the Halmar International North Region at I-88 Speedway in Afton, N.Y., July 27 and with the Velocita South Region at Susquehanna Speedway in Newberrytown, Pa., August 7.

A stout 45-car field of STSS Modifieds signed in at Woodhull with a number of first-time visitors to the paperclip-shaped, high-banked track.

Of all the newcomers, Godown fared the best, winning his heat race and moving forward from seventh position in a hotly contested 52-lap main event, Round No. 7 of the Halmar International North Region. 

“We’ve been on a roll here lately,” Godown said of his STSS successes. “We’ve got this car running well everywhere. It’s my own deal but we’ve got some great people behind us to get out and run these shows.

“This was my first time ever seeing this place tonight.”

A see-saw battle at the front of the field between Woodhull’s own Donnie Lawson and Grant Hilfiger, a part-time racer at the track, raged from the drop of the green. Lawson led lap one through three, Hilfiger laps 4-15, Lawson laps 16-19, with Hilfiger again out front on the 20^th lap.

Meanwhile, in tight formation between the leaders Godown was working forward from seventh position and consolation winner Andy Bachetti who had started 16^th and found the extreme outside of the Woodhull oval to his liking.

By lap 35, Godown had arrived in second with Bachetti third.

Building momentum, Bachetti swept past Godown and pulled alongside Hilfiger with 39 laps on the board. Unfortunately for Bachetti, he soared off the top of turn three on the 40^th lap, drawing the caution.

On the restart, Hilfiger regained command, but Godown was on the prowl.

Moving up on the speedway, Godown initiated a side-by-side battle with Hilfiger before switching from top to bottom to take over on the 44^th lap. 

Godown paced the remaining eight laps to take the win.

“These (STSS events) are good-paying races,” he said. “To win three of them in a row like we have, it’s hard to believe. I’m hoping we can keep it rolling.”

Hilfiger, of Canadensis, Pa., was a thrilled runner-up finisher, having run just a handful of races this season due to growing business commitments.

Lawson, of Addison, N.Y., finished third, his best STSS effort to date. Brian Malcolm of Lake Ariel, Pa., drove a consistent event finishing fourth after starting seventh in the Chuck Grimm-backed No. 119. 

Starting from 25^th via a series provisional in his debut at the track, Tommy Meier of Waldwick, N.J., drove through traffic to finish fifth in the Jeff Behrent-owned No. 3. 

Finishing sixth through 10^th, respectively, were Danny Johnson of Rochester, N.Y., who started 19^th in the Chris Gennarelli-owned No. 27J; another first-timer Jerry Higbie Jr. of Newburgh, N.Y., after starting 11^th; Woodhull’s Mike Bills, who started 27^th on the grid; current Halmar International North point leader Erick Rudolph of Ransomville, N.Y.; and Matt Sheppard of Waterloo, N.Y., who pitted on lap 31 and recovered for 10^th in the Norm Hansell-owned No. 357.

STSS Modified heat winners were Godown, Hilfiger, Malcolm, Danny Creeden of Wurtsboro, N.Y., and Alan Rudalavage of Newton Lake, Pa. Three consolations were captured by Bachetti, Dale Welty of Montour Falls, N.Y., and Bobby Davis of Cameron, N.Y.

In other action, Casey Pavlick captured the GRIT Series Crate 602 Sportsman 25-lap main and Nate Freeman in the Quad C Challenge.

HIGH BANKS HAPPENINGS: The Woodhull pit area was busy with 45 STSS Modifieds, 32 GRIT Crate 602 Sportsman and 17 Quad C FWD/RWD Four Cylinders. Despite being postponed by 24 hours due to rain, a very healthy crowd turned out for the event’s second edition…. 

Woodhull Raceway owner Ted White provided a racy, smooth surface and included several fireworks displays during the night, adding to the event’s festive atmosphere….

STSS Modifieds were run first throughout a quickly-run program with very little downtime….

Godown became the first repeat winner in the STSS Halmar International North Region….

Next up for the STSS Halmar International North Region is the Wade Decker Memorial at Thunder Mountain Speedway in Center Lisle, N.Y., Sunday, September 18 – 50 laps, $5,000-to-win for the STSS Modifieds plus GRIT Series Crate 602 Sportsman, Fight Night Street Stocks and XCel 600 Modifieds. 

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

HUSTLIN’ THE HIGH BANKS 52 RACE SUMMARY – WOODHULL RACEWAY AUGUST 17, 2016

Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Halmar International North Region Round No. 7 Big-Block/Small-Block Modified Feature Finish: RYAN GODOWN, Grant Hilfiger, Donnie Lawson, Brian Malcolm, Tommy Meier, Danny Johnson, Jerry Higbie Jr., Mike Bills, Erick Rudolph, Matt Sheppard, Mike Mahaney, Bobby Davis, Eric Fisher, Billy Van Pelt, Craig Hanson, Alan Johnson, Colton Wilson, Matt DeLorenzo, Andy Bachetti, Nick Nye, Joe Dgien, Anthony Perrego, Dale Welty, Dillon Groover, Steve Hartman, Brady Fultz, Alan Rudalavage, Danny Creeden. 

Did Not Qualify: Russell Morseman III, Byron Worthing, Joshua Sawyer, Tyler Siri, Cory Costa, Boyd MacTavish, Dave DuBois, Frank Dunning, Ryan Tracy, Art Goodier, Josh Nobriga, Lee Bills, Kenny Peoples Jr., Kevin Chilson, Ray Bliss Jr., Mike Trautschold, Nick Petrilak.   

Lucky 7’ Lap Money Breakdown ($1,050): Ryan Godown ($160);Donnie Lawson ($160); Grant Hilfiger ($140); Brian Malcolm ($120); Jerry Higbie Jr. ($125); Andy Bachetti ($80); Mike Bills ($60); Matt Sheppard ($60); Tommy Meier ($40); Danny Johnson ($40); Erick Rudolph ($25);

Allstar Performance Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Donnie Lawson (third) & Mike Bills (eighth) 
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire): Jerry Higbie (seventh) & Billy Van Pelt (14^th)
American Racer/Lias Tire Hard Charger Award ($100): Tommy Meier (25^th to fifth)
ATL Fuel Cell Bonus ($200 Certificate): Tommy Meier (fifth)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 Gift Cards): Brian Malcolm (fourth) & Erick Rudolph (ninth)
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Bonuses ($100 Certificates): Tommy Meier (fifth) & Steven Hartman (25^th)
Fast Axle Bonus ($50 Certificate): Jerry Higbie Jr. (seventh)
QA1 Hard Charger Bonus ($50 Certificate): Tommy Meier (25^th to fifth)
Racing Optics Bonus (Sleeve of Tearoffs): Grant Hilfiger (second)
Vahlco Racing Wheels Bonus (FREE Wheel): Tommy Meier (fifth)
VP Racing Fuels Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Grant Hilfiger (second), Bobby Davis (12^th) & Anthony Perrego (22^nd)