Rico Abreu Outlasts Brent Marks for Third Gold Cup Crown
NXTbets Pro | Published On: August 29, 2026
Abreu wins Gold Cup
Rico Abreu won the 72nd Mike Curb Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California, and the finish tightened after a late red flag set up a six-lap sprint to the checkered flag. Abreu made the key move on Lap 35 when he passed Brent Marks, then held the lead to beat Marks by 0.460 seconds. The victory paid $100,072 and gave the feature a sharp final run after the stoppage turned the closing laps into a short dash. Marks finished second with a career-best result at Silver Dollar Speedway. James McFadden placed third, Shane Golobic was fourth and Daison Pursley finished fifth. The top five gave the event a clear front group, but Abreu handled the last restart and left with the trophy. The race unfolded at a pace that made track position critical, and the late red flag brought that pressure to the front of the field. Abreu answered it with the pass on Lap 35 and the speed needed to finish first.
Gold Cup title chase
The win gave Abreu his third Gold Cup title and put him in a small group of repeat champions. He became the fifth driver to win the Gold Cup three times. The result also added another milestone to his record in Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing. It was his 31st career victory in the series. Abreu also earned his third career six-figure win. The numbers behind the result show how much the night meant inside the series and at the event. Three Gold Cup wins place him among the race’s most successful drivers, and the latest one came with the added weight of a late-race restart and a tight margin at the line. The payday, the title count and the career win total all pointed in the same direction. Abreu left Chico with another major trophy and another line on a resume that already includes multiple big-event wins.
High Limit standings
The Gold Cup victory also moved Abreu to the front in the Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing standings. After 37 of 54 races, he held a 50-point lead. That margin gave him a clear edge as the season moved deeper into the schedule. Abreu also won the Thursday night opener of the 72nd Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California, giving him another strong result at the same track during the event. The opener and the main feature both came at the same venue, and both wins added to his week in Chico. The sweep through the opening night and the main event showed how much of the weekend ran through Abreu. He backed up the Thursday win with the biggest race of the program and left Silver Dollar Speedway with the Gold Cup title and a stronger hold on the series standings.
