TULARE, Calif. — Seventeen-year-old Corey Day put in a stellar drive from 20th on the grid to win the 29th annual Abreu Vineyard Trophy Cup at Thunderbowl Raceway.
Logan Seavey took the checkered flag first, with Day finishing second. However, Seavey was disqualified when his car was too light at the scales following the race.
Thus, Day was awarded the feature victory and the Trophy Cup Championship, earning $29,000 in the process.
The evening started with the top 48 in points from the preliminary nights split into six heat races, fully inverted by points. These very tough heat races offer 36 points to win with a three-point drop per position and the top twenty in points after the heats go directly to the A main. Those 20are fully invented by points in the 50-lap A main.
Cars 21st to 40th in points move to the B main while the remaining cars are joined by D main transfers to create a C main. The four B main transfer cars earn no points and fill rows 11 and 12 of the A main field.
All drivers that qualify for the A main are guaranteed $6,000 minimum for their three days of competition.
Day started the evening as the high point driver, looking to break Michael Kofoid’s record by two years for youngest champion. Ronnie Day, Corey’s father, was the champion of the first Trophy Cup at San Jose Speedway in 1994.
Of the top six in points in the heats, Ryan Timms had the best finish with a third while Day took a fourth. Rico Abreu was a DNF following a lap one, turn one tangle to dampen the chances of what was the second place carÂ
The main is 150 points to win with a three drop per position. Day led Timms by six points, Buddy Kofoid and Shane Golobic by 11, and Colby Copeland by 12 heading to the invert-20 main.
Justyn Cox used a front row assignment to lead with little pressure until just before the fuel break when Logan Seavey used a turn four slider to take the lead.
Day was in the 15th spot at the break but those ahead of him in points were close to the front and running out of passing opportunities. Â
Dominic Scelzi took third on the restart and two laps later a red halted action. Day passed five cars in two laps and the two were now tied in points.
When a lap-33 yellow flew, Day was in 7th and just needed to finish to win the Trophy Cup. Seavey was in control of the lead with Cox and Scelzi in pursuit.
Day stayed with the bottom groove and continued moving forward, taking third on lap 37 and second six laps later.
Day moved to the top and closed on Seavey but wisely accepted second and the Cup.Â
He was eventually awarded the victory, with Cox finishing second. Scelzi, Kofoid and Landon Brooks completed the top five.
The Day family now joins the Kaeding family with father and son Trophy Cup titles.
This year $200,000 was raised for Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Trophy Cup has now raised a total of $2,875.000 for the Foundation.
The finish:
Corey Day, Justyn Cox, Dominic Scelzi, Michael Kofoid, Landon Brooks, Shane Golobic, Rico Abreu, Justin Peck, D.J. Netto, Aaron Reutzel, Bud Kaeding, Hunter Schuerenberg, Tyler Courtney, Jake Andreotti, Zeb Wise, Grant Dunkerken, Justin Sanders, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Colby Copeland, Chase Johnson, Willie Croft, Logan Seavey.
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