By Andrew Kunas
Calistoga, CA … James McFadden ended up with a second Louie Vermeil trophy in as many nights, but that very nearly didn’t happen as a last lap parts break left McFadden fighting to make it to the checkered flag and had the capacity crowd in a frenzy in Sunday’s NARC 410 sprint car feature at the newly reopened Calistoga Speedway.
The Australian ace, who led all 25 laps on Saturday’s Vermeil opener, looked like he was on his way to easily doing so again as he made a couple of key late race passes around slower cars to keep the pursuing Dominic Gorden behind him. However, a left front shock stud on McFadden’s car broke late on the final lap, leaving the left front tire not rolling in sync with the right side and lagging as he rounded Turns 3 and 4 of the big half-mile.
Gorden quickly closed in but McFadden stood on the gas off of Turn 4 and managed to keep the car straight enough and just hold off Gorden for the $10,000 top prize at the finish line. Letting off the gas after crossing the line, McFadden’s car finally gave in and he spun out in Turn 1. With the crowd showing its approval for him successfully saving the win, McFadden was towed to the front stretch to celebrate his seventh career NARC victory, and also at another track he had never been to before Saturday.
McFadden’s two wins this weekend were also the first by an Australian at the historic half-mile since Gary Rush in 1975. McFadden was made aware of it and felt honored, having grown up watching Rush in his home country. Acknowledging the timely checkered flag coming out just in time for him with the damage on his car, McFadden also said that sometimes it was better to be lucky than good. He did, however, praise the Tarlton family and team for their work. Sunday was McFadden’s sixth NARC win on the season aboard the American Rock & Rent-sponsored Tarlton Motorsports No. 21 TRD-powered Maxim.
McFadden’s sweep of the Louie Vermeil Classic came after McFadden and the Tarlton Motorsports team were not even scheduled to be at Calistoga’s grand reopening after being closed for six years. The team was at Skagit Speedway in Washington with the High Limit Racing series on Thursday and Friday nights, but a very tough time there led the team to decide a change in scenery was needed and the team hurried south to California for the Vermeil. The decision paid off with $5,000 and $10,000 paydays and a pair of “Louies” to put in the trophy case. They also got an additional $500 over two nights in lap leader money from METTEC Titanium. McFadden won four out of five nights during NARC’s Fastest Five Days in Motorsports in the Pacific Northwest in June before he and the Tarlton Motorsports headed east for the summer. Despite only running part of the schedule, McFadden’s six wins are tied for the most in NARC competition this season.
Gorden, almost got the wounded McFadden car at the line but settled for a strong second place finish aboard the Gary Silva Ranches-sponsored Fortitude Driver Development No. 10 Rider-powered Maxim. Former NARC champion and current points leader D.J. Netto padded that points lead with his second podium in as many nights aboard the Penny Newman Grain-sponsored Netto Ag No. 88n Rider-powered KPC. Backing up his Saturday runner-up finish, Shane Golobic finished fourth aboard the NOS Energy-sponsored Matt Wood Racing No. 17w Kistler-powered KPC. Indiana visitor Spencer Bayston bounced back from a DNF Saturday to finish fifth aboard the Works Limited-sponsored Kevin Kozlowski No. W Speedway-powered Schnee-Lawson.
Bud Kaeding earned the Williams Roofing Hard Charger nod, coming from 12th to finish sixth. Chance Grasty, Sean Becker, Dylan Bloomfield and Caeden Steele rounded out the Top 10.
Heat races earlier in the evening were won by D.J. Netto and Dominic Gorden. Spencer Bayston paced the 17-car field in Automotive Racing Products Qualifying with a time of 16.756 seconds around the big half-mile clay oval.
Hoosier Racing Tires Feature (25 laps): 1. 21-James McFadden[2]; 2. 10-Dominic Gorden[1]; 3. 88N-DJ Netto[4]; 4. 17W-Shane Golobic[7]; 5. W-Spencer Bayston[3]; 6. 29-Bud Kaeding[12]; 7. X1-Chance Grasty[6]; 8. 7B-Sean Becker[11]; 9. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield[8]; 10. 121-Caeden Steele[10]; 11. 14-Mariah Ede[13]; 12. 12-Jarrett Soares[14]; 13. 12J-John Clark[15]; 14. 17-Colby Copeland[5]; 15. 26-Billy Aton[9]; 16. 11-Tyler Cato[16]; DNS – 92-Andy Forsberg.
METTEC Titanium Lap Leaders: James McFadden 1-25
Williams Roofing Hard Charger: 29 Bud Kaeding, 12th to 6th (+6)
Automotive Racing Products Fast Qualifier (17 cars): W Spencer Bayston, 16.756 seconds
Brown & Miller Racing Solutions Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. 88n D.J. Netto, 2. X1 Chance Grasty, 3. W Spencer Bayston, 4. 83v Dylan Bloomfield, 5. 26 Billy Aton, 6. 7b Sean Becker, 7. 12 Jarrett Soares, 8. 12j John Clark, DNS – 92 Andy Forsberg.
Kimo’s Tropical Carwash Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. 10 Dominic Gorden, 2. 17 Colby Copeland, 3. 21 James McFadden, 4. 17w Shane Golobic, 5. 121 Caeden Steele, 6. 29 Bud Kaeding, 7. 14 Mariah Ede, 8. 11 Tyler Cato.