By Troy Hennig
ROSEVILLE, CA – (AUGUST 8, 2013)…Calistoga native Dick Vermeil, a Super Bowl winning head coach and the son of Louie Vermeil, is excited about the upcoming Labor Day racing at Calistoga Speedway. Obviously “Coach” is looking forward to the traditional modern non-wing sprint car and midgets racing around the newly configured historic half-mile dirt speedway.
However, part of the allure of this race is remembering the race cars of years past. For the upcoming 6th Annual Louie Vermeil Classic, Coach is bringing two beautifully restored race cars that will make laps around the scenic speedway. “These are my Ferrari’s,” said a jubilant Vermeil over the telephone this morning. “When I grew up in Calistoga I wanted to be a sprint car driver. My brother and I would spend most of our childhood nights working on dad’s race cars.” Vermeil would later say, “Even though I had a successful career in football, the desire to be involved with Calistoga Speedway and sprint car racing never left.” Fans in attendance will get a rare glimpse of moving history as each night Coach and his brother Stan will alternate driving duties on the restored #7, built in San Francisco in 1926, and the newly completed Hal Model B #2.
The 6th Annual Louie Vermeil Classis is scheduled to take place August 31st and September 1st at the Napa Valley Fairgrounds in Calistoga. Tickets for the Louie Vermeil Classic can be purchased by calling 916-773-7223. Fans are also encouraged to attend the Friday night Calistoga Speedway Hall of Fame induction dinner. Tickets for that event can also be purchased by calling the same number listed above. The prolific two-day event will pay an unprecedented $10,000 to each nights Honda USAC Western Midget main event winner. The USAC/CRA sprint cars will also boast an impressive payday.
“Growing up in Calistoga there were three things my family was passionate about, sprint cars, wine and football,” said Vermeil. “I am lucky enough to have been involved in all three.” Vermeil Wines is located on Main Street in Calistoga.
“The first time I saw both of these race cars together was when I was 12 or 13 years-old,” said Vermeil. “It was a dash race at Calistoga and man they were fast.” At that moment, the #7 was being driven by Jack Pacheteau while the #2 was being driven by Mike Riley. That year Riley won the drivers’ championship while the #2 car won the owners championship.
Both of these cars had been acquired by Vermeil’s father and kept out in the “racer’s shed” as Coach referred to it as. “It had always been my dream to restore these cars,” said Vermeil. In 2006 Coach took the #7 back to his home in Pennsylvania and started a three year restoration project. This car has already debuted at an earlier Louie Vermeil Classic. In February two years ago, Coach brought back the #7 and began the process all over again. While the car is ready to make a return to Calistoga Speedway there is still some minor modifications needed to be done. “Yesterday I just worked on it again,” said Vermeil. “A few weeks ago I ran it at a hill climbing event for vintage cars in Hershey, Pennsylvania.” He added, “Now I can’t wait to drive it around Calistoga Speedway.”
These two race cars will give the fans a unique trip down memory lane. The #7 was originally built in 1926 by Al Bignotti. It was purchased by Grant Douglas of San Francisco and driven by Buck Whitmer and Gene Figone. Louie Vermeil purchased the car post World War II. The car was then driven by Jack Pacheteau of Calistoga. Even though the car was built in 1926, it was driven to a 1950 American Racing Association Championship (later became NARC) some 24 years later! In 2006, Coach brought this car back to his home in Pennsylvania where he and D.L. George Coachworks spent three years restoring it back to its original form.
In 2011 Coach was at it again. This time his restoration project was a car built in 1936 Urb Stair and Wally Schock of Los Angeles. The famous #2 was one of the best cars of its era. Schock would share driving duties with Tex Peterson. In 1939, Peterson bought the car. Other drivers such as Spider Webb, Bud Rose, Sam Hanks and Jimmy Miller would carry this car to numerous accomplishments. Over a three year period, from 1937-1939, this car won 30 main events, set a number of track records mainly on big tracks. During the 1949-1950 racing season, Mike Riley drove this car to the ARA driving championship. The car was retired in 1958 and purchased by Louie in 1980 where it had stayed until 2011.
“The fans attending this race are in for a special treat,” said Vermeil. “I think they will get as much enjoyment watching these two cars run around the race track as we did restoring them,” said Vermeil.
The 6th Annual Louie Vermeil at the Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga will take place on Saturday Night, August 31st, and Sunday night, September 1st. For more information please call (916) 773-7223.