TULARE, Calif. — Following last year’s hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most-anticipated races of the West Coast circuit returns when the Trophy Cup benefitting the Make-A-Wish Foundation kicks off this Thursday at Thunderbowl Raceway.
This year marks the 27th edition of the event and is sure to be one of the most exciting with a blend of racers and fans eager to get back to the three-night event at the unique California third-mile dirt track.
Of the more than 100 entries, a few drivers stand out as favorites.
Just 45 minutes from Tulare is the city of Fresno, birthplace of the Golden State’s most successful sprint car racer this season, Dominic Scelzi.
Scelzi has not lost at the Thunderbowl this year, going a perfect six-for-six in 410 and 360 sprint car competition.
While Scelzi would love to mirror Rico Abreu’s 2019 feat of a Trophy Cup sweep and remain undefeated at the track this season, the 24-year-old is only focused on being atop the points when the checkered flag waves Saturday.
• Abreu will be a contender in his bid to become only the third driver to earn back-to-back Trophy Cup titles.
Along with his 2019 Trophy Cup Sweep, Abreu also owns a pair of World of Outlaw NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car series victories at Tulare.
• Two-time Trophy Cup winner Shane Golobic will be the lone entrant eying a third title. His wins in 2016 and 2017 made him only the second person ever to go back-to-back.
Golobic’s consistency has led him to finish no worse than seventh in Trophy Cup points over the last four editions including the two titles.
• Though he hasn’t won the Trophy Cup since 2009, Tim Kaeding will be among those to keep an eye on.
“TK” owns just about every record of the event except for most championships and he’ll be aiming to match his father, Brent’s, record tally of four.
Kaeding’s name can be found atop the most Trophy Cup feature wins (6), top-three finishes in points (7) and the most feature podiums (13).
During his most recent title in 2009, Kaeding also became the first driver to ever win the Saturday finale and the points after starting last.
• A couple of the entries will combine to make a potent Indiana invasion with hopes to become only the second winner from the Hoosier State after Mark Kinser pulled it off in 1997.
Recently crowned All Star Circuit of Champions titlist Tyler Courtney rocked the sprint car world when it was announced that he would be joining forces with Roth Motorsports to pilot the iconic No. 83 in the Trophy Cup.
The pairing of one of winged sprint car racing’s ascending stars with one of the sport’s most powerful teams could make “Sunshine” an immediate threat.
Indiana’s Justin Peck was a force alongside Courtney during this year’s ASCoC campaign. Peck will pilot the F&F Racing No. x1 in his second Trophy Cup appearance.
Courtney and Peck combined for 12 wins over the 53-race All-Star season.
• A handful of the many entries have shown speed at Tulare and the Trophy Cup during their careers but are still aiming for their first title.
Over the past decade Kyle Hirst has been busy etching his name in the West Coast record books with wins in just about every major event except for the Trophy Cup.
The four-time NARC-King of the West champion has won two Trophy Cup features and finished in the top-three in the final points on three separate occasions but is still eying the elusive title.
Hirst will make another attempt this year aboard the Williams Motorsports No. 0.
• All Star runner-up Cory Eliason finished a career best third in the 2018 Trophy Cup.
Eliason was born in Visalia, only a 20-minute drive from Tulare, and would love to end Saturday atop the podium in front of a hometown crowd.
Some interesting pairings of drivers and teams will be worth keeping an eye on over the three nights.
• Buddy Kofoid is returning to his home state and will be climb aboard the Kevin Kozlowski-owned and Paul Silva-prepared Works Limited No. 57.
Before Kofoid became Keith Kunz’s leading driver on the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget tour he established himself as a sprint car star on the West Coast. He won a Trophy Cup prelim feature in 2016 and will go for his first Trophy Cup title
• Carson and Austin McCarl will continue family tradition by piloting a pair of Country Builders Construction machines. Their charismatic father, Terry, drove the iconic car to many feature victories along the West Coast in his career including two Trophy Cup triumphs, most recently the 2015 finale.
• Driving a second Netto Family Motorsports entry will be Mitchell Faccinto. Faccinto has multiple Tulare triumphs under his belt including a 2018 Trophy Cup prelim. The Hanford, Calif., native has finished in the top-10 in Trophy Cup points two out of the last four editions.
• Pennsylvania standout, Anthony Macri, has partnered with Tiner-Hirst Enterprise to wheel one of their two entries.
“The Concrete Kid” is no stranger to braving an intimidating highline which is exactly what Macri will have to do if he hopes to find success in his Trophy Cup debut.
• California may be best known for annually producing some of the most talented young drivers in the nation, and this year is no exception as a couple of young gassers will tackle the Trophy Cup for the first time.
Second-generation driver Corey Day will jump back in the Meyers Construction No. 14.
The 15-year-old won his first career NARC-King of the West feature last month in the same machine.
Day’s dad, Ronnie, was one of the Trophy Cup’s most prolific drivers in his day. The elder Day won the inaugural edition in 1994, claimed four feature event victories and finished in the top-three in the final points five times.
• Joel Myers Jr. has impressed all of 2021 at a variety of tracks. While the teenager is yet to grab an elusive first sprint car victory, he’s earned several top-five finishes.