Sprint Car Daily | October 15, 2025 | Ep. 27
A Brief History of Trophy Cup - California's Greatest 360 Sprint Car Race
Wednesday’s episode of The Sprint Car Daily takes a passionate look at one of dirt racing’s most iconic events — the Trophy Cup, celebrating its 31st running this week at Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway. The show blends history, analysis, and genuine appreciation for an event that has become as much about community and charity as racing itself..
Founded in 1994 by Dave Pusateri at San Jose Speedway, the event was built on a foundation of philanthropy, originally benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation and now supporting the Rayce Rudeen Foundation. Over the years, Trophy Cup moved from San Jose to Watsonville and Hanford before settling at Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway in 2005, where it continues to thrive.
Coverage & Resources for this article:
- Thunderbowl Raceway – Record Purse Announcement
- Trophy Cup Press Release – Sept 16, 2025
- FloRacing Streaming Announcement – Sept 24, 2025
- Special Events Feature – Oct 8, 2025
- Event Preview by Gary Thomas – Oct 11, 2025
- Trophy Cup Historical Feature – Oct 6, 2022 (SpeedSport)
- Trophy Cup Press Hub
- Official Schedule Page
Find RACECAR Illustrated and The Sprint Car Daily on:
Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/racecar-illustrated/id6743439395
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sprint-car-daily/id1844001760
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3OPXhDAjjGfcAAFHNM940D?si=33843a02cda548c2
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e62e5f54-127c-4c79-b1de-c923e2e57b5c/sprint-car-daily
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@racecarillustrated?si=h8j_bHdQuNyNsiI8
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