9/8/2025
Crate Racin' USA
Jeff Godbee Memorial Brings Crate Racin’ USA Back to Waycross!
(Eastaboga, AL - September 8, 2025) – The Rogers-Dabbs Performance Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series returns to action this Saturday, September 13, with one of the biggest races of the year — the 2nd Annual Jeff Godbee Memorial at Waycross Motor Speedway in Waycross, Georgia. The Chevrolet Performance 604 Late Models will headline the program with a $10,000-to-win feature honoring Georgia racing legend Jeff Godbee.
Godbee was born November 5, 1966, in Savannah, Georgia, and later based in Jacksonville, Florida, Jeff Godbee built a career that made him a household name across the Southeast racing scene.
Starting in kart racing in the late 1970s, Godbee collected a Florida State Championship and runner-up honors in the World Karting Association before moving into stock cars at Jax Raceways in 1991. By 1993, he transitioned to dirt late models, competing against legends such as Earl Pearson Jr., Johnny Collins, Cecil Eunice, and the Whitener family.
His breakout stretch came in 1998–99, when he closed one season with five wins in the last eight races and followed with a remarkable 18 wins, 26 top fives, and 28 top tens in 1999, securing the track championship and breaking track records along the way.
In recognition of his career, Godbee was inducted into the Jacksonville Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2016. Sadly, he passed away on February 8, 2021, after a battle with Cholangiocarcinoma, a rare form of cancer. The Waycross event continues his legacy by celebrating his impact on dirt racing.
This event will be just the second visit all-time for the Adam Stewart–directed series to the 4/10-mile Waycross oval. The last appearance came in 2015, when Lafayette, Alabama’s Chase Edge outdueled Cecil Eunice and Hunter Carter for the 40-lap victory.
The Waycross stop also launches a massive stretch run for the series — with five of the final six races paying $10,000 to win as the championship battle heats up. Heading into Waycross, Jeremy Steele has been the steady hand atop the standings. With two wins this season, Steele has held the series lead since April’s stop at Screven and carries a 50-point advantage into the weekend.
But behind him, the battle is as tight as it gets — Jimmy Thomas, Bubba Roling, and Austin Yarbrough are all tied for second, and Matt Henderson sits just 52 points out of the top spot. With only three points races left on the schedule, every lap matters.
Fans in Waycross will be treated to a full night of racing with multiple divisions joining the Dirt Late Models. The card includes:Crate Racin' USA Late Model Sportsman – $1,005 to win ($305 pole award), Crate Racin' USA Street Stocks – $1,005 to win, Super Street – $1,005 to win, Factory Stock (Southern States Track Alliance) – $1,005 to win, and Crown Vic Jr. – $155 to win. For fans unable to attend, every lap will be streamed live on Crate Racin’ USA TV.
CRUSA Points Standings
1-Jeremy Steele – 720 (–)
2-Jimmy Thomas – 670 (–50)
3-Bubba Roling – 670 (–50)
4-Austin Yarbrough – 670 (–50)
5-Matt Henderson – 668 (–52)
6-Joseph Brown – 658 (–62)
7-Koulten Herbert – 648 (–72)
8-Jake Rainey – 604 (–116)
9-Caleb Gay – 596 (–124)
10-Pearson Williams – 509 (–211)
Thank You to Our Partners
Rogers-Dabbs Performance Parts, Chevrolet Performance, Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, VP Racing Lubricants, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, Competition Racing Equipment,Inc., Cruise with the Champions, Savage Chassis, Velocita by Melissa Markewitz, BamaSheds & Pole Barns, MatMan Designs, LLC, WesPro JCB Atlanta, Scorpion Race Cars, Columbus Sports Cards, and My Race Pass.
For full schedules, results, and news, visit CrateRacinUSA.com and follow Crate Racin’ USA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Article Credit: Cody Earley
