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Veterans Square Off in Gold Cup
By Dennis Gage
CHICO, CA (8-31-07) - The two most renowned names in National open wheel winged sprint car racing will square off in this weeks 54th running of the Gold Cup Race of Champions. Sammy Swindell of Germantown, Tennessee, and Bloomington, Indiana’s Steve Kinser will lead an all star cast of World of Outlaw sprint car racers to the high banked ¼ mile clay oval at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds this Wednesday through Saturday night September 5 thru 8.
The two highly regarded drivers, that some say represents the two best sprint car drivers in history, have been part of California’s most prestigious short oval track race since 1978 when the World of Outlaws was formed. The two hard chargers have collected nearly 900 World of Outlaw victories in their storied careers and represent 23 World of Outlaw championships in 29 years of racing. They have also collected 13 Gold Cup titles along the way. This also marks the return of both drivers who missed last years contest and the first in four years for Swindell who last ran in 2003. Swindell will drive a Chico based car owned by Rod Fauver.
Defending World of Outlaw point champion and former Gold Cup champion Donny Schatz of Fargo, North Dakota, along with recent winners Craig Dollansky of Elk River, Minnesota, Joey Saldana of Brownsburg, Indiana, and Shane Stewart of Bixby, Oklahoma will be on hand to give both Kinser and Swindell a run for the $185,000 in posted awards.
It all gets underway with the California Sprint Car Civil War series on Wednesday night that is accompanied by the wingless sprint car invitational. The front gate will open every night at 5 PM, and all seats are general admission on Wednesday sold on a first come basis.
The Outlaws and a host of local drivers will be split between the Thursday and Friday night show. Complete race programs will be held every night with timed qualifying, heat races and main events. Everybody will return on Saturday night after accumulating points from the first two nights for position to chase the $50,000 offered to the Gold Cup Champion.
The annual Gold Cup Golf Tournament will be held on Friday at Bidwell Park and Friday night will be the giant Miss Gold Cup Bikini contest and Chili feed after the races.
Information may be obtained all week at the Silver Dollar Speedway office located directly behind the main grandstand. It will be open 9 to 4 daily. The office can be reached at 530-891-6535. Information or results may be obtained from the track website at www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com
www.sprintcarchallengetour.com
www.placervillespeedway.com
www.stocktondirttrack.com
www.thunderbowlraceway.com
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