FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JACK HEWITT NAMED GRAND MARSHALL FOR "LOUIE VERMEIL CLASSIC"

 

ROSEVILLE, CALIFORNIA (July 5, 2012)

- Two-time USAC Silver Crown Series champion Jack Hewitt has been named "Grand Marshall" for the 2012 edition of the "Louie Vermeil Classic" at Calistoga Speedway this Labor Day weekend. The USAC/CRA-Western Classic Racing Series Sprint Cars and USAC Western Midgets will be in action for two days on the historic half-mile on Labor Day weekend 

September 1-2.

Calistoga Speedway is one of the oldest operating dirt tracks in the nation and will celebrate it's 75th anniversary by honoring Jack Hewitt as Grand Marshall. He is one of the most storied USAC pilots of all time. In addition to his USAC Silver Crown championships, Hewitt is also the winningest driver in Silver Crown series history.

But perhaps above all of Hewitt's accomplishments is his 1998 sweep of the "Four Crown" at Eldora Speedway when he won features for Modifieds, USAC Sprints, USAC Midgets, and USAC Silver Crown cars in a single evening. The achievement will likely never be duplicated again. Hewitt also completed his quest towards a run in the Indianapolis 500 by scoring a 12th place finish in his lone Indy start in 1998.

For the 2012 "Louie Vermeil Classic" race fans will have the opportunity to witness their own brand of history in the making, as Temecula's Mike Spencer is on a run towards his fifth consecutive USAC/CRA championship. Spencer won the 2011 edition of the Vermeil and looks poised for the same success this season to propel himself towards the title.

Drivers in the Vermeil race for a generous purse of $3000 to win on Saturday night and a whopping $5000 for the Sunday feature. Midget competition is also lucrative with $1500 to win Saturday's show while the Sunday big money feature is a healthy $3000 to the winner. The purse is augmented by money raised through Saturday's wine tasting event, Sunday's beer tasting, and a weekend-long silent auction/raffle of racing memorabilia and lap sponsors.

The race event represents the only opportunity to see non-wing traditional Sprints and Midgets on a half-mile speedway in Northern California each season and the fifth annual edition promises to be one of the most hotly contested yet. Following Calistoga, the Western Classic Racing Series will take their show on the road to Silver Dollar Speedway for a Wednesday night event before the prestigious Gold Cup Race of Champions continues that weekend.

Tickets are available now by calling Hunt's Race World in Roseville, CA at (916) 773-7223.

More information on Calistoga Speedway available at www.calistogaspeedway.org and more information the Louie Vermeil Classic is available at www.louievermeilclassic.net