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Photo's by Steve Lamothe of http://www.stevesracingphotos.com

Impressive Gold Cup Race of Champions performance nets sixth place finish for 18-year-old Kyle Larson with World of Outlaws at Silver Dollar Speedway

By Gary Thomas

Chico, CA – September 12, 2010…Going into the annual Gold Cup Race of Champions newly crowned King of California Kyle Larson looked to open more eyes at the biggest sprint car event on the West Coast and the 18-year-old from Elk Grove was able to do just that by scoring a strong sixth place finish in the 40-lap finale on Saturday night.

Larson, who ran as high as third on Saturday in the feature, also finished among the top-10 during all three-nights at the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series sanctioned event while driving the Stadelhofer Construction/Peppermill Resort-Spa-Casino-Reno/ Kaeding Performance No. 99 Maxim.

“To finish sixth at the Gold Cup is pretty awesome and being able to show that we can run like this with the World of Outlaws is a great feeling,” said Larson. “We were really quick all weekend long so I definitely owe a lot to Clark Riolo and my whole crew for giving me such a great car and I can’t thank them enough.”

The prestigious 57^th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions began on Thursday night at the Silver Dollar Speedway and saw a very hooked-up racing surface following heavy rain the night before in the Chico area.

With 52-cars on hand for opening night Larson timed-in 25^th fastest, which just missed the heat race inversion, but a strong move early in the heat race allowed him to score the fourth and final transfer spot into the feature. Starting from the very last row in the 30-lapper he proceeded to battle his way forward throughout the main event and made a great charge over the final five-circuits to tally a 10^th place finish at the conclusion.

Coming back on Friday Larson drew an early number for qualifying and utilized it to turn the seventh fastest lap of the session, putting him in the second row for his heat, where he brought home a third place finish to once again directly transfer into the main event. Lining up on the outside of row six the Elk Grove driver quickly moved into the top-10, but contact with another car on the back stretch forced him to the work area and then to the rear of the field with two-laps complete.

Restarting at the tail-end Larson put his Shaver Engines powered No. 99 sprinter on the tip-top of the quarter-mile bullring and began to carve his way through the extremely talented pack of cars. Passing a number of World of Outlaw stars he moved into the 12^th spot with just 10-circuits left, getting by 2001 WOO champ Danny Lasoski and three-time series titlist Sammy Swindell on consecutive laps.

The charge didn’t stop there however, as he then dispatched of Shane Golobic for the 11^th position on lap 21, before moving into the top-10 by rocketing around 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser with only five-laps left. On the next go around Larson continued to be aggressive and shot by three-time USAC Silver Crown champ Bud Kaeding for the ninth spot, where he would eventually finish at the waving of the checkered flag.

“Even though we had to go the back at the start of the race I didn’t panic, because I knew we were fast and the track was racy enough to get back up there,” commented Larson. “Any time you can pass guys like Sammy Swindell and Steve Kinser you know you’re having a good night, so we couldn’t have been happier after Friday and that was definitely one of the best tracks we’ve seen in Chico this year.”

Following the first two preliminary nights Larson had accumulated the 10^th most points for the event and it put him in the fifth row for Saturday’s 40-lap finale. With very wet conditions early on track preparation crews went to work prior to the main event and their efforts paid off, as the surface came in nicely and made for some great action in the $50,000-to-win contest. At the drop of the green flag Larson would fall a couple spots, until getting into a groove after a couple of yellows to make his way by Swindell and Golobic to slice into eighth with 11-down.

Reminiscent of the night before Larson showed no intimidation while running with many of the best winged sprint car drivers in the country and on lap 14 charged by three-time Gold Cup champ Jac Haudenschild to take seventh. The 18-year-old then motored around Jason Sides for sixth on lap 22 and moved into the top-five the following lap when Jonathan Allard and Donny Schatz banged wheels, which resulted in Allard coming to a stop just off the track in turn three.

Sitting in fifth during a red flag period just around the midway point of the main event, things became dramatic when Larson was forced to jump out of the car when a small fire occurred under the hood. After getting the fire extinguished there was some talk whether he would go to the work area or push back off and retain his spot. After a couple of intense moments it was decided that he would get back onto the speedway and assume his position in the running order to the delight of the huge crowd on hand.

When racing got back underway it was apparent that third running Joey Saldana had a tire going down and when he eventually pitted it bumped Larson up to fourth for a lap 27 restart, which saw him charge to the inside of four-time & defending World of Outlaw champ Donny Schatz to grab third in impressive fashion. A yellow flag with just 11-circuits left in the race set up another restart, but this time around Larson would lose a spot to a fast moving Steve Kinser, who transferred out of the b-main.

Larson then ran comfortably in fourth, until one final caution set up a green-white-checkered restart, where he tried hard to move forward, but had to get out of the throttle just enough while battling for position, which cost him a couple spots in turns three and four. The youngster would ultimately cross the stripe in sixth to come home just behind a stout top-five that was comprised of winner Jason Meyers, Steve Kinser, Paul McMahan, Haudenschild and Schatz. It also marked Larson's career best finish with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series.

“It would have obviously been nice to get on the podium, but just being up there with drivers like that is a real honor and I think we represented California well,” Larson said. “I’m really grateful for the opportunity Rich Stadelhofer and Brent Kaeding have given me this year so I have to give a big thanks to them, as well as all the sponsors that are supporting us. There are some more big races out here coming up and hopefully we can keep doing well and maybe get some more wins before the season is done.”

Larson’s racing efforts are sponsored by Stadelhofer Construction, The Peppermill ~ Resort ~ Spa ~ Casino ~ Reno, Kaeding Performance, Safety Solutions, Simpson Race Products, JW Web Design and All Star Performance.

For more information and news on 18-year-old Kyle Larson log onto http://www.kylelarsonracing.com

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Elk Grove’s Kyle Larson put together a very strong weekend of racing at the 57^th Gold Cup Race of Champions, bringing home a sixth place finish in Saturday’s 40-lapper. The 2010 King of California ran as high as third at one point in the $50,000-to-win feature.

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Hey Gary, can you pump this kid any harder than you already do? I thought announcers where to be unbiased, but over the course of this year you have pumped this kid up more than anybody on here, we get it already the kid is good.

I however am not impressed that he won a watered down Golden State Challenge series, I mean seriously how hard is it to beat the GSC field that was put out there, when Matthew Davis (8th) and Pat Harvey Jr (10th) finish the top 10 in points it's not really the stellar competition it used to be. He might as well of just won the Chowchilla track Championship thats how watered down the GSC is these days.

I will however be impressed if this kid does go out and wins the Ocean Speedway/Taco Bravo Track Championship, at least then he can say he won it vs real competeition, and Ocean by far has the best competition anywhere is the state of California these days.

He put on quite a show at the Gold Cup this year and did it without touching another car. He's barely 18 dipshit, and who cares if your impressed. Ask Saldana, Swindell, Sides, the Kinsers, Dollanky, Lasoski, Sweet, Madsen, Schatz or Wolf and see if they are. They all trailed or were passed by the kid last weekend and I'm pretty sure they aren't interested in the Taco/Bravo title.?

Have you heard of GT Promotions. Gary Thomas is a publicist, ( a person responsible for publicizing a product, person, or company). Enjoy your 360's in the fog.

Friday Night's Main Event

Saturday Night's Main Event
www.kylelarsonracing.com

FOOL

Robert Bond    San Jose Ca

Watch the videos! Short track racing at its finest if you ask me. Got me excited just watching it. Great job Kyle!

Yes he does a good job on the short tracks & on his home turf! He has won alot of races out in Calli. If he was from out east we would be seeing alot of shit about Kyle gettin off the porch! Right? Sure he raced @ knoxville on sunday & Oskaloosa on Tuesday.

This Kid can do it w/o a wing too!! Give this guy's # to Tony Stewart Racing.

!!SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL TRACKS!!
!!Get Well Shane!! 

THIS KID IS THE "REAL DEAL"...

If you get a chance to see him ... DO IT...

he is well worth the price of admission...

He probably won't be racing sprint cars for long....

... he would fit nicely into Dennis Roth's car for a full WoO tour.

Prediction... top 5 at the Oval Nats...

Thanks for the video.

Really he would fit in to Roth's car for the WOO tour, last time I check TK drove that car both on the tour and back here in Cali and each time TK raced against Larson, I believe TK not only beat Larson but he won the races. So not sure I understand how he would be a better fit than TK would, but if you want to keep thinking that ok.

most people at 18 with his speed is tarring up allot of cars he is not -----FOOL

Robert Bond    San Jose Ca

...didn't TK just run with the WOO for a week.Funny I don't see him in the top 10 at any of those races,and was he even @ the gold cup?

Glad to here from all those who had a great trip up to Chico.

The Pacific Coast Nationals will also be a good 1 night double header @ the Thunder Dome!!!

XX

I "heard" the Roth team went through four motors...in two WEEKS!. That might very well explain Tim's performance at the Gold Cup if it is a fact.

While I no longer consider Meyers a "local" I am glad a Cali driver won the Cup. Personally, I was hoping for Allard or TK to get the win.

As to Larson...I have spoken with a couple of "respected" drivers and they say this kid is the real deal.Time will tell.

Be good...or be careful!

leon

TSA...It's not a GROPE...it's a Freedom Pat!

I think Larson needs some more exposure to reach his full potential. A summer in Indiana racing non-wing sprint cars has been very beneficial for young California drivers in years past. He has a great future and we hope to see him with the Kaedings at the Oval Nationals this year.

"Ralphie, Senor, muchas gracias por una mas cerveza"  -
Scott Daloisio @ the PAS

I am betting we will see Kyle on the podium at Knoxville in the next 5 years, JMO.

Someone from Nascar will get him before that. JMO.

Sean,

Tucson

!!SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL TRACKS!!
!!Get Well Shane!!