By Troy Hennig
ROSEVILLE, CA – (AUGUST 20, 2013)…The upcoming 6th Annual Louie Vermeil Classic at the famed Calistoga Speedway continues to get more lucrative. A few weeks ago it was announced that each nights Honda Western Midget main event winner will earn $10,000. Today it was released that the Amsoil USAC/CRA and Western Classic Sprint Cars Series purse has been substantially raised. Saturday night’s winning driver will receive $5,000 while the Sunday nights winner will win an astounding $7,500. With all the added money combined between the sprints and midgets, this will be the highest paying Louie Vermeil Classic for drivers attending the two nights of racing starting Saturday August 31st and Sunday night September 1st.
It was also announced that there will be an added nightly bonus for 360 sprint cars. Jerry Crowell Racing Shocks and USAC will be awarding the highest finishing 360 sprint car an impressive $1,000 each night. On top of that the second highest finishing 360 sprint car will receive $650 while third will be awarded $500. The 360 bonus will continue to pay until the 7th highest finisher running a 360 is awarded each night. Seventh place will receive $200. This allows the opportunity for many 360 sprint car teams to attend the two-night event and earn extra cash incentives.
The most recent winner of the Amsoil USAC/CRA series was Cory Kruseman of Ventura, Calif. Kruseman scored his 50th career victory at Perris Saturday night, taking the lead on lap 28 when Matt Mitchell’s engine expired, then led the final three laps. Concord, CA Damion Gardner, who recently became the fastest sprint car driver in the world when he completed his 194-mph land speed record at the Bonnieville Salt Flats in Utah on this past Friday, finished second. Gardner now has a 131-point lead over teammate Nic Faas. Trailing the second-place Gardner were Nic Faas, Rip Williams and Cody Williams.
Hollister’s Ryan Bernal leads the USAC Western Classic Sprints point standing. Bernal holds a 30-point edge over Stockton’s D.J. Johnson. Lincoln’s Tony Hunt, a 10-time USAC champion, sits in the third spot. Bernal has won two of the six races this season. Other winners include Campbell’s Bud Kaeding, Concord’s Damion Gardner, Sebastopol’s Geoff Ensign and Santa Rosa’s Marty Hawkins.
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.
2013 AMSOIL USAC CRA SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Damion Gardner-957, 2-Nic Faas-826, 3-Mike Spencer-766, 4-Matt Mitchell-645, 5-Cody Williams-591, 6-Bud Kaeding-564, 7-Austin Williams-564, 8-Brody Roa-530, 9-Ryan Bernal-491, 10-Richard Vander Weerd-415
2013 USAC WESTERN CLASSIC SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Ryan Bernal-410, D.J. Johnson-380, Tony Hunt-355, Landon Hurst-113, Gordon Rodgers-94, Marty Hawkins-86, Bud Kaeding-73, Geoff Ensign-71, Richard Vander Weerd, D.J. Netto-65