Indy 500 Vet Clauson, USAC Champions Bacon and Ballou Headline Entries
by: Troy Hennig
ROSEVILLE, CA – (August 2, 2016)…Three-time Indy 500 veteran and two-time USAC National Sprint Car Champion Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, IN, leads an impressive list of sprint car drivers into the upcoming 9th Annual Louie Vermeil Classic at Calistoga Speedway.
On top of the local drivers, numerous USAC driving Sprint Car champions will be on hand trying to capture the $6500 in prize money offered to each night’s main event winner.
The 9th Annual Louie Vermeil Classic is scheduled to take place September 3rd and 4th at the Napa Valley Fairgrounds in Calistoga. The scenic half-mile dirt oval race track will also host the Honda USAC Western Midget Series along with the Amsoil USAC/CRA sprint cars. The Midget main events will pay each night’s winner a staggering $10,000.
Clauson, originally from nearby Carmichael, CA, is in the midst of his “Chasing 200 Circular Insanity Tour.” Clauson is trying to become the first driver to enter 200 racing events in one calendar year. As of this press release, Clauson has competed in 113 races. He currently has 26 wins, 51 top five and 71 top ten feature finishes. During this season Clauson has raced a diverse line-up of open wheel vehicles including the Dale Coyne/Jonathan Byrd’s Racing No. 88 at this year’s 100th running of the INDY 500, wing Sprint Car, non-winged Sprint Car, Midget, and Silver Crown divisions. During his “Circular Insanity” Clauson has competed at 53 different racetracks throughout 15 states as well as New Zealand.
Current USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car leader Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, OK is scheduled to compete at the Louie Vermeil Classic. Bacon, the 2014 USAC National Sprint Car Champion, is also in the midst of a long season. By the time Bacon sets foot in Calistoga he will have competed in over 80 events.
The Madman Robert Ballou is booked for both nights of racing at the Louie Vermeil Classic. The 2015 USAC National Sprint Car Champion is currently residing in Indiana but grew up in Rocklin, CA and is still beloved by the locals who only get to see him race at Calistoga.
Other top notch sprint car drivers scheduled to appear include Minden, Nevada Tanner Thorson driving the famed Clyde and Marian Lamar #3c, defending Louie Vermeil Sunday night winner Ryan Bernal of Hollister, CA, and the 2015 King of the West Sprint Car Champion Carson Macedo of Lemoore, CA driving the Tarlton Racing #21t.
Along with a stellar line up of Amsoil USAC/CRA southern California regulars Visalia’s Richard Vander Weerd currently holds a six point lead over Anaheim’s Jake Swanson and a seven point cushion over Concord’s Damion Gardner. Expect these top three along with Temecula’s Mike Spencer and Yorba Linda’s Austin, Cody and Logan Williams. In all, nearly 30 sprint car drivers are expected to compete during the Labor Day weekend of races.
For Tickets and information on the Louie Vermeil Classic please call 916-773-7223.
Check out this video about the Louie Vermeil Classic.