By Troy Hennig
ROSEVILLE, CA – (July 9, 2019) … The Calistoga Hall of Fame announced today that Brent Kaeding; the most decorated California sprint car driver of all-time, has been named Grand Marshal of the 12th Annual Louie Vermeil Classic at the famed ½ mile Calistoga Speedway dirt track.
The 12th Annual Louie Vermeil Classic continues to be held during the Labor Day weekend. The first of two nights of racing takes place Saturday, August 31st, and concludes on Sunday, September 1st. This year the King of the West-NARC Fujitsu series will join the AMSOIL USAC/CRA non-wing sprint cars for a double header night of racing. On Friday night, August 30th, the Calistoga Speedway Hall of Fame dinner will take place inside the Tubbs building at the Napa County Fairgrounds.
Tickets for either the Hall of Fame dinner or Louie Vermeil Classic can be purchased by calling (916) 773-7223 Tuesday through Sunday. Fans can also purchase general admission tickets by visiting online at https://hmc-promotions.ticketleap.com/2019-louie-vermeil-classic/
Campbell’s Brent Kaeding is a Hall of Fame member at Calistoga Speedway. He is a 13-time champion of both the Northern Auto Racing Club and the Golden State Challenge Series. Kaeding is the all-time leader in wins for both series. His 21 main event wins at Calistoga place him second all-time on the wins list. He is listed with seven wins as a car owner at Calistoga. Kaeding and Steve Kent are tied for the most Tribute to Gary Patterson wins at Calistoga. Kaeding is one of the few drivers to win a non-wing and winged sprint car race at Calistoga Speedway.
The sixty-one-year-old Kaeding said, “It’s a wonderful honor to be named Grand Marshall of the Louie Vermeil. I have so many great memories of racing there with a wing and without.” He went on to say, “The racing was always great but the things that stick out to me are all pre or post-race activities like the pancake breakfasts, racing during the fairs and drinking out in the pavilion until the sun came up.”
Kaeding was helped by legendary crew chief Billy Albini, leader of the hogs, who recently passed away on March 12th. This year the Calistoga Speedway has inducted Albini to join Kaeding in the Calistoga Hall of Fame. “I knew of Billy in the ’70’s but we actually partnered up in 1987. We had a lot of success and won too many races to remember.” Kaeding added, “We miss Billy tremendously and will be honored to be a part of his Hall of Fame induction to Calistoga Speedway.”