By Andrew Kunas
(4/7/25 – Andrew Kunas) Chico, CA … The first big money race of the season has arrived for the NARC 410 sprint cars, with the prestigious Mini Gold Cup happening this Saturday, April 12th at Silver Dollar Speedway.
Saturday’s winner will score NARC’s first five-figure payday of 2025, taking home $10,000 for their efforts.
First run in 1987, the Mini Gold Cup was a longtime staple on the Northern California sprint car schedule, bringing fans and competitors to the challenging ¼-mile clay oval in Chico. Several editions over the years saw the event on the World of Outlaws schedule, but it has otherwise been a NARC event. After a hiatus of a few years that started with the COVID-19 plagued 2020 season, the SLC Promotions team brought the beloved event back a couple of years ago. Regardless of sanction, the Mini Gold Cup has long been a premier season event sprint car fans on the West Coast.
Cole Macedo won last year’s Mini Gold Cup after leader Ryan Robinson crashed on the final lap. It was Macedo’s second Mini Gold Cup win, that one coming aboard the Tarlton Motorsports No. 21. With Macedo now on the World of Outlaws tour, the Tarlton team has been going with Jacksonville, Oregon standout Tanner Holmes. The pairing has already found success, winning an earlier race at Silver Dollar Speedway and then turning into multiple Top 5 finishes with High Limit Racing during their March swing through California. That has many fans pointing at Holmes as one of the favorites on Saturday.
Hanford’s D.J. Netto, with his win in last month’s NARC season opener at the Stockton Dirt Track, has the points lead aboard the Netto Ag No. 88n going into the weekend with a four-point advantage over Fremont’s Shane Golobic. Netto, a former NARC champion, will be one to watch, as he won twice in other 410 sprint car competition at Silver Dollar Speedway last year, including the Friday night Mini Gold Cup Tune-Up.
Golobic also already is a winner in Chico this season in non-NARC competition, winning the night before Holmes did. Golobic and the Matt Wood Racing No. 17w are also hoping that translates to NARC success at the Mini Gold Cup on Saturday.
In the Mini Gold Cup record books, National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Brent Kaeding leads everyone with four total Mini Gold Cup triumphs, taking checkered flags in 1991, 1993, 1996 and 2001. A pair of World of Outlaws champions, Jason Meyers, and Donny Schatz each have three wins in the prestigious race.
WHO TO WATCH
One other driver who will be watched is reigning NARC champion Justin Sanders of Aromas. The 2024 “King of the West” won the David Tarter Memorial last June when the NARC 410 sprint cars last tackled Silver Dollar Speedway, one of his seven NARC wins en route to the series championship. Sanders and the Mittry Motorsports No. 2x are looking at the Mini Gold Cup as the perfect opportunity to bounce back after a disappointing month of March.
Never one to be counted out at Silver Dollar Speedway, San Jose’s Tim Kaeding is always one to keep an eye on aboard the Williams Motorsports No. 0. A two-time “King of the West” and one of NARC’s all-time winningest drivers with 74 victories, Kaeding has won several big races in Chico over the years, and that includes two Mini Gold Cups, those wins coming in 2005 and 2007.
Templeton driver Kaleb Montgomery gave a strong performance at the Salute to Leroy Van Conett at Stockton on March 8th, driving from 15th to finish 4th in the NARC season opener. He later turned more heads by making the dash and finishing fifth in a High Limit Racing main event at Perris Auto Speedway. After this prior weekend’s cancelations, fans remain eager to see what the young driver has ahead of him as he pursues his first NARC victory aboard the Montgomery Racing No. 3.
A full field of sprint car teams are expected to fill the pit area. Other drivers expected to compete on Friday night include Roseville’s Sean Becker, Oakley’s Dylan Bloomfield, Tanner Carrick of Lincoln, Clovis drivers Dominic Gorden and Mariah Ede, Bud Kaeding of Campbell, Arizona driver Ashton Torgerson, Landon Brooks from Rio Oso, Tyler Thompson from Oregon, Lemoore’s Caeden Steele, Gauge Garcia of Fresno, Benicia’s Billy Aton and many more.
FAN INFO
Front gates open at 4:00 pm, with hot laps at 5:30 pm and qualifying to follow at 6:00 pm. Racing is scheduled to start at 6:45 pm. BCRA lightning sprints are also scheduled to compete.
As a bonus for fans, Silver Dollar Speedway is also racing on Friday night, April 11th, with 410 sprint cars in action as a tune-up for Saturday’s $10,000 to win Mini Gold Cup.
Fans who cannot make it in person can watch live on www.floracing.com. FloRacing livestreams all NARC shows.
ABOUT NARC
The Northern Auto Racing Club is the premier 410-winged sprint car series in the western United States. Since 1960, the traveling organization has thrilled fans at dirt tracks up and down the West Coast and crowned a “King of the West” champion. For more information on the NARC 410 sprint car series, including race results, points standings, and upcoming events, go to www.narc410.com. You can also follow on various social media platforms.
The NARC 410 Sprint Car Racing Series is also sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tires and Floracing.com. Associate sponsors include Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Beacon Wealth Strategies, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bullet Impressions, Jim Allen Promotions, Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash, Mettec Titanium, MyRacePass, Red Rose Transportation, Tarlton & Son, Wedg High Performance Karts, Williams Roofing, and Winters Performance Products.
2025 NARC 410 SPRINT CARS SERIES
(AFTER ONE RACE IN 27-RACE SERIES – 4/7/25)
DJ Netto, Hanford – 143
Shane Golobic, Fremont – 139
Sean Becker, Roseville – 138
Kaleb Montgomery, Templeton – 137
Andy Forsberg, Auburn – 136
Tim Kaeding, San Jose – 135
Dylan Bloomfield, Oakley – 134
Tanner Carrick, Lincoln – 133
Billy Aton, Benicia – 132
Dominic Gorden, Clovis – 131
Chance Grasty, Suisun City – 130
John Clark, Windsor – 129
Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR – 128
Max Mittry, Redding – 127
Justin Sanders, Aromas – 126
Bud Kaeding, Campbell – 125
Ashton Torgerson, Glendale, AZ (R) – 124
Tyler Thompson, Jacksonville, OR – 123
Miriah Ede, Clovis (R) – 122
Gauge Garcia, Lemoore – 121
Bill Smith, Sparks, NV – 120
Bill Wagner, Camano Island, WA – 119
Jarrett Soares, Gilroy – 118
Caeden Steele, Fresno (R) – 117
Angelique Bell, Sacramento – 116
UPCOMING EVENTS:
April 26 – Thunderbowl Raceway – Chris & Brian Faria Memorial
May 10 – Antioch Speedway – Contra Costa County Clash
May 16 – Ocean Speedway – Salute to First Responders
May 17 – Thunderbowl Raceway – Morrie Williams Memorial Twin 20’s