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New Trophy Cup Format For 2014   by Ron Rodda

Phoenix, AZ…The phrase goes something like, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”  This year’s Trophy Cup showed it was a little bit broke when the track deteriorated during qualifying, making it nearly impossible for the last half of the field to score a competitive time.  Additionally, after two years of racing nonwing 360s on Thursday, the car count did not justify the much larger than normal purse for that division.  As a result, the 21^st Trophy Cup to be held at Tulare Thunderbowl on October 16, 17, and 18 of 2014 will offer three nights of winged 360 sprint car action.

            A modified format from past years will greet the huge sprint car field, but the deep inversions that the event is known for will be maintained.  On Thursday, all cars will pill draw as usual, but the top half of the resulting qualifying order will be labeled group A will the 2^nd half of the order becomes group B.

            On Thursday, group A qualifies 1^st with the fastest qualifier earning 150 points with a one point drop per position.  Then group B qualifies with that group’s fastest qualifier earning 150 points also with the same point drop.  Each group then races five heats, inverting six by time, with the top 2 moving to the group’s A main.  Heat finishers 3 and 4 go to a B main, finish 5 or 6 means a C main, and so on.

            Group B follows the identical plan with their 5 heats and same transfer plan.  That puts 20 cars into each main with half coming from each qualifying group.  After separate heats for each group, one set of mains use heat race results from each group to seed the field.  The Thursday A main will continue the prior plan and invert 12 by points.  Heats, B, and A mains will award points just as in prior years.

            On Friday group B will qualify first with the qualifying order within that group reversed.  Then group A qualifies 2^nd with their order also reversed from Thursday.  The teams in groups A and B do not change, just the order is reversed.

            All cars must race both Thursday and Friday to be eligible for the point fund portion of the purse.  Drivers must take the green flag for each of their races if able to compete and it will be officials decision enforce this rule.  The Friday racing format is identical to Thursday.  Saturday’s lineups are based on points and the driver’s better of the two nights point total will be used.

            The top 48 in points will run six fully inverted heats on Saturday with drivers ranked 49 and lower in points going to preliminary mains.  No changes were made to the Saturday portion of the format.  These qualifying night changes will address the issue of making qualifying fair plus the huge benefit to drivers of being able to count their better of the two preliminary nights.

            Teams that participated in the winged portion of this year’s Trophy Cup will have 2014 entry forms mailed to them on May 1 on next year.  By meeting the May 31 deadline, those teams are guaranteed a spot in the 2014 Trophy Cup.

 how many non-wing cars on thurs would it take to justify the purse ? how many non-wing cars did you have this year as opposed to last year  last year ?  with the amount of carnage created at this race you are probably doing these guys a favor . thanks for trying to make the non-wing cars part of your program . here in so-cal it seems the quality of the drivers matter more than the quantity . i believe thats because when you strap a wing on a sprint car almost everyone is fast . all you have to do is look at the range of timed cars in qualifying . i like to watch the wing cars run just to see the speed they can attain . but i like the non-wing cars more because it takes more driving prowess to master these cars . those of you that wish to argue that point can explain why more nascar drivers come from non-wing cars than wing cars ..

Drama , Controversy , Rivalry 

Maybe if the non wing portion wasn't run on Thursday it might draw more teams and fans.That said Trophy Cup is a one of a kind experience,I hope that they can find a way to bring back the non wing show.Possibly combine it with midgets.

As a midget car owner, we would love to run at Tulare along with the Trophy cup regulars, but the week day show kills us, Western midgets had several week day shows this year during the last half of the season including this weekend at Canyon. My belief is the sanctions and promoters need to realize this is not Indiana. Most of the teams out here are family run teams out of the garage, we have to go to work 5 days a week and still try and race. The tracks are nowhereclose to each other. Every midget show for us this year is a travel show except for Turkey night. The closest track to us is 2.5hrs away and I hear they will have 0 midget races next year. its gonna be tough to support as much as we would like too!

www.codyswansonmotorsports.com

How about run non wing and midgets the weekend before or after

The winged portion of the race is  know through the USA.  We tried to do the same for non-wing, but teams did not support it.  We tried, and we didn't succeed.  Will try something different this year.

Those shows at Hanford and Tulare that had a USAC West Coast and Rebels wings or King of The West were great shows.  I can't say the same for the 360 nonwing show at the T/C. As I am partial to wings I like the extra day of wings at T/C.  "strap on a wing  and everyone is fast" ?  Can't say I agree with that. A wing show is just a faster show. "More skill to drive a nonwing car"? can't agree with that either. Those Norcal shoes beat up on the Outlaows when they  came out.

 There are about a gazillion wings up north, Civil War, Taco Bravo, Rebels, King of the West, plus some non sanctioned shows at Chico, Marysville and other tracks. The crowds up north have been pretty good when I have been up there, plus the fans are noisier  and seem to be more into it. Kyle Larson came out of the Kaeding stable. When Smoke wants to have fun he runs with the Outlaws. Looks like Brian Clauson will run with the ASCS wings next year. If your not going to get to NASCAR and you want to have a career and make some dough seems like wings is the way to go. BTW The bench racing up north is better as there are so many more drivers and teams. There is a farm system up there with Plaza Park in Visalia and a track in Lemoore both running micros and other junior classes. Gary Scelzi's kid Dom is a rising star who came up thru micros, and his younger brether Geo is running this weekend at Plaza Park. BTW Dominic Scelzi will run tomorrow at Ventura in a Kruzer car.