A few days shy of his 18th and before a large crowd along with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, Kevin Michnowicz swept the California Lightning Sprint Car Series show for the second straight time last Saturday night at Perris Auto Speedway. This Saturday night the CLS will head to the Bakersfield Speedway for the first of three 2012 appearances.
After spanking the field in his heat race, Michnowicz, by luck of the inversion draw, started the main on the outside of the front row. While things looked bright for the Lomita based high-school student in the main, the same could not be said for 2011 Rookie of Year Steve Limon of Corona. Fresh off a second place finish to Michnowicz in the season opener, Limon broke before the end of the first circuit and was done for the night.
On the restart, Michnowicz grabbed the lead with his father Bobby, who started inside row two, into second by the time the field screamed down the back straight the first time. San Diego’s Damon Arnet, who is contesting his first full CLS season, was third.
Out front, it looked like a son-father sweep as they pulled away from the field. Bobby, the 1994 CRA Sprint Car champion, pulled close to his son several times, but the kid showed absolutely no respect as he would fight his father off on every challenge. Things were going all their way until a lapper spun right in front of them coming off turn two on lap 16. Fortunately they missed him, but disaster would strike moments later.
On the restart, Bobby Michnowicz, who had a DNF after an oil line came off in the main event at the season opener, looked slow. Car after car went by him and before he completed one lap, his car was engulfed in a massive cloud of smoke. It was a scene reminiscent of the season opener when the oil line came off, but this time he was not as lucky as the engine had a huge hole in the side of it.
Once the race went green again, defending CLS champion Tim Brown of Wildomar took up the chase in a brand Henchcraft car he finished the night before. However, like everyone else on the night, Brown was no match for the streaking teenager who once again began to pull away. While the top two spots seemed to be decided, fans shifted their attention to the torrid battle for third that raged over the final four circuits. While Michnowicz pulled away to win by a half straight over Brown, another rising star, 16-year-old Alexander Bissett of Hemet, won the fight for third for his first podium finish of the new campaign. Corona’s Darren Hillberg, who flipped hard while running second at the season opener, ended up fourth and Anaheim Hills veteran Guy Maresch took fifth. Dan Hillberg of Placentia finished sixth after flipping while leading his heat race.
Veteran Paul Krueger of Buena Park, who was making his 2012 debut, won the Oil Twins Amsoil Hard Charger Award after coming from 16th to 9th in the main event.
The event drew another healthy field of 22 CLS cars to the Riverside County clay oval. Kevin & Bobby Michnowicz and Darren Hillberg won the three, six lap heat races earlier in the night.
This Saturday at Bakersfield, the spectator gates will open at 4:00 PM and the first race will be at 6:00. Joining the CLS on the program will be Modifieds, Street Stocks and Hobby Stocks. For more information on the Bakersfield Speedway, please visit the website at: http://www.bakersfieldspeedway.com/. You can also call the track at: (661) 393-3373.
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank 2012 series sponsors Christian Stover Foundation, Rod End Supply, Sander Engineering, Saldana Race Products, DK Machining and Fabrication, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Circle Track Performance, DJ Safety, Performance by Rosson Racing, Racing Optics, Electro Tech Powder Coating and Oil Twins Amsoil (Hard Charger Award at The PAS). If you or your company would like to become part of the California Lightning Series for the 2012 season, please call Dan Hillberg at: (714) 719-0295.
To keep up with the CLS on line, please visit the web site at: http://www.calightningsprints.com/index.html
Main event finishing order with starting positions:
1. Kevin Michnowicz (2nd); 2. Tim Brown (5th); 3. Alexander Bissett (6th); 4th Darren Hillberg (4th), 5th Guy Maresch (7th); 6. Dan Hillberg (11th); 7. Damon Arnett (1st); 8. Dale Gamer (10th); 9: Paul Krueger (16th); 10. Donna Kotlinski (13th); 11. JJ Bagwell (9th); 12. Zach Zeuss (12th); 13. Chris Watkins (17th); 14. Bobby Michnowicz (3rd); 15. Jon Squire (18th); 16. Jonathon Kerber (15th); 17. James McCauley (8th); 18. Steve Limon (14th)
2012 California Lightning Sprint Car Points
1. Kevin Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 280
2. Dan Hillberg – Placentia – 231
3. Guy Maresch – Anaheim Hills – 219
4. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 212
5. Damon Arnett – San Diego – 203
6. Darren Hillberg – Corona – 193
7. Alexander Bissett – Hemet – 193
8. Steve Limon – Corona – 189
9. James McCauley – 167
10. Donna Kotlinski – Nuevo – 161
2012 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
February 25 – Perris Auto Speedway – Kevin Michnowicz
March 10 – Perris Auto Speedway – Kevin Michnowicz
March 17 – Bakersfield Speedway
March 31 – Perris Auto Speedway
April 14 – Bakersfield Speedway
April 28 – Perris Auto Speedway
May 12 – Bakersfield Speedway
May 26 – Perris Auto Speedway – Salute to Indy
July 4 – Perris Auto Speedway – Fireworks Show
July 28 – Perris Auto Speedway – California Racers Hall of Fame Night
August 11 – Santa Maria Speedway
August 18 – Perris Auto Speedway
September 15 – Perris Auto Speedway – Glenn Howard Memorial
September 22 – Ventura Raceway
September 20 – Bakersfield Speedway
November 2 – Perris Auto Speedway – Oval Nationals
November 3 – Perris Auto Speedway – Oval Nationals
TBA – Awards Banquet
PAST 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