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Thursday night charge highlights Gold Cup for Jason Statler

By Gary Thomas

Chico, CA - September 11, 2007...San Jose’s Jason Statler did battle with the best sprint car drivers on the planet over the weekend during the 54^th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico. A total of 103 drivers competed at the Gold Cup and Jason finished the overall event with a ninth place finish in the B-main on Saturday night. After all that Jason has been through this year, a top 10 in the B-main at the Gold Cup is nothing to hang your head at.

The field is split into a pair of qualifying nights at the Gold Cup Race of Champions and Jason took part in the Friday prelim night. A large field of 56 cars turned out on Friday and the Big Guy began the Gold Cup by qualifying 27^th fastest aboard the DF Rios Construction, Pheasant Run Shopping Center, Yak Graphics, Kaeding Performance No. 00. This stuck him way back in the seventh starting position in the fourth heat race, but the former King of California got up on the wheel and carved his way forward to finish fourth and transfer into the feature.

The 30 lap preliminary night main event saw Jason line-up in the 22^nd starting position. A multiple groove track was seen and the veteran driver played his cards smoothly early on before turning up the heat late in the race and charging forward during the last handful of laps to score an 11^th place finish. Jason put the D & D Roofing, Trimble Motorsports, Stephanie’s Custom Interiors No. 00 on the tip top of the track and gassed around multiple cars late in the contest to score the solid finish.

Jason came back on Saturday and found himself starting 11^th in the B-main and after 20 laps he brought the Weld Racing, Ringers Gloves, DF Rios Construction 00 home in the ninth position. The Gold Cup is one of the most competitive events in the country and this season was no different. The outcome wasn’t what Jason was hoping for, but he and the Double Zero team are coming together nicely and should be strong at the late season special shows.

Look for Jason to be in Petaluma this Saturday with the California Sprint Car Civil War Series.

For more on Jason Statler and DF Rios Racing visit http://www.statlerracing.com

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Photo by Steve Lamothe

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