CHICO, Calif. The first big money race of the season has arrived for the NARC 410 sprint cars, with the prestigious Mini Gold Cup happening this Saturday, April 12 at Silver Dollar Speedway.

Saturdays winner will score NARCs first five-figure payday of 2025, taking home $10,000.

First run in 1987, the Mini Gold Cup was a longtime staple on the Northern California sprint car schedule, bringing fans and competitors to the challenging -mile clay oval in Chico. Several editions over the years saw the event on the World of Outlaws schedule, but it has otherwise been a NARC event. After a hiatus of a few years that started with the COVID-19 plagued 2020 season, the SLC Promotions team brought the beloved event back a couple of years ago. Regardless of sanction, the Mini Gold Cup has long been a premier season event sprint car fans on the West Coast.

Cole Macedo won last years Mini Gold Cup after leader Ryan Robinson crashed on the final lap. It was Macedos second Mini Gold Cup win, that one coming aboard the Tarlton Motorsports No. 21. With Macedo now on the World of Outlaws tour, the Tarlton team has been going with Oregon standout Tanner Holmes.

The pairing has already found success, winning an earlier race at Silver Dollar Speedway and then turning into multiple top-five finishes with High Limit Racing during their March swing through California.

That has many fans pointing at Holmes as one of the favorites on Saturday.

Hanfords D.J. Netto, with his win in last months NARC season opener at the Stockton Dirt Track, has the points lead aboard the Netto Ag No. 88n going into the weekend with a four-point advantage over Shane Golobic.

Netto, a former NARC champion, will be one to watch, as he won twice in other 410 sprint car competition at Silver Dollar Speedway last year, including the Friday night Mini Gold Cup Tune-Up.

Golobic also already is a winner in Chico this season in non-NARC competition, winning the night before Holmes did. Golobic and the Matt Wood Racing No. 17w are also hoping that translates to NARC success at the Mini Gold Cup on Saturday.

WHO TO WATCH

One other driver who will be watched is reigning NARC champion Justin Sanders of Aromas. The 2024 King of the West won the David Tarter Memorial last June when the NARC 410 sprint cars last tackled Silver Dollar Speedway, one of his seven NARC wins en route to the series championship. Sanders and the Mittry Motorsports No. 2x are looking at the Mini Gold Cup as the perfect opportunity to bounce back after a disappointing month of March.

Never one to be counted out at Silver Dollar Speedway, San Joses Tim Kaeding is always one to keep an eye on aboard the Williams Motorsports No. 0.

A two-time King of the West and one of NARCs all-time winningest drivers with 74 victories, Kaeding has won several big races in Chico over the years, and that includes two Mini Gold Cups, those wins coming in 2005 and 2007.

Templeton driver Kaleb Montgomery gave a strong performance at the Salute to Leroy Van Conett at Stockton on March 8, driving from 15th to finish fourth in the NARC season opener. He later turned more heads by making the dash and finishing fifth in a High Limit Racing main event at Perris Auto Speedway.

After this prior weekends cancelations, fans remain eager to see what the young driver has ahead of him as he pursues his first NARC victory aboard the Montgomery Racing No. 3.

Other drivers expected to compete on Friday night include Sean Becker, Dylan Bloomfield, Tanner Carrick, Dominic Gorden, Mariah Ede, Bud Kaeding, Ashton Torgerson, Landon Brooks, Tyler Thompson, Caeden Steele, Gauge Garcia, Billy Aton and many more.