By Lee Elder
CHICO, Calif. (Sept. 9, 2018) – Rico Abreu won his second career Gold Cup when he grabbed the lead in time to lead the final 15 laps at Silver Dollar Speedway. The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series was here for a two-night event.
Tim Kaeding finished second and Outlaws regular Cory Eliason took third, putting Californians on all three steps of the podium for the second straight night.
“I grew up racing here every Friday night in Sprint Cars, so this track is close to home to me,” Abreu said. “It’s great to get a win, especially when you beat the Outlaws.”
Once Abreu got in front, he was able to pull away from the field every time a caution period slowed the event. But there was racing behind the leader. Kaeding, Eliason, Shane Stewart and Tanner Thorson spent time interchanging the three positions behind Abreu. Thorson got the worst of the situation because his car was knocked out with a broken axle after making contact with Eliason’s car.
For the second straight night, just qualifying for the feature was hard work. Three drivers (Jason Sides, Logan Schuchart and Jacob Allen) were awarded provisional positions at the back of the standard 24-car starting field. The resulting 27-car lineup made for a very busy time on Silver Dollar’s quarter-mile bullring. Amazingly, the first 27 laps of the feature proceeded without a caution period.
Eliason led the first 24 laps and Thorson, who was looking for his first career Outlaws win, led lap 25. Then Abreu got in front and he went the distance from there.
“It is so much fun to drive when your car is like it was tonight,” Abreu said.
Kaeding finished second for the second straight night and said, “That was one hell of a race from my point of view, I hope you fans enjoyed it, because that was fun.”
NOTES: How tough was it to make the show Saturday night? WoO regular Jason Sides had to try to qualify for the feature through the C-Main, as did Brent Marks. Marks raced in to the feature, Sides got in through a provisional position. … Silver Dollar Speedway regular Michael Ing flipped during the Last Chance Showdown. His car was unable to continue but Ing was not hurt. … Jason Sides won the C Main, Joey Saldana won the B Main and Buddy Kofoid won the Dash. Kofoid’s margin of victory in the 8-lap Dash was 4.9 seconds and he finished the race by almost lapping a car. Buddy Kofoid is 16 years old. More information on the Outlaws is available at www.woosprint.com.
Feature (40 Laps, by driver, starting position and money): 1. 24-Rico Abreu [5][$15,000]; 2. 3-Tim Kaeding [9][$5,700]; 3. 83-Cory Eliason [3][$3,500]; 4. 2-Shane Stewart [6][$3,000]; 5. 4S-Michael Kofoid [1][$2,600]; 6. 121-Justin Sanders [2][$2,400]; 7. 17W-Shane Golobic [13][$2,300]; 8. 15-Donny Schatz [19][$2,200]; 9. 49-Brad Sweet [16][$2,150]; 10. 92-Andy Forsberg [4][$2,100]; 11. 9-Daryn Pittman [10][$1,600]; 12. 88N-DJ Netto [24][$1,350]; 13. O-Bud Kaeding [15][$1,300]; 14. 5-David Gravel [20][$1,200]; 15. 26-Joey Saldana [21][$1,100]; 16. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [11][$1,000]; 17. 19-Brent Marks [23][$900]; 18. 83JR-Kyle Hirst [14][$850]; 19. 45-Austen Wheatley [12][$800]; 20. 7S-Jason Sides [27][$]; 21. 11K-Kraig Kinser [18][$800]; 22. 21P-Robbie Price [22][$800]; 23. 29-Willie Croft [17][$800]; 24. 18-Ian Madsen [8][$800]; 25. 3C-Tanner Thorson [7][$800]; 26. 1S-Logan Schuchart [25][$]; 27. 1A-Jacob Allen [26][$]; Lap Leaders: Cory Eliason 1-24, Tanner Thorson 25, Rico Abreu 26-40; KSE Hard Charger Award: 88N-DJ Netto[+12]
Qualifying Flight-A: 1. 26-Joey Saldana, 12.29; 2. 3C-Tanner Thorson, 12.405; 3. 2-Shane Stewart, 12.418; 4. 4S-Michael Kofoid, 12.443; 5. 3-Tim Kaeding, 12.488; 6. O-Bud Kaeding, 12.559; 7. 83-Cory Eliason, 12.58; 8. 31C-Justyn Cox, 12.616; 9. 88N-DJ Netto, 12.626; 10. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 12.637; 11. 17W-Shane Golobic, 12.728; 12. 21P-Robbie Price, 12.752; 13. 25-Bobby McMahan, 12.765; 14. 15-Donny Schatz, 12.778; 15. 98-Sean Watts, 12.795; 16. 7S-Jason Sides, 12.826; 17. 29-Willie Croft, 12.857; 18. 37-Mitchell Faccinto, 12.866; 19. 28-Nathan Rolfe, 12.967; 20. 22-Mason Moore, 13.036; 21. 96-Andy Caruana, 13.202
Qualifying Flight-B: 1. 121-Justin Sanders, 12.313; 2. 18-Ian Madsen, 12.423; 3. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 12.667; 4. 49-Brad Sweet, 12.671; 5. 92-Andy Forsberg, 12.724; 6. 45-Austen Wheatley, 12.727; 7. 9-Daryn Pittman, 12.759; 8. 24-Rico Abreu, 12.837; 9. 83JR-Kyle Hirst, 12.849; 10. 5-David Gravel, 12.91; 11. 21W-Jake Wheeler, 12.923; 12. 21-Michael Ing, 12.994; 13. 83T-Tanner Carrick, 13.015; 14. 16A-Colby Copeland, 13.128; 15. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 13.189; 16. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.299; 17. 19-Brent Marks, 13.347; 18. 1A-Jacob Allen, 13.367; 19. 7-Scott Bogucki, 13.487; 20. 18Z-Jennafer Frazier, 13.839
