Britan Godsey claims rite-of-passage Late Model win at Brownstown Speedway

BROWNSTOWN — Thirty years ago, this Britan boy from Bedford became a Godsey by birth, and his clan was never going to deny him or boot him out.

Yet, Britan didn't become a true Godsey man until April 16, 30 years after he entered the world. It happened at Brownstown Speedway when he drove to his first stock car victory. That is the real rite-of-passage moment for a Godsey male in the Bedford strain.

Britan's grandfather, Ray Godsey Sr., is a Late Model legend and Brownstown Speedway Hall of Famer after posting over 500 feature wins in his esteemed career. Britan's dad, Edgar, uncles Tony, Steven, and Ray Jr., and cousins Joe and Levi had all won stock races, but victory lane had been a foreign land for Britan.

Finally, on a nice night for racing at Brownstown on Saturday, April 16, Britan Godsey broke through.

He powered the Vawter Racing/CS Prototyping/Travis Kern Racing Engines/Rick's Automotive & Towing/Suddarth Realty/Stanger Excavating/RocketXR1 Chassis No.14V machine to victory in the ILMS feature.

Godsey started fifth in the feature, quickly moved to third, and advanced to second on a restart. Moments later, the leader plowed into a backmarker, and Godsey inherited the point for a Lap 13 restart.

Britan maintained comfortably until a caution flag waved just as he was about to take the white flag. It created a green-white-checkered finish, but Godsey held strong for his first victory.

He joins Ray Sr., Steven and Joe as the only ones in the family to win in a Late Model.

"Yeah, they may let me stay in the family now," Godsey quipped. "It was a big relief, that's for sure. It was like a big weight lifted off my shoulders when I was crossing that finish line."

Britan late to racing game

To be fair to this Godsey, the 30-year old Britan is later to the racing game than his relatives. He grew up playing more traditional sports like basketball and baseball, and he's only been a Late Model driver for two seasons.

Godsey came achingly close several times last season, but never took the checkered flag as he finished runner-up in the season points in the Super Late Model division at Brownstown.

A new opportunity arrived in 2022 when Steve and Carrie Vawter, the proprietors of CS Prototyping, approached Godsey about driving their No.14V car this year. It's obviously been a solid partnership through the early portion of the season.

Despite some mechanical woes that left him languishing in the opener, Britan is fourth in the ILMS points through three events at the quarter-mile dirt oval.

"I raced Super Late Models last year, and I was second and third so many times, but I couldn't quite get the win," Godsey said with a sigh. "I was going to run Supers again, but with the parts shortage going on I couldn't find a Supers motor, and I wasn't sure what was going to happen.

"Then Steve Vawter came to me with this opportunity, and I couldn't be happier. He and Carrie, and their son, Nathan, have treated me great and they've given me a great car. It's a Crate car, but it's the fastest car I've ever driven, and I can't thank the Vawter family enough.

"That was only our second night out with that new car, and we won the race, so I'm really looking forward to this season."

Godsey backed it up last Saturday night at Brownstown when he laid down the fastest qualifying time in his group, and was third in his heat. The inverted start set him back, however, though he managed to move up and finish eighth.

Doing papaw proud

To be a competitive race car driver is certainly part of the measure of the man in the Godsey family, and it means even more to give some pride to and earn praise from Papaw Ray Sr.

The elder statesman was there for Britan's maiden win, which, it turns out, came on the 40th anniversary night of Ray Sr., winning the season-opening Late Model feature at Brownstown Speedway in 1982. As if that wasn't enough of a family stamp on the occasion, Britan's dad, Edgar, also won the Pure Stock feature on April 16.

"I was really having a tough time kind of holding it together after I took the white flag and pretty well knew I had the win," Britan revealed. "Then when I pulled up there to victory lane and I saw him smiling and I how proud he was of me and happy for me, it just kind of all came out.

"I wanted to get one for him. We lost my mamaw (Sue) in November, so Papaw has had a tough time. They were together for 67 years or so, and she also supported and loved the racing.

"Papaw is well up in his 80's now, and my uncle Tony has moved out there (Fayetteville) with him to help him some and just be there with him. But Papaw is amazing. He still gets up at 3 a.m., and gets cranking, still chops wood, works on cars, tinkers around the house, and makes it to all the races.

"So to his reaction that night and get a big hug from him in victory lane meant the world. And to have Tony and Steven there meant a lot. Then having dad also win, it was an incredible night at the race track."

The preparation, particularly when Britan was driving his own Super Late Model, is very much a family affair.

"Tony does a phenomenal job taking care of the car through the week with maintenance and washing it all," Godsey credited. "Dad helps me with ideas on adjustments at the track, and if anything goes wrong he's there to help fix it.

"Steven is usually the first one to call me Sunday morning now that he lives in Kentucky. And Papaw let's me keep the car at his place, so that's my favorite. I get to work on it and see him all through the week."

A racer's extended family

Any good racer will admit that things don't get done without extra help, and the extended family always includes friends who volunteer on race nights, often before, to be part of the team and help, and it also includes the many sponsors who provide tires, a can of gas, shocks or whatever they can to aid the effort.

Godsey has Frank Porter, Lucas Pace, Kylee Franklin, Kern, Brayden and Daylen Tidd and Oaklynn Rae Godsey in his corner on a regular basis. Britan also has a bevy of sponsors aside from the major ones listed earlier.

They include Indy Auto Recyclers, West Side Auto, JB Salvage, Wildboyz RaceChasers, Vawter Properties, Wayne Fugate State Farm, P3 Graphix LLC, Trent Niflis and Delph Communications.

"I couldn't get it done without all of these people helping me," Godsey said. "A lot of them have been with me a long time and I really appreciate them."

Looking forward

Godsey is going to be at Brownstown Speedway Wednesday night for the Castrol FloRacing Night in America, a $22,000-to-win feature for Super Late Models, but he won't be racing this time.

But NASCAR Cup Series stars Chase Briscoe of Mitchell and Kyle Larson of Elk Grovek Ca., are entered in the field. Briscoe will be racing a Late Model for the first time when he straps into the No.14 Mahindra Tractors machine courtesy of Bloomington LM star Kent Robinson.

"That's going to be the biggest sporting event of the summer around here," Godsey predicted. "I'm not going to be driving, but I'm coming over to help my car owner (Vawter) and his boy get ready to race in the Modified division.

"I can't wait to see Chase. We're pretty close in age (Briscoe is 27 to Godsey's 30) and have become good buddies over the years. He tested my Super Late Model once and did a pretty good job. These cars are really hard to drive, but he's so great and I know he'll have great equipment.

"It's going to be a lot of fun, and then I'll get back after it on the weekend. This win does so much for me. It really makes me want to get back out there, and you know people now are looking at you like a challenge because they know you can get it done.

"I believe we're going to run for the points championship now. We weren't before, but that win has the Vawters pretty excited, and me, too."

Contact Times-Mail Sports Writer Jeff Bartlett at jeffb@tmnews.com, or on Twitter @jeffbtmnews.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Mail: Bedford's Britan Godsey takes rightful rank in Bedford racing family