CALISTOGA’S “LOUIE VERMEIL CLASSIC” BRINGS USAC/CRA SPRINTS AND WESTERN STATES MIDGETS TOGETHER FOR HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED TWIN-BILL
The 9th annual “Louie Vermeil Classic” showcases both the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Cars and Western States Midgets this Saturday and Sunday, September 3-4 at the legendary Calistoga (Calif.) Speedway.
The Sprint car portion is part of the All Coast Construction “California Sprint Week” which includes the two races at Calistoga, plus races at Petaluma (Calif.) Speedway on Mon., Sept. 5; Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif. on Thurs., Sept. 8; Ocean Speedway in Watsonville, Calif. on Fri., Sept. 9 and Keller Auto Speedway at Kings Fairgrounds in Hanford, Calif. on Saturday, Sept. 10.
Four-time USAC/CRA Champion Damion Gardner finds himself atop the series standings for the first time this season after winning Saturday night’s “California Racers Hall of Fame Night” feature at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway.
Damion only enjoys an eight-point lead over Jake Swanson entering this week’s Calistoga races, while Richard Vander Weerd is only 16 behind Gardner. Throw in Brody Roa (36 back), Mike Spencer (59 back) and Austin Williams (69 back) and you have a real battle for the 2016 championship. There are 168 points available in the two Calistoga events.
Damion’s win at Perris was his first this year in the Scott Sales Company/Weld Racing Spike/J & D Performance entry after three previous podium finishes. He was involved in a lap 10 tangle, but recovered from the tail to run down Roa on the white-flag lap and take the win ahead of Roa, Swanson, Ronnie Gardner and Austin Williams.
Along with Damion, Calistoga’s sprint car field will include five drivers who’ve won USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car features in 2016 (Brady Bacon, Robert Ballou, Thomas Meseraull, Chad Boespflug and Kevin Thomas, Jr.) as well as 2009 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee Jac Haudenschild.
Ryan Bernal and Rico Abreu scored “Vermeil” Sprint victories last year, while former Vermeil Sprint winners also include Tim Kaeding, Kevin Swindell, Mike Spencer, Damion Garner, Robert Ballou, Ryan Bernal, Kyle Hirst and Christopher Bell.
Corona, California’s Ronnie Gardner takes a 40-point USAC Western States Midget lead over Michael Faccinto into this week’s 9th “Louie Vermeil Classic” at Calistoga (Calif.) Speedway. A total of 168 points are up for grabs in the Saturday and Sunday races.
Ronnie has seven “top-five” Vermeil finishes, including in all six features the past three years. He has won four of this year’s previous six Western States races and Faccinto has finished no worse than fifth in six starts, including a victory and two seconds.
Ronnie Gardner is trying to lock down a record fourth consecutive USAC Western States Midget crown, while Faccinto, USAC’s 2006 National Ford Focus Champ, is eyeing his first Western States title.
Rico Abreu swept last year’s “Vermeil” Midget races, while previous race winners have included Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Evan Margeson, Jonathon Henry, Scott Pierovich, Cory Kruseman, Robby Josett, Josh Ford, Garrett Hansen and Johnny Rodriguez.
Among the USAC National Midget competitors expected to compete both nights at Calistoga are 2016 “Belleville Midget Nationals” winner Chad Boat of Phoenix, Ariz. as well as a six-car stable for Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports!
Sunday’s Western States Midget race at Calistoga is the next round of Byrd’s Indy Challenge. Two events have been run thus far. Rico Abreu won the “Byrd’s Challenge” opener in June during the “Indiana Midget Week” finale at Kokomo Speedway while Chad Boat won the “Belleville Midget Nationals” in early August and the recent “Pennsylvania Midget Week” race at Lincoln Speedway was rained out.
After Calistoga, “Byrd’s Challenge” concludes with the “4-Crown Nationals” at the Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio September 24; the “Gold Grown Midget Nationals” finale at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill October 8; and the “Turkey Night Grand Prix” at Ventura (Calif.) Raceway November 24.
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"LOUIE VERMIEL CLASSIC" EVENT INFORMATION:
DATE: Saturday, September 3 & Sunday, September 4, 2016
SERIES: AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Championshipand USAC Western States Midget Championship
TRACK: Calistoga Speedway (Calistoga, California) – ½-mile dirt oval
EVENT: 9th annual “Louie Vermeil Classic” featuring the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Championship and the USAC Western States Midget Championship
STARTING TIMES: Front gates: 4:00pm. Cars on track: 5:30pm.
TICKETS: General Adm.: $30.00. Reserved seating: $35.00.
TRACK ADDRESS: 1435 N Oak St, Calistoga, CA 94515
TRACK PHONE: (707) 942-5111
TRACK WEBSITE: http://www.calistogaspeedway.org/
MEDIA COVERAGE: http://fastfourmedia.com/