By Troy Hennig
CHICO, CA – AUGUST 31, 2011…Fans who follow dirt track sprint car racing at the Silver Dollar Speedway are already geared up for the 58th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions starting September 7th through the 10th. For the first time in the history of the four day event fans will get a chance to see a diverse field of sprint cars, winged and non-winged, along with B.C.R.A./USAC midgets racing on the famed quarter-mile speedway. However, as of this morning, things just got a little wilder.
Most fans associate the Gold Cup with names like Bloomington, Indiana’s Steve Kinser, Germantown, Tennessee’s Sammy Swindell, Fargo, North Dakota’s Donny Schatz and Clovis, California’s Jason Meyers. All of these drivers are previous winners of the Gold Cup and World of Outlaw champions. Now, fans will also see a “Wild Child.” Wooster, Ohio’s Jac Haudenschild became the latest surprise entry for this year’s 58th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions.
Haudenschild is a three-time champion of the Saturday night World of Outlaw Gold Cup finale. His wins came in 1998, 1999 and 2008. Only Steve Kinser, with 12 wins, has more Gold Cup titles than Haudenschild. This year the “Wild Child” has not been able to follow the World of Outlaws entire schedule. Only brief appearances this season had clouded the chances of him coming to Chico and racing Gold Cup.
That is when Paul Silva stepped in. Silva is a championship car owner and crew chief based out of nearby Sacramento, CA. Silva has fielded the Rock Star Energy Drink / Makita Tools / Lucas Oil #57 for driver Shane Stewart over the past few seasons. In August, Stewart and Silva did the impossible at the 51st Knoxville Nationals. Stewart started 17th in the feature and charged to a second place finish. Unfortunately, Stewart had another driving commitment during the Gold Cup week that allowed Silva and Haudenschild the chance to team-up.
Not only will Haudenschild race with the World of Outlaws on Friday and Saturday but he and Silva will go topless on Thursday night. Haudenschild will join the USAC non wing sprint car show on Thursday night, Sept 8, at Chico. In 2003, The Wild Child won the non-wing Mopar Million Sprint Car race at Eldora Speedway. He carries the distinction of winning the richest sprint car race in the history of the sport.
The 58th Gold Cup Race of Champions gets started September 7 and runs through September 10th. Information about this week long event can be found by calling the track at (530) 350-7275 or on the Internet at www.silverdollarspeedway.com