Casey Roderick back with Anthony Campi for Speedfest effort

Casey Roderick with Anthony Campi Racing was the talk of the Super Late Model world for the first half of the 2023 short track season.

Everything ran through their No. 18 car that spring and early summer.

After coming together on a last-minute deal, they won the Snowflake 100 in 2022 together and linked up to win the World Series of Asphalt championship at New Smyrna in 2023. A month later, they won the inaugural ASA STARS national championship race at Five Flags Speedway.

By June, they were still right in the mix for the championship and Roderick vanished without explanation for the remainder of the year, the funding simply no longer there for the pairing to keep chasing wins and a title.

For at least one race only, Roderick is back for Speedfest at Watermelon Capital Speedway with Team Platinum support and racing under the Anthony Campi Racing banner with the intent to make the most of it.

“This is the only one we’ve got for now,” Roderick told Short Track Scene on Friday. “We’ll see how this weekend goes. I feel really good about the car. It’s been really strong so far. We need to get the front end a little more positive for me today. We should be alright.”

What happened? Where did he go?

“It’s just about having the funding to keep going,” Roderick said. “We’re taking it one race at a time, focus on doing our best this weekend. It’s fun to come out with a good team and be this fast out of the gate. I’m having a lot of fun, no pressure.”

Roderick said it was really hard on him to not keep racing after such a strong start.

Given how the ASA championship unfolded, Ty Majeski surviving at the end over Cole Butcher more than anything else, Roderick knows he would have been right there come the All American 400.

“To be honest with you, I didn’t even watch,” Roderick said. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not anything against the racing. I got busy with work and was focused on that, building a business. But it sucked, knowing these guys raced every week. I wish I could do the same. I wasn’t dealt the same cards so I am trying to make the best with what I’ve got to work with and see what happens.

“I do feel like if we were able to continue on in the ASA deal, we could have had a great shot at winning the championship. We should have won a couple of more races than what we did. We just had some misfortune or hiccups but was really fortunate to have great speed every time we went to the track.”

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But if Roderick can have only one race for now, these are the circumstances he would want to do it under. He has a great HAMKE chassis with a great racing mind overseeing the program in Campi.

“I work really well with Anthony and we immediately clicked,” Roderick said. “Proud to be a part of it this weekend.”

And this is a race Roderick wants to add to a resume that includes the Snowflake, All American 400 and World Crown 300.

“I’ve won the Pro race here but not the Super,” he said. “Looking forward to seeing if we can get it done this weekend. I really feel good about the car. Your normal guys are going to be good like Bubba. We’ll see how it shakes out. I think we should be there too.”