Forum: Northern California Sprint Car (go)
Moderators: StuDeedooo

This event is in honor of a man, Louie Vermeil, who tirelessly gave five decades to California non-wing sprint car racing. Becuase of Louie's efforts, both the local Calistoga and Sprint Car Communities join together each season to create a unique sprint car event unlike any other in the Country. This event attracts a perfect storm of California's best drivers as well as midwestern invaders to compete for prize money and prestige. Drivers representing USAC/CRA, GSC, Civil War, USAC National Series and others come together to do battle on the historic Calistoga Speedway.

In admiration for these brave drivers and committed race teams, the pre-race event schedule listed below has been organized for the race fans and race teams and their families. All proceeds from these events (wine tasting, silent auction and beer tasting) are distributed to drivers and teams at the end of each night, based on performance and hard luck. Please come out and join the wonderful festivities and support these racers and teams that make it happen on the track.

Saturday September 4

3rd Annual Wine Pouring Event -- 1-5pm -- 16 Local Wineries -- $10 unlimited tasting/Commemorative Wine glass

Live Music -- The Manzanita Band -- 1-4pm -- Classic Country

Silent Auction -- Spa package -- Racing Memorabilia -- Wine -- Bed & Breakfast

NARC & CRA Legends Autograph Session -- 2-4:30pm (LeRoy Van Connet, Johnny Anderson, Jimmy Sills, Jimmy Boyd, Brent Kaeding, Shane Carson, Jimmy Oskie)

Driver/Competitor Autograph Session -- 2-3:30

Bud Girls Autographs and Photos -- 2-5pm

Vintage Race Cars on Display -- Sprint Cars, Midgets, Hard Tops and Supermodifieds

WINERIES:

Saviez saviezvineyards.com

Freemark Abbey freemarkabbey.com

Caymus/Conundrum conundrumwines.com

Francis Coppola Winery franciscoppolawinery.com

Vermeil Wines vermeilwines.com

On the Edge vermeilwines.com

Chateau Montelena www.montelena.com

Honig Winery honigwine.com

Palisades Ranch Vineyards

Tudal Winery tudalwinery.com

Tedeschi Family Winery tedeschifamilywinery.com

Corte Riva Vineyards corteriva.com

W.M. Harrison Veneyards whwines.com

Summers Estate Winery summerswinery.com

August Briggs augustbriggswines.com

Bennett Lanebennettlane.com

Sbragia sbragia.com

Sunday September 5

Inaugural Beer Garden -- 1-5pm -- 13 Breweries -- $10 unlimited tasting/Commemorative Pilsner Glass

Live Music -- Twice as Nice Band -- 1-4pm -- Blues

Bud Girls Autograph and Photos -- 2-5pm

BREWERIES:

Stella Artois

Hoegarrden Original White Ale

Prohibition Amber Ale

Big Daddy I.P.A.

Union Jack I.P.A.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Gordon Biersch Marzen

Shock Top Belgian White

Drifter Pale Ale

Trumer Pilsner

Bud Light Golden Wheat

Kona Longboard Island Lager

Is this all the beer options that will be there or are you still working on adding more?

There is one local brewery that I do not have the name of that is pouring, but otherwise this is the lineup.

Local would be either Calistoga Inn, Silverado, Napa Smith, or Mt. St. Helena. It would be nice to have a few more.

hey threadkiller how about u get out there and get them together for us :-)

Robert Bond    San Jose Ca

Believe me if I knew more about how to put one of these things together I would. Don't get me wrong - this is off to a good start and hope it is a huge success so that it can grow for next year. One thing you will find if you start to try and do this sort of thing is that different breweries are represented by different distributors. This is a reality that cannot be avoided and it makes thing more complex than it would appear on the outside. This event is in good hands because the people who are doing it have the experience necessary to do it. With that said I would hope that the Napa Valley breweries were all approached about participating because - well - the event is in Napa Valley and there are some great breweries in the area. Don Barkley who is the chief brewer at Napa Smith told me a year ago that they would love to participate in something like this. So if not this year maybe next year.

I just got off the phone with Jeanie Hunt and she said that ticket sales have really picked up this week. With 9 days to go before the race, they will easily surpass last year's pre-race ticket sales. If you showed up late to last year's race, you probably didn't get in the gate, so please make sure you call and get your reserved seats today.

Hunt's Race World (916)-863-7223

I am surprised that Lagunitas out of Petaluma is not listed. They have some outstanding brews!

SUPPORT WILDLIFE, go to a sprint car race! 

Chad is right! Just purchased 10 tickets for the weekend. The seats are goin faster today. Better call if you want to get in the gate. Hunt's race world (916) 863-7223. Best Nor-cal race of the year IMO.

Now you're starting to sound like a promoter......

Just trying to do my part to inform the uninformed. And yes I am just a little biased about this track. LOL.

so what is the race schedule?

to indy and beyond!!

Wait - there's a race at Calistoga the weekend? Well hell that's a bonus! I was just coming up for the beer and the wine. I won't tell the wife that way she'll think I tricked her into going to the races :-).....