CALISTOGA, California — On Memorial Day weekend, 50 open wheel Modified drivers will take to the track to compete on one of California’s most historic racing facilities, Calistoga Speedway. Calistoga Speedway has hosted racing events dating back to 1939. Known nationally as a Sprint Car and Midget track, last year Calistoga opened to door to one of America’s most popular divisions, the Modifieds. Fans were treated to an exciting show and the drivers raved about the racing on the high speed ½ mile oval.
This year, the Speedway only accepted the first 50 entrants to race on two back-to-back days, Saturday May 29th and Sunday the 30th. Within a couple weeks of announcing the event, the entries were filled. Offering up $1,200 to the winner each day no doubt attracted some of the top drivers from Northern California. Throughout the field of entrants you will find many former champions of track, state and even national levels. Many of the top Modifieds drivers that will be on hand also travel around the state, and even the country, competing at some of the biggest Modified shows. Fans will see some of the top talented drivers, all competing for the prize money and bragging rights – the right to say they won at Calistoga Speedway.
Last year, it was Jeff Olschowka and Bobby Hogge IV who picked up wins during the two days. Olschowka is entered to try to become the first Modified driver with 2 wins at the track, while Hogge will miss the event to race at Santa Maria Speedway in his Super Late Model. The Modifieds will be joining the premier travelling Sprint Car Series in California, the Golden State Challenge Series. The best of the high-flying, 410 cubic inch powered, winged warriors in the Sprint Cars will also be there to try to stake their claim to Calistoga fame and put their name in the record books.
The racing action is set to begin at 6:30 PM each day, with the grandstands opening at 4:00 PM. General Admission tickets are $20, while juniors (4 – 12) are $10. Kids under 3 are admitted free. The Modifieds will use a pill draw to draw a starting spot in one of several 8 lap heat races. Those not earning a starting spot in the feature will run in a 12 lap B Main event, while the feature will consist of 20 hard fought laps. The pits open both days at 2:00 PM.
Below is a list of the Dirt Modified drivers who are entered in this special event:
Car # Driver
1 Randy McDaniel - Hurst
1jr Jerry Roy, Jr. - Santa Rosa
2C Duane Cleveland - Plumas Lake
3 Todd Hermosillo - Watsonville
3 Jim Pettit II - Prunedale
4 Shawn DeForest - Hayward
4p Richard Rapenhausen - Chico
7 Jeff Thomas - Penngrove
7 Randy Larsen - Petaluma
7k Kent Bickford - Antioch
10 Ryan McDaniel - Hurst
11 Mike Learn - Vallejo
12 Joe Carr - Petaluma
14 Mark Haas - Petaluma
14p Ryan Porter - Atwater
15 Bill Egleston - Atwater
17 Nick DeCarlo - Martinez
17f Joe Flower - Butte City
23 Oreste Gonella - Petaluma
24 Dan McLean - Napa
25 Rick Karnes - Martinez
25dd Danny Dozier, Jr - Oakley
27 Mark Abouzeid - Chico
28 Junior Dawson - Santa Cruz
28 Chester Kniss - Antioch
28b Keith Brown - Pittsburg
31 Jeremy Prince - Martinez
32 Nick Caughman - Suisun
33 Don Camilli - Santa Rosa
46 Joel Myers - Santa Rosa
54 Brian Azeveda - Petaluma
59s Paul Anderson - Windsor
62 Jeremy Newberry - Brentwood
66 Kevin Fitzgerald - Brentwood
66p Paul Stone - Winton
68 Norman Boeck - Novato
73 Scott Busby -Martinez
73 Steve Stone - Winton
74s Chris Sieweke - Santa Rosa
80 John Pierce - San Jose
80 Matt Petrell - Oakley
82 Sean O'Gara - Fairfield
83 Kellen Chadwick - Oakley
84 Robby Jeppesen - Merced
90 Jeremy Petrell - Oakley
96 Jeff Olschowka - Chico
99 Kenny Neu - Oakley
u81 Bobby Motts, Jr. - San Pablo
225 Bill Smith - Sparks, NV
