When Ryan Godown decided to race this season in the USAC East Coast Wingless Sprint series in 2018, the team definitely had two dates circled on their busy schedule in red. Those two dates being the events scheduled at his Friday night home track of Big Diamond Speedway. Godown knew that even with his inexperience in the division, that running on a track he runs on regular basis would help even the playing field against drivers who have had much more seat time in the wingless beasts.
It was Red, White and Blue Autos night at the speedway and the “Ringoes Rocket” thoughts proved to be right on the money as he held off a determined Eddie Strada to win the feature event in only his second outing in the series. Timmy Buckwalter shot to the lead early from his fourth starting spot and appeared to have the car to beat early on in the 25-lap main event.
The caution was thrown for the second time on lap four for a spinning car and on the restart the “Ringoes Rocket” vaulted to the lead from the third spot as the leader Timmy Buckwalter slowed with smoke coming out from under the hood of his sprinter causing Buckwalter to call it a night. Godown continued to lead as Strada was making his way to the front and on lap 14 moved into the runner-up spot.
Strada gave it all he could to catch up to the high flying Godown and was able to get up alongside of him on the last lap forcing Godown to use all of his track knowledge he has accumulated over the years to hold off the hard charging Strada. Godown was able to hold off his challenger and earn his hard fought first victory in the series. Strada was a close second with Chandler Leiby, Joey Biasi and Delaware winner Steven Drevicki rounding out the top five.
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Ryan Greth (#4 Lesher), 2. Timmy Buckwalter (#7 Nemeth/Lotier), 3. Joey Biasi (#B1 Biasi), 4. Larry McVay (#83 McVay), 5. Kyle Lick (#8 Lick), 6. Alex Bright (#28 Fitzpatrick), 7. John Swanson (#17J Swanson), 8. Billy Brian Jr. (#16 Fitzpatrick). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Chandler Leiby (#119 Leiby), 2. Ryan Godown (#4F Freyer), 3. Bill Unglert (#33B Unglert), 4. Eddie Strada (#5G Gallagher), 5. Trevor Kobylarz (#14 Kobylarz), 6. Carmen Perigo (#21 Stehman), 7. Steven Drevicki (#19 Drevicki), 8. Ryan Quackenbush (#5Q RQR Racing). NT
FEATURE: (25 laps) 1. Ryan Godown, 2. Eddie Strada, 3. Chandler Leiby, 4. Joey Biasi, 5. Steven Drevicki, 6. Ryan Quackenbush, 7. Carmen Perigo, 8. Alex Bright, 9. Billy Brian Jr., 10. John Swanson, 11. Timmy Buckwalter, 12. Bill Unglert, 13. Trevor Kobylarz, 14. Ryan Greth, 15. Kyle Lick, 16. Larry McVay. NT
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps (Biasi, Buckwalter and Godown) - TBA
FRANK’S FINE SWINE & BEEF HARD CHARGER: Ryan Quackenbush (16th-6th)
NEW USAC EAST COAST SPRINT POINTS: 1-Strada-146, 2-Godown-144, 3-Drevicki-138, 4-Biasi-130, 5-Leiby-129, 6-Quackenbush-105, 7-Greth-105, 8-McVay-83, 9-Mark Bitner-72, 10-Perigo-55.
NEXT USAC EAST COAST SPRINT CAR RACE: June 1 – Accord (NY) Speedway – “NPS Paving Night”