With the racing world paused amid the COVID-19 outbreak, SPEED SPORT is highlighting race tracks around the United States. This is part of that ongoing series.
Track of the Day: Silver Dollar Speedway
Address: 2343 Fair St., Chico, CA 95928
Website: www.silverdollarspeedway.com
History: Most modern fans probably don’t know it, but Silver Dollar Speedway is actually the fourth different track to be constructed in the Chico, Calif., area.
The first was a half-mile track that was located roughly in the same location as the current track during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Another track was built around nearby Hahn Baseball Field and finally, in 1953, a third track — Chico Speedway — was established at the end of East 8th Street.
It wasn’t until 1962, when the Valley Auto Racing Ass’n was formed, that Silver Dollar Speedway was constructed. The VARA promoted races at the quarter-mile dirt oval until 1972. In 1972, Jack Tindle took over as promoter of the track. In 1978, West Capital Speedway promoter John Padjen became the man in charge of the Chico oval.
These days the track is promoted by Dennis Gage, a veteran promoter who also runs another California dirt track — Marysville Raceway Park. Prior to Gage, Handy Racing Promotions managed Silver Dollar Speedway.
In addition to weekly competition headlined by 360 sprint cars, Silver Dollar Speedway annually hosts some of California’s biggest dirt racing events.
The biggest of those races is the annual Gold Cup Race of Champions, which is headlined by two nights of World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series competition. The event debuted in 1978 and has been won by the likes of Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Doug Wolfgang, Jac Haudenschild, Danny Lasoski, Donny Schatz, Joey Saldana, Jason Meyers, Kyle Larson, Rico Abreu and, most recently, Daryn Pittman.
The 2020 Gold Cup Race of Champions is slated for Sept. 9-12.
