GODOWN SCORES $20,000 VICTORY IN CAJUN SWING FINALE AT BOOTHILL
News from the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco
Media Contact: Brett Deyo – bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com or 302.945.3206
Godown Survives Boothill ‘Gunslinger’ for $20,000 Payday
Written by Cody Manmiller
GREENWOOD, LA – Ryan Godown capped a banner year with another $20,000 payday on Saturday night, capturing the ‘Gunslinger 40’ at the Boothill Speedway, the finale of the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet ‘Cajun Swing’ Presented By Wegner Automotive and the entire Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco 2022 season.
The win was Godown’s second of the week, fifth of the season on the STSS tour and 13th of his career, third all-time. The victory also served as his 20th overall in 2022, the first time the driver from Ringoes, N.J., has hit the milestone.
After heavy rains in the area on Friday night, track crews worked tirelessly to manicure saturated clay on the high-banked oval.
“I thought we might not get 20 (wins) after getting a flat with two to go the other night,” Godown said in Victory Lane. “But, I told my guys before tonight that, no matter what, we were going to get it done.
“Brett (Deyo, STSS promoter) has put up a lot of money this year, and we wanted to support him this week and tonight, no matter what,” Godown added. “The $20,000 makes it that much sweeter,” he said with a laugh.
Craig Whitmoyer and Steve Davis led the field to the green flag, and it was Whitmoyer taking the early lead. The early battle was for third, and it was a heated one, between Godown and David Schilling. Godown took the spot on the second lap, Schilling crossed him and took it back before Godown stole it for good on lap three.
It took just five laps for Whitmoyer and the rest of the frontrunners to reach lapped traffic at the small and tight Boothill Speedway. When Whitmoyer cut under a gaggle of slower cars, he bounced hard entering turn one and hopped on the bike. With Whitmoyer in a lurch, the rest of the top five scrambled to find open space, but Schilling caught the short end of the stick, eventually stopping between turns one and two to bring out the caution.
Whitmoyer and Davis controlled the restart again with Godown, Tyler Siri, Joe Brown, Andy Bachetti and Danny Creeden following them to the green.
Godown pulled next to Davis on the homestretch, but Davis remained steady and held the second spot. On lap 10, just as Whitmoyer again reached lapped traffic, the yellow bunched the field again.
On the next restart, Godown pulled the trigger to take second from Davis, ahead of Siri, Bachetti and Creeden. Another caution flag flew on lap 15 and Godown pounced on the opportunity.
Off of turn four, Godown launched ahead of Whitmoyer and snatched the lead for good. On lap 18, however, disaster struck for the runner up. Whitmoyer grabbed some traction and the car whipped around, with Siri, Davis and Creeden all suffering some damage.
With still 22 laps left, Godown led Siri, Creeden, Bachetti, Brown and Schilling. On the restart, Creeden took second from Siri. At the halfway mark, Schilling took fifth from Brown and began closing on Bachetti.
Down the stretch, it was clear Godown was onboard the best car of the field and cruised to the 40-lap victory, ahead of Creeden and Siri.
“We fired off really good off to bottom and I tried to get the top going again in three and four like I did in the heat race, but it was just too choppy,” Godown said of the race.
“I put my guys through it all year, but I thank them so much for their dedication; it’s time to rebuild and replace and get ready for next season,” he added.
Creeden couldn’t complain about his runner-up result.
“It was a fun week and a long week, especially with fighting our motor problems early,” he said. “Man, this is pretty cool, I want to come back!”
Siri landed on the podium for the first time of the week in the highest-paying event of the Cajun Swing.
“I was trying to save the car for a long week,” Siri said. “But tonight, I told my guys I was going to be more aggressive and the track was fun, you just had to be smart.
“Brett (Deyo) has been putting the hard work – and a lot of money – into building a market down here and we will support him as much as we can,” Siri continued.
Bachetti and Schilling, two mainstays in the top five all week, rounded out the top five.
Finishing sixth through 10th, respectively, were: Rudolph, who battled back from the mayhem on lap 18 to place sixth; Brown, picking up another respectable finish; Whitmoyer rallied for eighth after leading a bunch of laps in the early going; J.R. Hurlburt snagged a top-10 finish in ninth; and Dale Wester, a Cajun regular, jumped into the upper tier by rounding out the top 10.
Saturday night caps, not only a banner year for Godown, but a historic campaign for the Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco with 26 events and the birth of the unprecedented Halmar International STSS Elite Series.
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, check out ‘Short Track Super Series’ on Facebook or @ShortTrackSS on Twitter or Instagram.
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Cajun Region, visit www.shorttracksuperseriescajun.com, call Tim Bates at 318.773.7704 or e-mail TCBMotorsports@aol.com. Like “Short Track Super Series Cajun Region” on Facebook or follow @shorttrackss_cajun_region on Instagram.
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The Short Track Super Series is presented by American Racer/Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuel, Insinger Performance, FloSports, Bob Hilbert Sportswear, BDR Speed, Halmar International, Ollie’s, River Valley Builders, Hurlock Auto & Speed, Velocita-USA, St. Lawrence Radiology, Franklin Products, Design for Vision & Sunglass Central, Belmont’s Garage, Precision Hydraulic & Oil, Prime MAC Tools, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Beyea Custom Headers, Bicknell Racing Products, Dirt Track Digest, EIBACH, Elite Welder Testing & Training, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Exhaust, Hig Fab, Penske Racing Shocks, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, Spyder Filters, Superior Remodeling, Teo-Pro Car, VAHLCO, Wegner Automotive & Wilwood.
‘CAJUN SWING’ NIGHT NO. 4 ‘GUNSLINGER 50’ RESULTS SUMMARY – BOOTHILL SPEEDWAY NOVEMBER 12, 2022
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Modified Cajun Swing Event No. 4 Feature Finish (40 laps): RYAN GODOWN, Danny Creeden, Tyler Siri, Andy Bachetti, David Schilling, Erick Rudolph, Joseph Brown, Craig Whitmoyer, J.R. Hurlburt, Dale Wester, Keith Badiali, Koty Adams, John Lutes, Jr., Corey Oltz, Kodey Keimig, Brent Buckley, Anthony Meek, Steve Davis, Tommy Rascoe, David Forbis, Thomas Holt, Barry White, Joe Boswell, Rusty Smith, Richard Holt
Did Not Start: Darren Smith
Did Not Qualify: Matt Sheppard, Addison Bowman, Jack Lehner, Rex King, Jr., Mike Krompegal, Korey Keimig, Chase Hatton, Brother Fowlkes, Alan Myers
Accurate Collision of Pompano Heat Winners ($50 each): Danny Creeden, Darren Smith, Joseph Brown & Andy Bachetti
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($100 Gift Cards): Andy Bachetti (fourth), J.R. Hurlburt (ninth), John Lutes, Jr. (13th) & Joe Boswell (23rd)
Beyea Custom Headers Worst Redraw ($50): Koty Adams (Redrew 11th)
BDR Speed Bonus ($50 Certificate): David Forbis (20th)
Day Motor Sports American Racer Tire Giveaway (FREE Tire Certificate): Joseph Brown (seventh)
EIBACH Springs Bonus ($100 Certificate): Erick Rudolph (sixth)
Fastline Performance Bonuses ($100 Certificates): Keith Badiali (Top Louisiana Driver – 11th) & Dale Wester (Top Texas Driver – 10th)
Henry’s Exhaust Bonus ($50 Certificate): Keith Badiali (11th)
NG Promotions Hard Luck Award ($200): Alan Myers
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Ryan Godown (winner – $150); Danny Creeden (second – $75); Tyler Siri (third – $50)
Schultz Fuel Cell Bonus ($100 Certificate): Dale Wester (10th)
Shed Road Auto Parts Hard Charger ($200 each): Erick Rudolph (Northeastern Driver – 15th to 6th) & Corey Oltz (Louisiana/Texas Driver – 23rd to 14th)
Training Tails Halfway Leader ($100): Ryan Godown
VAHLCO Wheels Heat Winners ($50 Gift Cards): Danny Creeden, Darren Smith, Joseph Brown & Andy Bachetti
Wilwood Disc Brakes ‘Lucky 7’ Bonus ($75 Certificate): Joseph Brown (seventh)
