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Award Winning Race in Chico
by Dennis Gage

CHICO, CA (2-23-07) - The 21st Mini Gold Cup to be held March 9 and 10 at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico is only one of over 40 events that has bestowed National honors on the local short track that features winged sprint cars. Track manager John Padjen was named Auto Racing Promoter of the Year (ARPY) two weeks ago in Daytona Beach, Florida. Padjen will continue to offer high quality Racing and entertainment with this season opening two day show for the Golden State Challenge “King of California” at the 1/4 mile clay oval at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds.

Padjen has operated the Silver Dollar Fair speed plant since 1978 when former Fair Manager Jack Nicewonger lured Padjen to the North Valley oval to help revive a struggling race program. Padjen was operating oval tracks in West Sacramento and Dixon at the time when Nicewonger called. “I didn’t know what to expect in Chico,” explained Padjen, “But Jack was so convincing that this was the community and facility to develop major league racing, I couldn’t resist”. Nicewonger had crystal ball vision, as both Dixon and the West Capital properties were closed to motor sports by 1980.

The larger gamble for Padjen was bringing National motor sports to a then rural community. The City of Chico occupied a twelve square mile area then compared to the thirty-two of today. It was also thought that the major urban areas like Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Francisco were the places to host major sporting events. Certainly the population of the area at around 50,000 at the time was not nearly the demographic requirements for successful sporting events.

When West Capital Raceway in Sacramento shuttered in 1979, Padjen brought his heralded Gold Cup Race of Champions to the North Valley oval in 1980. Cries were heard from the major World of Outlaw sanctioning body that that it was to far off the beaten path. Others doubted the Facilities could host major events or support the purse structure that they demand.

“You know, what nobody figured was the support we would get in Chico, there isn’t another venue where the citizens, community, business, and media support motor sports like they do in Chico, “ Padjen said, “You can say what you want about our hard hitting racing action, but it is the people and relationships that we have that make this work”.

The Mini Gold Cup will hit the oval track on Friday night March 9th and Saturday night March 10 with complete race programs both nights, kicking off the 29th season for John Padjen Motorsports at Silver Dollar Speedway. Tickets will be general admission both nights. The pit gates open at 3 PM and the spectator gate opens at 5. Information is available at www.johnpadjenmotorsports.com or at 916-969-7484.