From Lance Jennings
CALISTOGA, CA (September 5, 2026) — After taking command on the twenty-seventh lap, Laveen, Arizona’s R.J. Johnson held off a surging J.J. Yeley by 0.065 seconds to win the $10,000 Sunday finale of the “15th Quick Change Liquid Energy Drink Louie Vermeil Classic” at Calistoga Speedway. The victory marked the fifteenth career triumph for two-time defending champion and current point leader for the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series. Yeley, Jadon Rogers, “The Pride of Garden Grove” Brody Roa and Logan Seavey followed R.J. to the checkered flags.
Driving the Petty Performance Racing owned #1P Avanti Windows & Doors / Lifestyle Homes Sherman, Johnson also earned the night’s hard charger / “best passing job” bonus courtesy of Shane Scott and Steve Lafond Photos. Like his teammate Yeley the night before, R.J. claimed the 30-lap main event after starting seventh and also won a 12-lap qualifying race, this time sponsored by Rescue Mission Alliance.
While Johnson was seventh fast in time trials, it was J.J. Yeley that set the standard in Woodland Auto Display qualifications for the second time in his career. Piloting the Petty Performance Racing owned #3P Quick Change Liquid Energy Drink / Avanti Windows & Doors Sherman, the Phoenix, Arizona driver posted a time of 19.584 seconds over David Gasper, Jadon Rogers, Logan Seavey, Marty Hawkins, and Brody Roa. The fastest six drivers earned direct transfers to the main event and would compete in a special six-car, six-lap dash that set the first three rows of the feature event.
Brody Roa of Garden Grove, California raced to victory in the six-lap dash presented by Honda. Racing the BR Performance #91R Big Chino Ranch / ALR Virtual Services DRC, Roa briefly held the top spot at the Calistoga Fairgrounds before Logan Seavey led the opening lap at the flagstand. From there, the 2023 USAC/CRA champion would score fourth.
Starting third, Sutter, California’s Logan Seavey led the first thirteen laps of the “Louie Vermeil Classic.” Looking for a repeat win from the previous night, Yeley powered to the front and led until the twenty-sixth circuit. Johnson surprised the USAC Triple Crown Winner and took control to win the richest non-winged sprint car event in California in 2026.
Colby Copeland won the winged 360 sprint car main event.
15th Quick Change Liquid Energy Drink Louie Vermeil Classic
Calistoga Speedway
Calistoga, California
Sunday, September 5, 2026
Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series
Qualifying
1. 3P-JJ Yeley, 19.584
2. 18-David Gasper, 19.712
3. 24-Jaden Rogers, 19.838
4. 57A-Logan Seavey, 19.864
5. 3M-Marty Hawkins, 20.021
6. 91R-Brody Roa, 20.046
7. 1P-RJ Johnson, 20.101
8. 17X-Cole Wakim, 20.121
9. 17-Ryan Bernal, 20.145
10. 97-Connor Lundy, 20.218
11. 17J-Josh Young, 20.259
12. 1-Nate Schank, 20.284
13. 57-Connor Speir, 20.529
14. 98B-Brecken Guerrero, 20.543
15. 29T-Ryan Timmons, 20.651
16. 83T-Tanner Carrick, 20.673
17. 17W-Austin Williams, 20.806
18. 98-Verne Sweeney, 20.849
Qualifier #1 (12 Laps)
1. 1P-RJ Johnson[1]
2. 17-Ryan Bernal[3]
3. 17X-Cole Wakim[2]
4. 17J-Josh Young[5]
5. 1-Nate Schank[6]
6. 57-Connor Speir[7]
7. 83T-Tanner Carrick[10]
8. 98B-Brecken Guerrero[8]
9. 29T-Ryan Timmons[9]
10. 98-Verne Sweeney[12]
11. 97-Connor Lundy[4]
DNS: 17W-Austin Williams
Dash (6 Laps)
1. 91R-Brody Roa[1]
2. 24-Jaden Rogers[4]
3. 57A-Logan Seavey[3]
4. 3M-Marty Hawkins[2]
5. 3P-JJ Yeley[6]
6. 18-David Gasper[5]
A-Main (30 Laps)
1. 1P-RJ Johnson[7]
2. 3P-JJ Yeley[5]
3. 24-Jaden Rogers[2]
4. 91R-Brody Roa[1]
5. 57A-Logan Seavey[3]
6. 18-David Gasper[6]
7. 83T-Tanner Carrick[13]
8. 1-Nate Schank[11]
9. 17J-Josh Young[10]
10. 17X-Cole Wakim[9]
11. 3M-Marty Hawkins[4]
12. 57-Connor Speir[12]
13. 97-Connor Lundy[17]
14. 98B-Brecken Guerrero[14]
15. 98-Verne Sweeney[16]
16. 17-Ryan Bernal[8]
17. 29T-Ryan Timmons[15]
DNS: 17W-Austin Williams
Winged 360 Sprint Cars
Qualifying
1. 42X-Justyn Cox, 17.284
2. 88N-DJ Netto, 17.376
3. 7C-Colby Copeland, 17.387
4. 2A-Austin Wood, 17.429
5. 83T-Tanner Carrick, 17.488
6. 17BP-Elijah Gile, 17.521
7. 121-Caeden Steele, 17.560
8. 12J-John Clark, 17.627
9. 92-Andy Forsberg, 17.632
10. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr, 17.638
11. 9F-Dustin Freitas, 17.682
12. X1-Chance Grasty, 17.706
13. 35-Sean Becker, 17.747
14. 94-Greg Decaires V, 17.752
15. 17W-Austin Williams, 17.782
16. 2D-Luke Hayes, 17.844
17. 67-Brock Britton, 18.463
18. 71-Walter Ball, 18.939
Qualifier #1 (8 Laps)
1. 7C-Colby Copeland[2]
2. 42X-Justyn Cox[1]
3. 121-Caeden Steele[4]
4. 83T-Tanner Carrick[3]
5. 92-Andy Forsberg[5]
6. 17W-Austin Williams[8]
7. 9F-Dustin Freitas[6]
8. 35-Sean Becker[7]
9. 67-Brock Britton[9]
Qualifier #2 (8 Laps)
1. 2A-Austin Wood[2]
2. 88N-DJ Netto[1]
3. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr[5]
4. 17BP-Elijah Gile[3]
5. 12J-John Clark[4]
6. X1-Chance Grasty[6]
7. 2D-Luke Hayes[8]
8. 94-Greg Decaires V[7]
9. 71-Walter Ball[9]
Feature (25 Laps)
1. 7C-Colby Copeland[1]
2. 121-Caeden Steele[2]
3. 2A-Austin Wood[3]
4. 88N-DJ Netto[4]
5. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr[6]
6. 42X-Justyn Cox[5]
7. 83T-Tanner Carrick[7]
8. 17G-Shane Golobic[11]
9. 92-Andy Forsberg[9]
10. 17BP-Elijah Gile[8]
11. 9F-Dustin Freitas[13]
12. 2D-Luke Hayes[14]
13. 94-Greg Decaires V[16]
14. 12J-John Clark[10]
15. 71-Walter Ball[18]
16. X1-Chance Grasty[12]
17. 35-Sean Becker[15]
DNS: 67-Brock Britton