Yeley wins opener, Johnson takes Louie Vermeil finale
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 7, 2026
Yeley opener
J.J. Yeley took Saturday’s opening night of the 15th Louie Vermeil Classic at Calistoga Speedway in California, and he did it from seventh on the grid after a long run through the field in the 30-lap feature. Yeley turned his night around in the first 12-lap qualifier race, where he picked up the win before moving into the main event. That early success gave him a path into the feature, but he still had work to do once the green flag fell on the headliner. He kept advancing and found the opening that decided the race with four laps left. Contact with Ryan Bernal in turn four sent Bernal spinning and put Yeley in front for good. From there, Yeley stayed steady and carried the lead to the finish, holding the top spot over the final four laps.
The victory paid $5,000 and gave Yeley his second career Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car win. It also came with a $350 hard charger bonus, a fitting reward for a night that started with a qualifier win and ended with a feature victory from deep in the field. R.J. Johnson finished second in the 30-lap race, with Connor Lundy third, David Gasper fourth and Austin Williams fifth. Jadon Rogers earned the top qualifying spot before the feature action began, but Yeley delivered the most important run of the night when it counted late. The race gave the opening night of the Vermeil Classic a fast and physical start, and Yeley left with the biggest payoff after a late move that changed the order at the front.
Johnson finale
R.J. Johnson answered back in Sunday’s finale of the 15th Quick Change Liquid Energy Drink Louie Vermeil Classic at Calistoga Speedway in California, winning the $10,000 feature and edging J.J. Yeley by 0.065 seconds. Johnson took the lead on lap 27 after Logan Seavey controlled the first 13 laps, then held off Yeley in the closing sprint to the flag. The margin showed how tight the finish was, and Johnson’s late move gave him the win after a race that stayed in Seavey’s hands through the opening stretch. Johnson also earned the night’s hard charger award, adding another piece of hardware to a weekend that already featured a strong showing in the qualifying race.
The win was Johnson’s 15th career victory and came with added weight because he entered the event as the two-time defending champion and the current Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car Series point leader. He also won a 12-lap qualifying race, giving him strong pace from the start of the program before the finale became a late-race battle. Yeley was close enough to pressure Johnson at the finish, but Johnson kept the advantage through the final laps and crossed first in a race that ended with a hundredth-of-a-second-style margin. Seavey’s early lead set the tone, Johnson’s pass on lap 27 changed it and Yeley pushed the winner to the line. The finale matched the opener for intensity and gave Johnson another victory in a race that ended with him on top once again.
