California's most prestigious Sprint Car event of the year has arrived. The 71st Mike Curb Gold Cup Race of Champions presented by NOS Energy Drink takes over the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds this weekend, starting Thursday as Chico, Calif., hosts Kubota High Limit Racing.

Corey Day captured the first of two preliminary nights Thursday, beating Brad Sweet by nearly two seconds to win from the eighth-starting position. Sweet led the first 17 of laps 30 from the fourth-starting spot before Day led the final 13.

Dylan Bloomfield started from the pole but finished fourth. Brent Marks rounded out the podium in third from the sixth-starting spot.

📊 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗡 📊@Corey_Day_’s near perfect night has him eyeing him the pole of $100,071-to-win main event, while @BMRacing19 & @BradSweetRacing posted solid numbers.

Behind them, it’ll be a dog fight for a top-8 lock-in to #𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗖𝘂𝗽𝟳𝟭 finale. pic.twitter.com/kwHGasoqcM

— High Limit Racing (@HighLimitRacing) August 22, 2025

Kubota High Limit Gold Cup Thursday Results At Silver Dollar Speedway