September 6, 2026

High Limit Sprint Cars Battle at the 72nd Chico Gold Cup

We recently visited Chico California’s Silver Dollar Speedway for California’s preeminent sprint car race – the 72nd Mike Curb Gold Cup Race of Champions presented by NOS Energy Drink. Over 50 alcohol breathing 410 Sprint Cars did battle throughout the three night affair chasing a six-figure purse. It was an electric weekend of summer heat, sizzling action, and screaming 900-hp small block Chevys fueled on straight methanol. A gearhead’s delight to be sure.

More than any other point in history, big time national sprint car racing is thriving at dirt tracks across America. For decades, the “big show” was the World of Outlaws and its band of legendary touring pros with the likes of Steve Kinser, Jack Haudenshild, Danny Lasoski and others barnstorming America.

While the Outlaws are still quite prominent with 86 events on their calendar this year, a rival national series came on the table in 2022 when Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet formed High Limit Racing. Now four-years old, High Limit has established itself as a bonafide national circuit and is on equal footing with the Outlaws series. One could argue High Limit even has stiffer competition to go along with their 50 races this season.

A driving factor in the scene is top quality streaming video coverage of both series through Dirtvision (Outlaws) and Flo Racing (High Limit). The streaming race coverage has rocketed sprint car racing to popularity previously unknown to race fans reaching a worldwide audience. Anyone in the world can sign up for a reasonable subscription fee and stream sprint cars to their heart’s content.

Headlining the Gold Cup Race of Champions was the clash between High Limit Racing’s “High Roller” touring drivers and the Western US teams of the Narc 410 Series. With three nights of racing, the action was hot and heavy. Fifty-One sprint cars entered the fray but one diminutive driver dominated them all: St Helena, California’s Rico Abreu. While he stands just 4’4” tall, Abreu has taken over as the king of the High Limit series.

Defending his 2025 National Championship season, Abreu teamed with Tony Stewart Racing for 2026 and despite some mid summer struggles has found his stride and leads the series points battle. Showing speed and strength all weekend here in Chico, Abreu won Thursday’s preliminary night, finished second to newcomer Dylan Bloomfield on Friday before taking home Saturday’s 100,000 Gold Cup Race of Champions.

While the Knoxville Nationals is the undisputed granddaddy of all sprit car races, the Gold Cup Race of Champions is often referred to as the “Knoxville Nationals of the West Coast.” Thousands of fans flock to Silver Dollar Raceway to get in on the party. The entire fairgrounds is filled with racers, fans, vendors and campers. After the races finish, the action continues with organized nightly parties like the chili feed, concerts, and beer – lots of beer!

After Rico grabbed the $100k Saturday night, the race cars headed north to Oregon and Washington to continue on the High Limit tour which culminates October 16 and 17 on the Dirt Track at Texas Motor Speedway.

Now more than ever, Sprint Car Racing is growing fast, is thrilling to watch ad you can stream it right into your living room. You owe it to yourself to subscribe to Flo Racing and get in on the High Limit Racing Series presented by Interstate Batteries.