9/10/2018
Silver Dollar Speedway
Shawn Jones Sweeps Both Nights of Gold Cup Action
Shawn Jones Sweeps Both Nights of Gold Cup Action
By: Troy Hennig
(Chico, CA 9/8/18)…Shawn Jones double-dipped at the 65th Gold Cup Race of Champions. Jones won both the Friday and Saturday night Dwarf Car main events in front of a near capacity crowd. The excitement generated by Jones was electric. On Friday night, Jones transferred out the B main event, started 17th in the feature and won. Saturday night was a little easier on Jones as he started near the front of the main event and won going away. The Dwarfs Cars brought 32 competitors on Friday night and retuned with 35 on Saturday night. It seems this group always goes above and beyond.
The Saturday night main event saw Mike Reeder jump out to the early lead. In fact, it took Jones nine laps until he was able to pass Reeder for the lead. While Jones was the winner, Danny Wagner should be commended for his aggressive style and racing his way towards the front. Wagner moved from the seventh to second within 13 laps. As the race finished, Wagner was able to shadow Jones but never was able to muster a charge to pass him. Ryan Winter was his typical self. Winter is always so competitive, and tonight was no exception. He raced hard with Jones and Wagner and ended up third. The hard charge of the night was Josh Weisz. The teenager started 17th and raced his way to a sixth-place finish. Considering he won the B main event also, Weisz had a great night. Mike Grenert had a solid night and finished fourth. After leading the first half of the race, Reeder held on to finish fifth.
Shawn Whitney, Wagner, Jones and Mike Grenert each won their eight lap heat races.
On Friday night the crowd was in awe of Jones. Even though he won the main event from his 17th starting spot and that is impressive, it was the first five laps that will be remembered. Jones passed 12 cars in five laps to go from 17th to fifth. His aggressiveness to make those moves is what set up his chance to win the race. Mike Grenert and Derek Droivold started on the front row and swapped the lead the first five laps. On lap six, seventh place starting Ryan Winter took the lead. Winter held the lead until lap 10 when Jones was able to pass him. From that point on, Jones extended his lead and won by nearly four-seconds. Danny Wagner started eighth and with two laps to go passed Tim Fitzpatrick for third. Fitzpatrick finished fourth. Twelfth-place starting Colby Wiesz made a late race pass around Mike Reeder and finished fifth.
Jack Haverty won the 12-lap B main event. Jones started ninth and finished second. In all, Jones would pass 23 cars tonight between the B and A main event. Ryan Winter, Josh Wiesz, Danny Wagner and Kevin Miragilo each won their eight lap heat races.
For full results of each night please visit speedhive.mylaps.com and search Dwarf Cars-Gold Cup Race of Champions in the search bar.
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