by Ron Rodda
(Tulare CA – 23-Oct) Buddy Kofoid raced from 19th starting to finishing 4th, earning the necessary points to become the champion of the Abreu Vineyards 27th Trophy Cup Presented By Rudeen Racing. Kofoid’s success paid $27,000 in total earnings for the event.
Six heats for the top 48, fully inverted by points, earned 36 points for a win with a three point drop. These heats give drivers an opportunity to close the point gap and the top 20 in points after the heats move directly to the A main. Those 20 are fully inverted and four B main transfers tag the field.
Buddy Kofoid added three points to his lead over Rico Abreu making it nine going to the A main. Kyle Hurst moved up to 3rd and Anthony Macri dropped to fourth. Colby Copeland made progress to move from 9th to a tie for 5th with Cory Eliason.
Following the heat races Dominic Scelzi was disqualified for the remainder of the evening for an altercation in the pit area.
The C main moved Colton Hardy, Joey Ancona, Mitchel Moles, and Colton Heath earned transfers to tag the back of a talent-filled B main.
Transfers to the finale were Ryan Bernal, Justyn Cox, Chase Randall, and Jake Andreotti with 16th starting Justin Peck about five feet short of a transfer.
Kalib Montgomery led 7 laps before colliding with 2nd place Robbie Price, elevating Ryan Timms to the lead.
The last 42 laps featured excellent action among the top three with sliders and crossovers creating many passes.
Timms lost the lead to Tanner Carrick on lap 41 after a turn four slider, but regained the lead two laps later with a similar move in turn two.
Colby Copeland took 2nd on lap 46 and raced with Carrick the last four laps to claim 2nd. Kofoid was 4th and DJ Netto filled the top five.
The chase for the Cup title essentially ended early when contenders fell by the wayside.
Second and third in points, Rico Abreu and Kyle Hurst, were both out after 7 laps when they collided. Anthony Macri started 4th in points and pitted twice for flats and Cory Eliason went off on the hook.
All Kofoid had to do was safely make laps to finish and he went from 19th to 4th to win the title by 16 points.
The Trophy Cup raised a record $250,000 for Make-A-Wish Foundation to make the total donated now $2,250,000
The 28th Cup will be October 20-22, 2022 at Tulare Thunderbowl Raceway.
Top ten in points:
Buddy Kofoid: 455
Colby Copeland: 439
DJ Netto: 432
Corey Day: 426
Tanner Carrick: 422
Ryan Timms: 419
Anthony Macri: 417
Justin Sanders: 417
Shane Golobic: 415
Mitchell Faccinto: 414