News Director 
Story By: CHRIS MOORE / AMERICAN-RACER CUP – MILLSBORO, DE – A record year. For the first time in his career, Ryan Godown has been deemed champion of the 2022 American Racer Cup presented by Sunoco Race Fuels.
The Ringoes, N.J., resident’s record-setting season at Bridgeport (N.J.) Motorsports Park saw him win 12 times during the American Racer Cup season, the most of any driver at their registered home track.
The American Racer Cup collects each racer’s 10 best finishes at their registered home track combined with a year-end starting field bonus to calculate a driver’s total points.
In the event of a tie for the title, the established tiebreaker is a driver’s number of wins at the participating speedway between Friday, April 15 and Monday, September 5.
The American Racer Cup season began back on Friday, April 15 and concluded on Monday, September 5.
All of Godown’s 12 wins made a difference, as both Matt Sheppard and Craig Von Dohren eclipsed the 10-win mark during the American Racer Cup season, putting all three drivers at the maximum 700-point total.
The three-way tie was broken by Godown’s 12 wins, while Sheppard and Von Dohren both claimed 11 wins between April 15 and September 5.
Godown’s championship is worth $11,000 from the American Racer Cup on behalf of presenting sponsors American Racer, distributor Lias Tire of Indiana, Pa., Sunoco Race Fuels and distributor Insinger Performance of Dushore, Pa.
A $36,000 purse is divided amongst the top-15 drivers in the overall Modified standings with $10,000 reserved to Godown, the overall champion. Godown also claims $1,000 as the South Region champion of the American Racer Cup.
Craig Von Dohren and Matt Sheppard officially tie for the runner-up spot as the pair reached the maximum 700-points and had 11 wins at their home track. The two will split the total sum of second and third place in points, awarding them each $4,500.
Sheppard, a Utica-Rome Speedway (Vernon, N.Y.) entrant, will receive an extra $1,000 as the North Region champion, upping his total American Racer Cup earnings to $5,500.
Von Dohren meanwhile, a longtime Grandview Speedway regular in Bechtelsville, Pa., adds $750 to his total as the runner-up driver in the South Region standings, making his total $5,250 for his efforts at Grandview Speedway.
The Oley, Pa., resident also finished 15th in the overall standings, as an entrant at Big Diamond Speedway in Minersville, Pa. adding $500 to his pocket. His total earnings add up to $5,750 from the American Racer Cup.
Another Grandview Speedway driver falls in fourth, as Orefield Pa.’s Brett Kressley had a career season at the one-third-mile oval.
Kressley earns $3,500 as the fourth driver in overall points and $500 after finishing third in the South Region, bringing his Grandview total to $4,000.
Kressley, like Von Dohren, was also entered at Big Diamond Speedway and came home 10th in overall standings for his efforts there. Kressley’s Big Diamond Speedway season brings his total to $5,000 earned from the American Racer Cup.
Jeff Strunk, another Grandview Speedway regular, rounds out the top five in overall standings and comes home fourth in the South Region, making his total earned $2,850.
Finishing sixth through 15th, respectively, were Brandon Grosso of New Egypt Speedway in New Egypt, N.J. (638 points – $2,250); Billy Pauch Jr. of Bridgeport Motorsports Park (636 – $1,750); Duane Howard of Big Diamond (630 – $1,500); Rocky Warner of Fonda Speedway in Fonda, N.Y. (626 – $2,000); Brett Kressley of Big Diamond (625 – $1,000); Jake Dgien of Woodhull Raceway in Woodhull, N.Y. (623 – $1,400); Billy Decker of Utica-Rome (623 – $1,300); Brett Tonkin of Penn Can Speedway in Susquehanna, Pa. (618 – $950); Joe Dgien of Woodhull (618 – $600); and Craig Von Dohren of Big Diamond (614 – $500).
In Sportsman competition, Durhamville, N.Y.’s Matt Janczuk claimed his second consecutive American Racer Cup title with another dominant season at Utica-Rome Speedway.
Janczuk earned 12 wins during the American Racer Cup season, including a 10-race win streak at one point. Janczuk was the only driver to join the 700-point club in Sportsman competition, making him the overall and North Region champion.
Janczuk’s efforts earn him $2,000 total.
Fonda Speedway’s Chad Edwards comes home as the runner-up with a six-win season, good for a 680-point total. Edwards’ efforts reward him with $1,400.
Payton Talbot’s breakout season saw him earn success at both Utica-Rome and Fonda speedways.
Talbot finishes the season in third and fourth position for his seasons at the two speedways. Talbot earned 670 points at Utica-Rome and 665 points at Fonda.
Talbot’s dual-track performance earns him $1,850.
Grandview Speedway’s Brian Hirthler emerges from a tie for fifth with Big Diamond’s Brandon Edgar. The pair both ended the season with 660 points, with Hirthler’s five wins topping Edgar’s four.
Hirthler pockets $1,000 as the South Region champion and placing fifth overall.
The remainder of the top-15 were Edgar of Big Diamond (660 points – $850); Gary Smith of Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, N.Y. (645 – $500); Joe Toth of New Egypt (638 – $650); Ryan Godown Jr. of Bridgeport (635 – $500); Ray Leonard of Penn Can (623 – $250); Ryan Simmons of New Egypt (622 – $300); Brian Papiez of Bridgeport (620 – $150); Kenny Peoples Jr. of Woodhull (619 – $100); Chris Mackey of Utica-Rome (614 – $100); and Mike Schane of Penn Can (608 – $100).
The top-five drivers in the Modified division at all home tracks receive five free tires for first, four for second, three for third, two for fourth and one for fifth.
In the Sportsman division, home track champions receive three tires, second-place two tires and third receives one tire.
The American Racer Cup track champions are determined by a driver’s 10 best finishes at that track.
More than $51,000 in cash will be distributed to American Racer Cup participants.
AMERICAN RACER CUP TRACK CHAMPIONS:
- Accord Speedway: Danny Creeden (Modified), Cody Higbie (Sportsman)
- Afton Motorsports Park: Nick Nye (Modified), Blaine Klinger (Sportsman)
- Big Diamond Speedway: Duane Howard (Modified), Brandon Edgar (Sportsman)
- Bridgeport Motorsports Park: Ryan Godown (Modified), Ryan Godown Jr. (Sportsman)
- Delaware International Speedway: Jordan Watson (Modified), Joe Toth (Sportsman)
- Five Mile Point Speedway: Brett Tonkin (Modified), Gary Smith (Sportsman)
- Fonda Speedway: Rocky Warner (Modified), Chad Edwards (Sportsman)
- Grandview Speedway: Craig Von Dohren (Modified), Brian Hirthler (Sportsman)
- New Egypt Speedway: Brandon Grosso (Modified), Joe Toth (Sportsman)
- Outlaw Speedway: Ajay Potrzebowski II (Modified), Carter Crooker (Sportsman)
- Penn Can Speedway: Brett Tonkin (Modified), Ray Leonard (Sportsman)
- Utica-Rome Speedway: Matt Sheppard (Modified), Matt Janczuk (Sportsman)
- Woodhull Raceway: Jake Dgien (Modified), Kenny Peoples Jr. (Sportsman)
