It’s All Rico In Trophy Cup Run

TULARE, Calif. — The second night of the Abreu Vineyards 27th Trophy Cup presented by Rudeen Racing produced an 84-car field. 

Rico Abreu came back from a disappointing Thursday to take the $4,000 win and 100 points by leading the final six laps on the racy Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway.

Group B qualified first and Buddy Kofoid was the fastest at 14.090 seconds, followed by D.J. Netto, Rico Abreu, Mitchell Faccinto and Joel Myers. 

Group A’s quickest driver was Cory Eliason at 14.382seconds. Tim Kaeding, Steven Kent, Bud Kaeding and Blake Carrick completed the top five.

Eight heats moved the winner and highest point car to the A main and the top 40 in points from the remaining cars raced in a B main.  Each of those added four more to the A main with the top 12 in points inverted.

The 30-lap A main was led by Chase Johnson for four laps until Mitchell Faccinto raced through the top of turn four to lead by inches at the line.  Colby Copeland was third due to a high line pass in turn four on Chase Randall.

Johnson flipped in turn four while second and Abreu passed Copeland out of turn four to run second after the restart.  

A green-flag stretch saw the top three all running the top and spread out.  Eventually Abreu closed on Faccinto and Buddy Kofoid drove low into turn three to take third with eight laps remaining.

Lap 25 ended after a huge turn four slider by Abreu to take the lead and Kofoid used the same move a lap later, dropping Faccinto to third.

Over the last five laps Abreu kept Kofoid far enough back to avoid any move and won his fourth of the last five Trophy Cup mains.

Kofoid finished second, ahead of Faccinto, Kyle Hirst and Copeland.

All three nights offer main events paying $4,000 to win and $500 to start.  All preliminary mains pay every driver except the transfers.

After Saturday’s concluding 50-lap main, the point fund will go to the 24 cars that ran the finale.  Each A main has a $21,450 payout and the point fund total pay is $81,500.

The finish:

Feature  (30 Laps): 1. 24-Rico Abreu[6]; 2. 57-Buddy Kofoid[12]; 3. 88F-Mitchell Faccinto[3]; 4. 0-Kyle Hirst[7]; 5. 5V-Colby Copeland[4]; 6. 88N-DJ Netto[5]; 7. 26-Cory Eliason[11]; 8. 42X-Tim Kaeding[10]; 9. 83V-Sean Becker[14]; 10. 17W-Shane Golobic[15]; 11. 21-Ryan Bernal[24]; 12. 94-Anthony Macri[23]; 13. 83T-Tanner Carrick[9]; 14. 8-Devon Borden[19]; 15. 5H-Michael Faccinto[17]; 16. 14-Corey Day[22]; 17. 21P-Robbie Price[13]; 18. 7C-Justyn Cox[21]; 19. 83-Tyler Courtney[8]; 20. 7P-Jake Andreotti[18]; 21. 9R-Chase Randall[2]; 22. 3-Kaleb Montgomery[20]; 23. 41-Dominic Scelzi[16]; 24. 28-Chase Johnson[1] 10/23