Godown Shows The Way At Big Diamond’s Short Track Super Series Event
Column By: NICK FILLMAN / RPW – MINERSVILLE, PA – For the third year in a row, the Brett Deyo Short Track Super Series rolled into the hills of the Big Diamond Speedway for the “Anthracite Assault.” That is the only event on the series schedule that offers points toward the championships for both the North and South Series.
Thirty-nine of the best drivers from both regions filled the pit area for the rescheduled event, making for an extremely difficult night for any driver attempting to make the feature event.
Ryan Godown would cruise to his heat win early on in the night which would send him to the redraw where he would pull the number nine pill for his starting position. Godown made quick work of some of the drivers who started in front of him, moving into the top five running order by the one quarter mark of the feature event.
By Lap 21, Godown was in second position behind early leader Rick Laubach when the caution came out setting up a restart.
Godown would remain in second position for the next 11 laps before Laubach ran into the back of a slowing Danny Creeden machine, brining out the caution and ending what looked like a trip to victory lane for the “Quaker Shaker.”
From that point forward, Godown would go relatively unchallenged, running away from Billy Pauch Sr. and Craig Von Dohren and went on to collect his first Super Series victory of the 2017 season.
Godown was coming off of a hot week as he was able to collect a second place finish at the Bridgeport Speedway on Tuesday night in a 358-Modified special event after leading part of the race. He then headed to his Saturday night home, New Egypt, where he would survive a last lap, last corner slider from Danny Bouc to collect another win. Then with his win at Big Diamond, that makes two wins and a second place for the “Ringoes Rocket.”
Coming home in second was Billy Pauch Sr. who, for the most part, has stopped being a weekly racer for points at any track. He ran the past few seasons weekly at the New Egypt Speedway. Pauch has been calling Bridgeport Speedway home, running a good deal of their Saturday night races along with special events at tracks like Delaware International and Georgetown.
Pauch was strong all night on Sunday, holding off Duane Howard to win his heat race win and starting 6th in the feature event. He ran with the leaders all night long and collected a solid second place finish against one of the toughest fields of the season in the North East.
Third place went to weekly Modified runner and points leader Craig Von Dohren. In an “Open rules” setting, Von Dohren entered the speedway on Sunday night with his regular Friday night ride, the Dave Dissinger-owned 88x machine, with a Pennsylvania Spec head engine under the hood.
Von Dohren finished second in his heat race to Godown and made the redraw for the feature, where he drew seventh. He fell back a few positions early on in the feature event before methodically working his way up to the front of the field.
The veteran tried multiple times to pass Pauch for the runner-up spot but was unable to do so and had to settle for third place. He’s collected a pair of victories thus far at Big Diamond, but despite the fact that the Grandview Speedway has had over 10 different feature winners this season, Craig isn’t one of them. However, he remains up front in the points battle and is sure to grab a win before the season is over.
Fourth place went to the highest finishing North Series driver in the form of Andy Bachetti. Bachetti, aboard his sharp #4 machine, started off in 13th place and struggled early to find his rhythm in the feature event.
He did find his groove later on in the race, being one of the first drivers to utilize the bottom lane of the speedway. He ran a tight line through moisture untouched for the most part during the feature.
The “Wild Child” passed cars one by one before getting by Billy Decker in the last corner to grab the fourth place spot. The Garrity Asphalt Reclaiming Teo appeared to have a long run car and, had the race gone any longer, Bachetti could have had a definite shot at the win.
Fifth spot went to another North Series driver, Billy Decker aboard the second Jeremy Smith entry that he uses for special events in the Northeast. Decker finished second in his heat race behind Matt DeLorenzo and redraw the pole for the feature event.
The driver from Unadilla, NY led the first 11 laps before Laubach got by to take the lead. Decker would fall back some but stabilized in the top five and would fall no further. The #91 Smith Racing Bicknell was the highest finisher using a Big Block engine.
The next stop for Decker is Eldora this week before heading to the Sharon Speedway for a pair of Super DIRTcar Series races. Billy is just nine points back from Larry Wight and will be looking to capitalize on the next handful of races to possibly take the point lead away from “Lightning Larry.”
Like Decker, Ryan Watt will also again make the trip to Eldora and Sharon aboard his Roberts Racing, Bicknell Chassis entry. Watt collected a solid 7th place finish on Sunday at Big Diamond before the team drove to their shop, washed, and flipped the car to get it ready to leave on Monday morning to make the tow to the Rossburg, OH track.
Last year, Watt was extremely impressive making both features at Eldora and leading a good part of the race at Sharon.
Billy Pauch Jr. collected a solid tenth place finish aboard the Danny’s Pizza Pizzaz 51 open small block entry. Pauch Jr. was in the first consolation event, which he won, and started off in the 16th position.
The current New Egypt Speedway point leader has had some issues with the 51 machine that have not been of his own doing. He’s suffered mechanical issues and has been caught up in other people’s crashes. Pauch Jr and team put together a solid effort against a very difficult field.
Former Penn Can speedway regular Grant Hilfiger made his return to Modified racing for the special show at Big Diamond. Hilfiger had planned on running Friday at Big Diamond but the show was lost due to rain. He also tentatively has plans to make Big Diamond his regular Friday night home for the remainder of the season.
Hilfiger collected a 19th place finish…a finish that is quite impressive factoring in the field that was on hand and the amount strength of competition in the pit area on Sunday night.
ANTHRACITE ASSAULT RACE SUMMARY – BIG DIAMOND SPEEDWAY JULY 16, 2017
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Modified North & South Feature Finish (50 laps): RYAN GODOWN, Billy Pauch Sr., Craig Von Dohren, Andy Bachetti, Billy Decker, Brett Tonkin, Ryan Watt, Duane Howard, David Van Horn, Billy Pauch Jr., Frank Cozze, Jimmy Horton, Stewart Friesen, Jordan Watson, Jeremy Smith, Anthony Perrego, Jim Britt, Tommy Meier, Grant Hilfiger, Shawn Ward, Jeff Strunk, Bobby Trapper, Ryan Jordan, Matt DeLorenzo, Rick Laubach, Brett Kressley, Danny Creeden, J.R. Hurlburt, Craig Hanson, Nick Nye.
Did Not Qualify: Frank Porreca, Frank Yankowski, Colt Harris, Skylar Sherriff, Dan Humes, Steve Young, Tim Fitzpatrick, Billy Lasko, Kevin Beach Jr.
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE tire): Duane Howard (eighth) & Jordan Watson (14th)
ATL Fuel Cell Bonus ($200 Certificate): Billy Decker (fifth)
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse Bonuses ($50 gift card): Andy Bachetti (fourth) & David Van Horn (ninth)
“Dog Pound” Hard Luck Award ($250): Frank Porreca (DNQ)
Fast Axle Bonus ($50 Certificate): Brett Tonkin (sixth)
Keizer Racing Wheels Bonus (FREE Wheel): Billy Pauch Sr. (second)
QA1 Hard Charger Bonus ($50 Certificate): Frank Cozze (22nd to 11th)
VP Racing Fuels Bonuses ($50 Certificates): Billy Pauch Sr. (second), Jimmy Horton (12th) and Bobby Trapper (22nd)
Weld Wheels Bonus ($50 Certificate): Anthony Perrego (16th)
Wilwood ‘Lucky 7’ Bonus ($50 Certificate): Ryan Watt (seventh)
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By VP Sportsman Feature Finish (25 laps): BRIAN PAPIEZ, Craig Whitmoyer, Corey Cormier, Doug Hendricks, Mike Lisowski, Cole Hentschel, Kenny Eckert Jr., Matt Stangle, Billy Moyer Jr., Phil Vigneri III, Shayne Spoonhower, Larry Mekic, Dylan Swinehart, Chuck Fayash, Leo Fotopoulos, Glenn Rowan, Roger Henion Jr., Rich Emel, Louden Reimert, Daryl Dissinger.
Roadrunner Feature Finish (15 laps): SHON ELK, Jim Kost, Mike Reichert, Shawn Mullhall, Kris Ney, T.J. Fitzpatrick, Kody Sites, Dustin Wolfgang, Terry Kramer Jr., Fred Eberly, Devin Trexler.
