Louis Vermeil - father of NFL coach Dick Vermeil - operated Owl Garage behind the family's home in Calistoga, CA, and raced sprint cars in the fierce competition of Northern California's dirt oval tracks. 'Old Number Seven' was one of Owl Garage's most successful cars. It raced 1949 through 1954 at fairground race tracks like Calistoga Speedway, Oakland Mile, Sacramento, Stockton, Fresno, Red Bluff, Chico and Vallejo. It was the 1950 American Racing Association championship points car; driver Jacque Pacheteau finished second in points among drivers. Originally built by Al Bignotti, Old No. 7 is a Model A with a three-spring suspension. It still has its original engine, an overhead-valve Miller-Schofield, generating an estimated 120 horsepower. The car received a thorough restoration in 2008 - completed in time to take to the track at Calistoga Speedway on Labor Day Weekend, kicking off the inaugural Louis Vermeil Classic, a non-annual sprint car event. Louis Vermeil's lifelong contribution to sprint car racing has merited his induction into both the Northern California Sports Hall of Fame in San Francisco, CA, and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa.
