- Macedo’s Home Cooking
- Allen Claims High Point Honors
- Golobic Earns Dash Birth
- Trio of Locals Turn Heads
- Gravel Salvages the Night
CHICO, Calif. — Friday night at Silver Dollar Speedway’s 68th Gold Cup Race of Champions signaled an end to preliminary action and painted a clearer picture of what might be expected in today’s $25,000-to-win finale.
Macedo’s Home Cooking
Now that Carson Macedo travels the country with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars, the Lemoore, Calif., native always circles the California swings on his calendar and showed why on Friday night.
Back in 2014, Macedo claimed his first WoO victory at Silver Dollar Speedway, followed it up with another Chico triumph in 2019 and won convincingly last night after starting on the pole.
The pilot of the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 had to battle with Jacob Allen who took the lead for a few circuits in the race’s latter half, but Macedo roared back ahead and took the checkered flag with over a two-second advantage.
His efforts didn’t lock him in the top-two rows of the dash, but he’ll start from the pole in a heat race today with a good opportunity to join the dash.
“This is pretty special to me,” Macedo said. “My first World of Outlaw win ever was here at this racetrack, and to win another prelim night and be set up really nice for the final night of the Gold Cup is pretty special.”
Allen Claims High Point Honors
Continuing his trend of showing that he can run up front anywhere in 2022, Shark Racing’s Jacob Allen finished Friday’s main event with a runner-up.
Combined with his qualifying and heat points, the position slotted him at the top of Gold Cup standings.
The point tally means Allen is headed to today’s dash and will start in the first two rows with an opportunity to line himself up nicely for the main event. Allen could give Shark Racing back-to-back Gold Cups should he claim the finale after teammate, Logan Schuchart, won last year.
Golobic Earns Dash Birth
Many eyes were on Shane Golobic as he jumped in Kevin Kozlowski’s No. 57w for Gold Cup.
With Paul Silva calling the shots, the car has been one of the most successful along the west coast and Golobic delivered in his maiden voyage.
After setting quick time and winning his heat race, Golobic missed a perfect points night by only three positions as he came home fourth, earning enough points to join Allen and Thursday’s lock-ins — Brad Sweet and Ryan Timms — in the top-four starting spots of Saturday’s dash.
Along with Sweet and Macedo, Golobic is a California native and still primarily races in the Golden State. He’ll lead the local contingent into tonight as he looks to keep the Gold Cup in California.
Trio of Locals Turn Heads
Looking through the results of Friday’s feature provides three names within the top 10 who’d never finished among the top 10 at an Outlaw race — Ryan Bernal (5th), Blake Carrick (6th) and Max Mittry (8th).
Bernal and Carrick slotted themselves within the top-10 in points with their nights while Mittry sits just behind them in 14th.
However, Mittry has nothing to hang his head over as the night marked his first ever appearance with the sport’s best, and he still has a strong chance of making tonight’s finale.
Gravel Salvages the Night
At one point during Friday’s action, things looked bleak for last year’s Gold Cup prelim winner David Gravel.
After laying down the second-fastest lap in qualifying, Gravel nearly spun in his heat race, costing him a transfer directly to the feature.
The 75-time WoO feature winner managed to make the main event via the B-main, but many cars stood between him and a decent points night as he lined up 22nd for the 30-lap tilt.
By the time the checkered flag flew, Gravel had carved his way all the way up to seventh, earning Hardcharger honors. His finish placed him 11th in points and granted him a moderate chance of making today’s dash.
Keyword: Gold Cup Notes: Macedo Wins At Home, Allen Atop Points