It looked as if the story was written and the check was sealed when Brent Marks held a 2.924-second advantage on Lap 34, but then the red flag flew and everything changed at the 72nd Mike Curb Gold Cup Race of Champions presented by NOS Energy Drink.

Creating a dramatic six-lap dash for $100,072, a packed house at Silver Dollar Speedway witnessed Marks slow roll the bottom in his Chase Briscoe Racing, Magical Vacation Planners #19 while Abreu planted his Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing, Waste Connections #24 right against the tall cushion.

Abreu took advantage of the slightest Marks mistake to lead Lap 35 and then narrowly edged him out for each of the next six circuits as the crowd rose to their feet – ultimately winning by 0.460-seconds as the double checkered flags waved.

The win puts the 34-year-old St. Helena, California native into elite company as he’s the fifth man to win three Gold Cup titles – joining a list that includes Steve Kinser (12), Al Pombo (4), Jac Haudenschild (3), and Corey Day (3). His previous titles came in 2016 with Paul Silva on his own #24 and then 2018 with Drew Warner working for him, the son of his now crew chief: Ricky Warner.

It’s the third time Abreu has topped a six-figure event, making him the ninth man in the history of Sprint Car Racing to reach that mark – following in the footsteps of Donny Schatz (13), Kyle Larson (7), David Gravel (5), Steve Kinser (4), Mark Kinser (4), Danny Lasoski (4), Buddy Kofoid (4), and Brad Sweet (3). Rico’s first two came at Skagit Speedway in 2024-25, where he’ll return to chase another $126,000 next weekend.

Building a 50-point advantage in the Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing championship chase, Abreu got to enjoy his 31st career win with the series while Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing made their sixth trip to Whiskey Myers Victory Lane this season.

Accepting a bittersweet runner-up result behind Abreu was Brent Marks, who dominated the feature from lap 17 when a nail-biting close call in turn four let him sneak by Dylan Bloomfield & Rico Abreu until lap 34 when the red flag allowed Abreu to restart on his tail. It was a career-best P2 at Silver Dollar Speedway for the Pennsylvanian, but still tough to swallow with his first win since joining Chase Briscoe Racing so close to happening.

Coming home in third after starting eighth was James McFadden aboard the Tarlton Racing #21, who hung right with Abreu and Marks on the final restart as all three drivers fought for the gold. His P3 marked the Aussie’s second visit to the podium at the Gold Cup Race of Champions.

Rounding out the top-five in Chico was California’s Shane Golobic in the Matt Wood Racing, NOS Energy Drink #17W and Oklahoma’s Daison Pursley in the Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts #9.

Closing out the top-10 in the 72nd edition of Gold Cup was five more west coast natives with D.J. Netto in sixth, Giovanni Scelzi in seventh, Dylan Bloomfield in eighth, Chance Grasty in ninth, and Tanner Holmes in 10th.

THE ALL-IN NOTEBOOK (8/29/26)
Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico, California)
72nd Mike Curb Gold Cup Race of Champions presented by NOS Energy Drink

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps – Aaron Reutzel (12.023)
TJ Forged Qualifier One Winner – Brent Marks
DMI Qualifier Two Winner – James McFadden
BR Motorsports Qualifier Three Winner – Tanner Thorson
Rod End Supply Qualifier Four Winner – Tim Kaeding
FK Rod Ends C-Main Winner – Jake Andreotti
Winters Performance B-Main Winner – Sye Lynch
DURST Dice Roll Driver – Chance Grasty (11th-to-9th)
Jake’s Golf Carts Fastest Lap – Dylan Bloomfield (12.028 on Lap 5)
Rod End Supply Hard Charger – Joel Myers Jr. +12 (23rd-to-11th)
Whiskey Meyers Victory Lane Visitors – Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing (6th of year)
CASM Win Sticker – Rico Abreu (31st of career)
Lap Leader(s) – Dylan Bloomfield 1-16; Brent Marks 17-34; Rico Abreu 35-40

Interstate Batteries A-Main Results (40 Laps): 1. 24-Rico Abreu[1]; 2. 19-Brent Marks[5]; 3. 21-James McFadden[8]; 4. 17W-Shane Golobic[4]; 5. 9-Daison Pursley[3]; 6. 88N-DJ Netto[17]; 7. 77-Giovanni Scelzi[13]; 8. 5K-Dylan Bloomfield[2]; 9. X1-Chance Grasty[11]; 10. 13-Tanner Holmes[12]; 11. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr[23]; 12. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[10]; 13. W-Kaleb Montgomery[15]; 14. 55-Kerry Madsen[18]; 15. 5-Dominic Scelzi[20]; 16. 2X-Justin Sanders[16]; 17. 87-Aaron Reutzel[25]; 18. 26-Justin Peck[9]; 19. 29-Bud Kaeding[14]; 20. 0-Tim Kaeding[6]; 21. 17GP-Brock Zearfoss[26]; 22. 24D-Danny Sams III[24]; 23. 88-Tanner Thorson[7]; 24. 7-Seth Standley[22]; 25. 2XM-Max Mittry[19]; 26. 42-Sye Lynch[21]

NEW Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing Championship Standings (After 37/54 Races):
1. 2,156 pts – Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing #24 (Rico Abreu)
2. -50 pts – Ridge & Sons Racing #87 (Aaron Reutzel)
3. -79 pts – Spire Motorsports #77 (Giovanni Scelzi)
4. -134 pts – Clauson-Marshall Racing #7BC (Tyler Courtney)
5. -166 pts – Rudeen Racing #26 (Justin Peck)
6. -169 pts – Chase Briscoe Racing #19 (Brent Marks)
7. -300 pts – JST Motorsports #88 (Tanner Thorson)
8. -331 pts – Vermeer Motorsports #55 (Kerry Madsen)
9. -400 pts – Buch Motorsports #13 (Tanner Holmes)
10. -431 pts – Kasey Kahne Racing w/ Mike Curb #9 (Daison Pursley)
11. -618 pts – Mosites Lynch Racing #42 (Sye Lynch)
12. -649 pts – CJB Motorsports #5 (Brenham Crouch sub w/ Dominic Scelzi)
13. -683 pts – Michael Dutcher Motorsports #17GP (Brock Zearfoss)
14. -736 pts – Chase Randall Racing #9R (Chase Randall)
15. -826 pts – Randerson Racing #24D (Danny Sams III)

WHAT’S NEXT: Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing will continue the 10-race west coast swing next week as the series heads to the pacific northwest. Roseburg, Oregon’s Douglas County Dirttrack hosts the SugarBee Showdown on the River presented by Seven Feathers Casino Resort on Monday, August 31. After that, the $126,000-to-win Skagit Nationals takes teams to Alger, Washington’s Skagit Speedway on Thursday-Saturday, September 3-5. Tickets are available for purchase at HighLimitRacing.com, or you can watch every event live on FloRacing.