Tennessee driver Kevin Swindell will be hoping to play the spoiler this Labor Day weekend, looking to repeat last year’s victory in the Louie Vermeil Classic at Calistoga Speedway.

Four Southern California drivers will also be continuing their fight for the championship of the United States Auto Club/Lucas Oil CRA Sprint Cars on Saturday and Sunday on the half-mile oval at the Napa County Fairgrounds.

The second half of the weekend’s racing doubleheader will feature some of the best midget drivers along the West Coast, including three former champions of the Bay Cities Racing Association and the WMRA champion from the state of Washington, who is undefeated in five races so far this year.

The weekend marks the only appearance this season for the traditional style, “non-wing” sprint cars and midgets at Calistoga, in one of the few races in Northern California for the USAC-sanctioned series. 

Midgets and sprint cars will race both nights of the second annual Louie Vermeil Classic, which honors a Napa Valley pioneer who established and managed racing at Calistoga for more than 50 years before his retirement from racing in 1985.

During pre-race ceremonies on Saturday, the Vermeil family and the Board of Directors of the Napa County Fairgrounds will formally unveil a new sign that will officially designate Calistoga Speedway as “the home of Louie Vermeil,” in honor of the late Calistoga resident.

“Even though it has been more than 25 years since the late Louie Vermeil retired from racing, his influence is felt at this track at every race,” said Melanie Watson, President of the Board of Directors. “Just as we’ve always known Yankee Stadium as the ‘home that Ruth built,’ we’ve always known Calistoga Speedway to be the track that Louie ‘built’ with his passion for racing and his dedication to the fans. Now, we're making it official.”

Joining third-generation racer Swindell in the spoiler ranks will be one of the most versatile and well-traveled drivers in sprint car racing, Jesse Hockett of Warsaw, Mo.

Hockett, a former feature winner at Calistoga, has won some of sprint car racing’s biggest events in recent years, including 2008 Oval Nationals in Southern California and the Western World Championships in Arizona.

The USAC/CRA contingent is led by David Cardey, of Perris, Calif., who has a very slim lead over three other drivers in a highly competitive series that has seen 11 different winners in 13 races. Only Cardey, who won at Petaluma and Perris earlier this year, is a repeat winner.

Manhattan Beach’s Garrett Hanson and two other Southern California drivers, Blake Miller and defending champion Mike Spencer, are also in the title fight. Any of the four could leave Calistoga with the points lead at the end of the weekend.

Hanson, who also has a healthy lead in the championship chase in the USAC Western States midgets, will have to contend with at least four Northern California champions, including Nick Foster (2008 BCRA), Matt Streeter (’99 BCRA) and Justin Grant (’07, BCRA). 

Evan Morgeson of Tacoma Wash., the 2007 Washington midget champion, will also be at Calistoga Speedway this weekend, looking to extend his undefeated string.

All of the racers are motivated by the USAC purse, which is doubled from last year for Sunday night’s winners ($5,000 for sprint cars, $2,500 for midgets). With contingency sponsors, it is likely that the Saturday night winning purse will match that.

Both the sprint cars and midgets will run a full program each night of the Louie Vermeil Classic, including heat races and a 25-lap feature race on the half mile oval. Qualifying begins each day at 6:30 p.m., with spectator gates open at 5 p.m.  

The Louie Vermeil Classic is one of the biggest weekends of the Calistoga Speedway season, with events on the fairgrounds throughout both days.

Wine-tasting on Saturday afternoon will feature more than a dozen Napa Valley vintners. There will also be a silent auction of racing items, some donated by former Indy Car champions Mario Andretti and Johnny Rutherford.

More information is available at www.LouieVermeilClassic.com.

Print this story   |   Email this story | Browse today's articles in this category: Previous |