By Troy Hennig
(Chico, CA 8-7-2013)…The 60th Anniversary of the Gold Cup Race of Champions continues to be the most talked about event at the Silver Dollar Speedway this season. The huge event will kick off on September 4th, with a twin billing of the Hoosier Racing Tire Civil War 360 sprint car series and the Joe Hunt Magnetos Wingless Sprint Shootout Series. Civil War series promoter Alan Handy and Silver Dollar Speedway promoter Dennis Gage came to an agreement in the off season to open up the Wednesday night show. This means any 360 sprint car can attend the Wednesday night Civil War point show. As of now pre-entries are pilling in including St. Helena’s Rico Abreu, Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi, Placerville’s Andy Gregg and Sacramento’s Kyle Hirst and Willie Croft to go along with the stars and cars of the Civil War Series.
Front gate for the Wednesday night race will open at 5 pm with racing slated to begin at 7 pm. Pit gate will open at 2 pm. Reserved seating is available in the main grandstand for $25.00. Single day general admission tickets go on sale August 15th and offers tickets as low as $10.00. Another added bonus is kids 11 years of age or younger will be admitted FREE. For more information please call the track office at (530) 350-7275 or visit our helpful website for ticket prices at www.goldcup.silverdollarspeedway.com/ and then click on the “ticket information” link.
The Wednesday night Civil War race will provide a melting pot of distinguished drivers in all forms of sprint car racing. The Civil War series is led by Roseville’s Sean Becker, Watsonville’s Justin Sanders and Auburn’s Andy Forsberg. Colfax driver Colby Wiesz is right on their tails. “Wild” Bill Anton is having his best season to date and sits fifth in the point standings. Round #10 winner, Shane Golobic, and Princeton’s Mason Moore, who won the Silver Dollar Fair Race during round #5 of Civil War, are also two drivers that can win on any given night.
Fresno’s Dominic Scelzi is fresh off his win at Stockton Speedway on August 3rd. Scelzi beat the best of the King of the West 410 sprint car drivers on that night. Rico Abreu has been gone for most of the summer racing events with U.S.A.C and World of Outlaws. Chico will always be special for Rico because he won his first winged 360 sprint car main event here on April 27th, 2012. Both Hirst and Croft have numerous wins at Silver Dollar Speedway during their careers. Hirst has 13 career sprint car wins at Chico while Croft just recently won a main event in Chico on April 19th of this year. Andy Gregg has committed to run most of the events at Silver Dollar Speedway this season and has enjoyed a main event win on July 19th.
This race will mark the third and final time of 2013 that the Joe Hunt Magnetos Wingless Sprint Shootout Series will race at Chico. Back on March 9th, Rio Linda’s Scott Hall won the Silver Cup race for the second year in a row. The driver of the #56 HBR/Konnected Clothing is currently tied for the point championship lead with Santa Rosa’s Terry Schank Jr. On July 4th, Schank Jr. won the second Hunt Series point show at Chico. Over 20 non wing spec sprint cars are expected for the Wednesday Gold Cup event.
This year’s historic event will offer many amenities including a 60 year, limited quantity, souvenir program retrospect of every Gold Cup from years past, a Gold Cup Museum, featuring cars from yester-year and former winners of the Gold Cup signing autographs, unprecedented low ticket prices and the best sprint car drivers in the world.
The 60th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions begins its four day assault on September 4th through September 7th. Four day tickets and camping spots are available for purchase by calling (530) 350-7275. Wednesday night will feature the 360 Civil War sprints and Joe Hunt Magneto’s Wingless Sprint Shootout Series with general admission tickets starting at just $10.00! Thursday is billed as the Cavalcade of Gold Cup Memories and general admission tickets starting at just $15.00. Kids are FREE to attend on both Wednesday and Thursday nights. Friday and Saturday night will feature the greatest show on dirt, the World of Outlaws. In the next few weeks we will provide important information about general admission tickets for single day events.
Please visit www.goldcup.silverdollarspeedway.com/ for all things related to the 60th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions.