McFadden, Seavey claim Louie Vermeil Classic victories in long awaited return of racing at Calistoga
CALISTOGA, Calif.—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.
RESULTS
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.
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LOGAN SEAVEY TOPS USAC/CRA SPRINTS AT LOUIE VERMEIL CLASSIC
By Lance Jennings
CALISTOGA, Calif. -- Taking command from Ryan Bernal on lap 26, Logan Seavey led the rest of the way to claim Sunday’s finale of the 14th Louie Vermeil Classic at Calistoga Speedway.
The Sutter, California driver piloted the Kevin Kozlowski owned Works Limited “W” Schnee to the $10,000 victory with the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car Series. Bernal, previous night winner J.J. Yeley, R.J. Johnson, and fast qualifier Max Adams followed Seavey to the checkered flags.
Loomis, California’s Max Adams opened the night by posting the second Woodland Auto Display / WC Friend Company Access Systems Fast Time Award of his career. The driver of the Dwight Cheney owned #42 Barnes Oil Systems Inc. DRC recorded a time of 20.083 seconds over the 31 car roster.
Multi-time Arizona Sprint Car Champion, “Chargin” Charles Davis Jr. of Buckeye, Arizona powered his #47 MP Environmental Services Triple X to victory in the 8-lap In Honor of Wiley Miller Sr. & Wiley Miller II / Sexton Fire Protection First Heat Race. Sebastopol, California’s “The Human Highlight Reel” Geoff Ensign returned to USAC CRA action in the PHR Racing #92 Pacific Highway Rentals Maxim and won the Silbermann Solar / Factory Wraps Second Heat Race. Ryan Bernal of Hollister, California claimed the WC Friend Company Access Systems / In Memory of Jim & Chet Gardner Third Heat Race aboard the Josh Ford Motorsports #73 NOS Energy Drink Triple X.
Using a 360 cubic inch engine, Sacramento, California’s Mark Hanson raced to victory in the 10-lap Factory Wraps Semi Main event in Danny Matranga’s #79 Dependable Crane DRC. Ricky Lewis, Brecken Guerrero, Ryan Timmons, Marty Hawkins, and Connor Speir earned the final transfer spots to the feature.
Starting twentieth, Blake Bower of Brentwood, California earned the In Memory of Jim and Chet Gardner / Steve Lafond Photos / Brian & Alicia Garges Hard Charger Award / “Best Passing Job” honors. The former USAC Western States Midget Champion and rookie of the year placed ninth on the big half-mile oval.
The Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car Series will return to action on Saturday, September 13th at Perris Auto Speedway. That night, the non-winged 410s will join the famed World of Outlaws Sprint Cars at the “So-Cal Showdown.”
For more information on the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car Series, visit www.usacracing.com and the social media for USAC Racing. You can also find exclusive content on the USAC CRA Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: August 31, 2025 – Calistoga Speedway – Calistoga, California – 14th Louie Vermeil Classic Presented By Quick Change Liquid Energy Drink & West Coast Stock Car Motorsports Hall of Fame
WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY / WC FRIEND COMPANY ACCESS SYSTEMS QUALIFYING: 1. Max Adams, 42, Cheney-20.083; 2. Logan Seavey, W, Kozlowski-20.257; 3. R.J. Johnson, 33p, Petty-20.333; 4. J.J. Yeley, 33, Petty-20.466; 5. Kaleb Montgomery, 3, Montgomery-20.493; 6. Ryan Bernal, 73, Ford-20.496; 7. Charles Davis Jr., 47, Davis-20.641; 8. Austin Williams, 17w, Dunkel-20.652; 9. Cody Williams, 44, Williams-20.858; 10. Tommy Malcolm, 5x, Napier-20.954; 11. Logan Calderwood, 6, Calderwood-21.064; 12. Ricky Lewis, 41, Lewis-21.203; 13. A.J. Bender, 21, Bender-21.220; 14. Geoff Ensign, 92, PHR-21.326; 15. Nate Schank, 1, Lawson-21.377; 16. Mark Hanson, 79, Matranga-21.521; 17. Ryan Timmons, 29T, Timmons-21.530; 18. Eddie Tafoya Jr., 51T, Tafoya-21.544; 19. Andrew Sweeney, 98A, Guerrero-21.587; 20. Blake Bower, 17x, Dunkel-21.646; 21. Jacob Tuttle, 87, Tuttle-21.657; 22. Brecken Guerrero, 98B, Guerrero-21.708; 23. Marty Hawkins, 3m, Cheney/Hawkins-21.745; 24. Verne Sweeney, 98, Guerrero-21.849; 25. Connor Lundy, 97, Lundy-21.868; 26. Connor Speir, 57, Speir-22.011; 27. Heath Holdsclaw, 33H, Holdsclaw-22.016; 28. Josh Gillis, 18, Gillis-22.162; 29. Elexa Herrera, 5E, Herrera-22.484; 30. Kyle Shipley, 0G, Black Gold-22.548; 31. T.J. Hartman, 67x, Walker-22.584.
IN HONOR OF WILEY MILLER SR. & WILEY MILLER II / SEXTON FIRE PROTECTION FIRST HEAT: (8 laps, top-6 transfer to the feature) 1. Charles Davis Jr., 2. J.J. Yeley, 3. Tommy Malcolm, 4. A.J. Bender, 5. Max Adams, 6. Andrew Sweeney, 7. Connor Lundy, 8. Mark Hanson, 9. Brecken Guerrero, 10. Josh Gillis, 11. T.J. Hartman. NT
SILBERMANN SOLAR / FACTORY WRAPS SECOND HEAT: (8 laps, top-6 transfer to the feature) 1. Geoff Ensign, 2. Logan Seavey, 3. Austin Williams, 4. Kaleb Montgomery, 5. Blake Bower, 6. Logan Calderwood, 7. Ryan Timmons, 8. Marty Hawkins, 9. Connor Speir, 10. Elexa Herrera. NT
WC FRIEND COMPANY ACCESS SYSTEMS / IN MEMORY OF JIM & CHET GARDNER THIRD HEAT: (8 laps, top-6 transfer to the feature) 1. Ryan Bernal, 2. Eddie Tafoya Jr., 3. Nate Schank, 4. Jacob Tuttle, 5. Cody Williams, 6. R.J. Johnson, 7. Kyle Shipley, 8. Verne Sweeney, 9. Heath Holdsclaw, 10. Ricky Lewis. NT
FACTORY WRAPS SEMI: (10 laps, top-6 transfer to the feature) 1. Mark Hanson, 2. Ricky Lewis, 3. Brecken Guerrero, 4. Ryan Timmons, 5. Marty Hawkins, 6. Connor Speir, 7. Verne Sweeney, 8. Heath Holdsclaw, 9. Elexa Herrera, 10. T.J. Hartman, 11. Josh Gillis, 12. Kyle Shipley, 13. Connor Lundy. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Logan Seavey (5), 2. Ryan Bernal (1), 3. J.J. Yeley (3), 4. R.J. Johnson (4), 5. Max Adams (6), 6. Tommy Malcolm (10), 7. Kaleb Montgomery (2), 8. Logan Calderwood (11), 9. Blake Bower (20), 10. A.J. Bender (13), 11. Austin Williams (8), 12. Connor Lundy (25-P), 13. Geoff Ensign (14), 14. Jacob Tuttle (21), 15. Connor Speir (24), 16. Mark Hanson (16), 17. Brecken Guerrero (22), 18. Marty Hawkins (23), 19. Cody Williams (9), 20. Eddie Tafoya Jr. (18), 21. Charles Davis Jr. (7), 22. Andrew Sweeney (19), 23. Nate Schank (15), 24. Ryan Timmons (17), 25. Ricky Lewis (12). NT
(P) represents a provisional starter
**Charles Davis Jr. flipped on lap 17 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-25 Ryan Bernal, Laps 26-30 Logan Seavey.
IN MEMORY OF JIM & CHET GARDNER / STEVE LAFOND PHOTOS HARD CHARGER: Blake Bower (20th to 9th)
AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-R.J. Johnson-1002, 2-Ricky Lewis-991, 3-Austin Williams-853, 4-A.J. Bender-830, 5-Tommy Malcolm-796, 6-David Gasper-716, 7-Blake Bower-714, 8-Charles Davis Jr.-660, 9-Connor Lundy-597, 10-Cody Williams-567.
NEXT AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR RACE: September 13 – Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, California – So-Cal Showdown
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