8/11/2025
Silver Dollar Speedway
Gold Cup 71 Split-Field Prelim Format Confirmed
Split-Field Preliminary Format Confirmed for Silver Dollar's Gold Cup Race of Champions
CHICO, CA (August 11, 2025) – With pre-entry numbers finalized, the 71st running of the Mike Curb Gold Cup Race of Champions presented by NOS Energy Drink will officially feature the traditional split-field format for the fourth-straight year.
Tickets for the Silver Dollar Speedway crown jewel on Thursday-Saturday, August 21-23 – which is preceded by a one-night 360 Sprint Car event on Wednesday, August 20 – are available for purchase here. The west coast staple includes a litany of epic off-track events for fans including the Glow Party, Bikini Contest, and much more.
As far as racing goes, half of the current 68-car field will compete in Thursday’s preliminary with the other half racing in Friday’s preliminary. Points will be on the line every time a team hits the track and will determine the lineups for Saturday’s $100,071-to-win grand finale when everybody races each other. New in 2025, the top-eight in overall points will lock-in for the 40-lap main event with the rest of the field lining up in Qualifiers.
Sanctioned by Kubota High Limit Racing for the second-straight year, the intense championship battle between Kasey Kahne Racing, Clauson-Marshall Racing, Ridge & Sons Racing, Rico Abreu Racing, and Murray-Marks Motorsports will be put on hold for three nights as the split-field format calls for show-up points. It’s all about money and glory at the Gold Cup.
Officials from Kubota High Limit Racing and Silver Dollar Speedway expect to release the split-field preliminary rosters, including which night everyone races, later this week.
Teams interested in signing-up may still enter here.
A full breakdown of the format used next week can be found below...
Prelim Nights (Thursday & Friday)
• All cars qualify in one group. (1 car at a time, 2 laps each)
• Qualifying points awarded: 100 for QuickTime down by 1. 2nd-99, 3rd-98, etc.
• 4 Heat Races lined up with an invert of 6 cars (24 total from Qualifying)
• Top 5 in each Heat transfer to A-Main
• Points for Heat Races start at 100, down by 2. 2nd-98, 3rd-96, etc.
• B-Main lined up by accumulative qualifying and heat points.
• The 2 fastest cars that didn’t transfer line up on the front row of B-Main
• Top 4 transfer from B-Main to the A-Main and tag the tail
• A-Main lineup has fastest 8 cars that transfer from Heat Races line up inverted by Qualifying times
• Balance of A-Main lined up by accumulative qualifying and heat points total from top 5 finishers in heats minus fastest 8
• A-Main finish points add to total for Saturday lineups
• A-Main points: 1st is 200, down by 3
• B-Main points start at 128 for 5th and go down by 3. 6th-125, 7th-122, etc.
Gold Cup Finale (Saturday)
• Top 8 in overall points from lock-in for Saturday’s A-Main
• The rest of the field line up 4 Heat Races straight up by points
• Top 3 finishers in Heat Races to A-Main
• D-Main is lined up by heat finishing positions 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th from Heats
• Top 2 transfer from D and tag tail of C-Main
• C-main is lined up by finishing positions 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th from Heats
• Top 4 transfer from C and tag tail of B-Main
• B-Main is lined up by heat finishing positions 4th, 5th, 6th from Heats
• 2 highest points totals that don’t transfer start on the front row of the B-Main
• Top 4 transfer from B and tag tail of A-Main
• Gold Cup A-Main is 40 laps, paying $100,071-to-win
*Preliminary night ties will be broken by Qualifying times. Any ties heading into Saturday’s finale will be broken by preliminary A-Main finish first, then Qualifying position, then pill draw if needed.
Article Credit: Brian Walker
Submitted By: troy hennig