10.18.14 California Lightning Sprints Results
Three-time BCRA champion Doug Nunes journeyed south from his Kingsburg, California home and won the California Lightning Sprint Car Series “Party at The Beach” main event last Saturday at the Ventura Raceway. While Nunes’ was busy winning his first CLS main of the 2014 campaign, Bobby Michnowicz became the third different point leader in the last three CLS races and will be the driver to beat heading into the season finale at Perris Auto Speedway on November 7th.
For Nunes, who is no stranger to coming down and pillaging CLS winner’s checks from the series regulars, did not have an easy task in getting to the front of the field at the ocean side racetrack. The veteran driver had to navigate his powerful black #2 car from the outside of the sixth row in order to post the win and had some heavy hitters starting in front of him. Included in that group was 2014 BCRA “King” Brian Corso of Ripon, Lakewood, Colorado’s Troy Ullery, 2012 CLS champion Michnowicz of Lomita, 2010 CLS champion Jarrett Kramer of Lakeside, the evening’s fast qualifier Dan Hillberg of Placentia and point leader Damon Arnett of San Diego.
Arnett, a third year CLS driver who took the point lead from Jeffrey Dyer at the previous race at Bakersfield, started on the pole, set the early pace and was doing a good job of holding off Michnowicz. The race was stopped by a red early on when Kramer biked the #21m in turn four and when he came down, Hillberg rode over his wheel and executed a couple nasty flips. Fortunately, the longtime veteran was not injured, but his bright yellow race car was finished for the night.
By the time the Hillberg induced red flag came out, Nunes had already raced his way up to fourth. Not long after the restart, Michnowicz took the top spot from race long leader Arnett and seemed destined to be headed for his series leading seventh win of 2014. Another red came out a few moments later when some cars tangled off of turn four and Phelan’s Cal Smith ended up tumbling down the front straight. Like Hillberg he was no injured, but his car was finished for the evening.
When the race went green once again, Michnowicz was at the point with Arnett second and Nunes third. That running order changed when Nunes charged around the outside of Arnett coming off turn two and set his sights on the leader. Nunes quickly chopped down the pace setting Michnowicz and hounded him on the inside for a couple of laps, before relieving him of the lead a few laps later. However, a Steve Brown yellow saw the field return to the last completed lap and handed the lead back to Michnowicz.
When things got going again, Nunes again hunted down Michnowicz and passed him for the top spot and the win at the “Beach Party.” Michnowicz, ended up second with Corso third, Kramer fourth and Arnett fifth.
In addition to his win in the main, Nunes was also the race “Harder Charger” after advancing 11 spots.
Earlier on in the pleasant evening, Hillberg’s lap of 11.970 was the quickest in the 19 car field. Kramer, Brown and Michnowicz won the three heat races on the night.
The, championship which will be decided on the second night of the Budweiser Oval Nationals Presented by All Coast Construction on November 7th, comes down to three drivers. Michnowicz will go into the final race with a 15-point lead over Arnett and a 36 point lead over Dyer. Behind the contenders for the title, Murrieta’s Zach Zauss continued his impressive racing and moved up to fourth in the standings followed by Corona rookie Corey Hoover who is in fifth.
While the battle for the championship is tight, the fight for Rookie of the Year, which will also be settled at the Oval Nationals is even tighter. Hoover leads Murrieta’s Cori Andrews by a mere two points heading into the finale. And, Jeremy Queener of Torrance is only 26-points behind Hoover.
Ventura Main Event (with starting positions): 1. Doug Nunes (12th), 2. Bobby Michnowicz (7th), 3. Brian Corso (4th), 4. Jarrett Kramer (6th), 5. Damon Arnett (1st), 6. Jeffrey Dyer (14th), 7. Gut Maresch (2nd), 8. Zach Zauss (16th), 9. Steve Becker (3rd), 10. Dale Gamer (10th), 11. Jeremy Queener (17th), 12. Robert Wilhelm (19th), 13. Jon Robertson (20th) 14. Troy Ullery (5th), 15. Cal Smith (13th), 16. Cori Andrews (9th), 17. Cory Hoover (15th), 18. Steve Brown (11th), 19. Dan Hillberg (8th), 20. A.J. Bender (18th)
California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 2139
2. Damon Arnett – San Diego – 2924
3. Jeff Dyer – Upland – 2103
4. Zach Zauss – Murrieta – 1930
5. Corey Hoover – Corona – 1922
6. Cori Andrews – Murrieta – 1920
7. Jeremy Queener – Torrance – 1893
8. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 1772
9. Dan Hillberg – Placentia – 1668
10. Stephen Limon – Corona – 1293
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank series sponsors Performance by Rosson Racing, T Shirts by Timeless, Cold Fire West, Circle Track Performance, Extreme Mufflers, Racing Optics, Saldana Race Products, Keizer Wheels, Sander Engineering, Christian Stover Foundation, Hoosier Racing Tires, Drake Incorporated and DK Machine. If you or your company would like to become part of the California Lightning Series for the 2014 season, please call Bobby Michnowicz at: (310) 320-5569.
To keep up with the CLS on line, please visit the web site at: California Lightning Sprint Cars
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2014 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 8: Imperial Fairgrounds Raceway – El Centro, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
March 15: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Sokola Shootout) – Jeff Dyer
March 29: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA – Dakota Albright
April 5: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA – Stephen Limon
April 19: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA – Dan Hillberg
May 3: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
May 10: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
May 24: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute To Indy) – Cori Andrews
June 14: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Firecracker) – Bobby Michnowicz
August 16: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night) – Kevin Michnowicz
September 13: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic) – Dan Hillberg
September 27: *Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
October 18: *Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA – Doug Nunes
November 7: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
* = Co-Sanctioned Event With BCRA Midget Lites.
This schedule is subject to change.
CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONS
1994 Tony Everhart, 1995 Gary Sexton, 1996 Rob Sczymczak, 1997 Jon Rahe, 1998 Chris Rahe, 1999 Brent Sexton, 2000 Greg Bragg, 2001 Greg Bragg, 2002 Greg Bragg, 2003 David Cardey, 2004 Keith Janca, 2005 Johnny Bates, 2006 Donny Gansen, 2007 Shane Rossen, 2008 Brent Sexton, 2009 Stuart Hielschier Sr., 2010 Jarrett Kramer, 2011 Tim Brown, 2012 Bobby Michnowicz, 2013 Stephen Limon