The 72nd Mike Curb Gold Cup Race of Champions presented by NOS Energy Drink opened with a bang on Thursday night as four different leaders led during a hectic Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing feature at Silver Dollar Speedway.

With six of the front-seven starters – all California locals – chasing their first-career series win, the stage was set from the beginning to produce dramatics in Chico.

Max Mittry, a 20-year-old native of Redding, CA, was the first leader.

Bud Kaeding, a 46-year-old native of Campbell, CA, passed him on Lap 9 before Mittry got him back on Lap 12.

Shane Golobic, a 35-year-old native of Fremont, CA, drove to the point on Lap 22.

Rico Abreu, a 34-year-old native of St. Helena, CA, finally made the winning move on Lap 28 after starting from the ninth spot.

The win for Abreu marked his 30th career triumph with Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing (most all-time) and his fifth trip to Whiskey Myers Victory Lane this year with Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing – it was however the first time he won in his “Frontline Flyer,” the Waste Connections sponsored #24.

Chasing Abreu to the stripe was a different Californian as Kaleb Montgomery of Templeton, CA completed a sixth-to-second aboard Kevin Kozlowski’s ‘W’ wrenched by Paul Silva. With 389 points, he leaves night one as the current high point man at Gold Cup.

Closing out the podium with a +18 drive to easily earn the Rod End Supply Hard Charger Award was James McFadden, who took the Tarlton Racing #21 from 21st-to-3rd at Chico.

Two of the four leaders, Max Mittry and Shane Golobic, completed the top-five on Thursday.

Rounding out the top-10 of the Gold Cup opener was Bud Kaeding, Tyler Courtney, Tanner Thorson, Dylan Bloomfield, and Brent Marks.

THE ALL-IN NOTEBOOK (8/27/26)
Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico, California)
72nd Mike Curb Gold Cup Race of Champions presented by NOS Energy Drink

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps – Tim Kaeding (12.083)
Capitol Custom Trailers QuickTime – Dylan Bloomfield (11.690)
TJ Forged Heat One Winner – Joey Ancona
DMI Heat Two Winner – Tanner Holmes
BR Motorsports Heat Three Winner – Dominic Scelzi
Rod End Supply Heat Four Winner – Jake Andreotti
FK Rod Ends C-Main Winner – Austin Wood
Winters Performance B-Main Winner – James McFadden
DURST Dice Roll Driver – Giovanni Scelzi (11th-19th)
Jake’s Golf Carts Fastest Lap – Max Mittry (12.754)
Rod End Supply Hard Charger – James McFadden +18 (21st-3rd)
Whiskey Meyers Victory Lane Visitors – Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing #24
CASM Win Sticker – Rico Abreu (5th)
Lap Leader(s) – Mittry 1-8; Kaeding 9-11; Mittry 12-21; Golobic 22-27; Abreu 28-30

Interstate Batteries A-Main Results (30 Laps): 1. 24-Rico Abreu[9]; 2. W-Kaleb Montgomery[6]; 3. 21-James McFadden[21]; 4. 2XM-Max Mittry[1]; 5. 17W-Shane Golobic[4]; 6. 29-Bud Kaeding[2]; 7. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[3]; 8. 88-Tanner Thorson[20]; 9. 5K-Dylan Bloomfield[7]; 10. 19-Brent Marks[8]; 11. 87-Aaron Reutzel[25]; 12. 9-Daison Pursley[22]; 13. 26-Justin Peck[13]; 14. 24D-Danny Sams III[17]; 15. 2K-Jake Andreotti[18]; 16. 55-Kerry Madsen[26]; 17. 5-Dominic Scelzi[16]; 18. 83T-Tanner Carrick[23]; 19. 77-Giovanni Scelzi[11]; 20. 88N-DJ Netto[24]; 21. 13-Tanner Holmes[15]; 22. 0-Tim Kaeding[10]; 23. 17GP-Brock Zearfoss[19]; 24. X1-Chance Grasty[5]; 25. 2X-Justin Sanders[14]; 26. 88A-Joey Ancona[12]

NEW Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing Championship Standings (After 35/54 Races):

1. 2,042 pts – Ridge & Sons Racing #87 (Aaron Reutzel)
2. -35 pts – Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing #24 (Rico Abreu)
3. -65 pts – Spire Motorsports #77 (Giovanni Scelzi)
4. -120 pts – Clauson-Marshall Racing #7BC (Tyler Courtney)
5. -144 pts – Rudeen Racing #26 (Justin Peck)
6. -170 pts – Chase Briscoe Racing #19 (Brent Marks)
7. -276 pts – JST Motorsports #88 (Tanner Thorson)
8. -323 pts – Vermeer Motorsports #55 (Kerry Madsen)
9. -398 pts – Buch Motorsports #13 (Tanner Holmes)
10. -448 pts – Kasey Kahne Racing w/ Mike Curb #9 (Daison Pursley)
11. -549 pts – Mosites Lynch Racing #42 (Sye Lynch)
12. -620 pts – Michael Dutcher Motorsports #17GP (Brock Zearfoss)
13. -625 pts – CJB Motorsports #5 (Brenham Crouch sub w/ Dominic Scelzi)
14. -662 pts – Chase Randall Racing #9R (Chase Randall)
15. -761 pts – Randerson Racing #24D (Danny Sams III)

WHAT’S NEXT: The 72nd Mike Curb Gold Cup Race of Champions presented by NOS Energy Drink continues tomorrow with another full-field preliminary program on Friday, August 28. Teams will continue to earn points towards Saturday’s $100,072-to-win finale at Silver Dollar Speedway. Tickets are available for purchase at HighLimitRacing.com, or you can watch every event live on FloRacing.

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