3.8.14 California Lightning Sprints Results
2012 California Lightning Sprint Car Series champion Bobby Michnowicz won the CLS 21st season opener last Saturday night, during the California Mid-Winter Fair at the Imperial Fairgrounds Raceway in El Centro, California. This Saturday the CLS will journey to its home track, Perris Auto Speedway, for the Sokola Shootout along with the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars and The PAS Senior & Young Gun Sprints. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM and the first race will be at 7:00.
A fine 17-car field turned out for the race at the newly rejuvenated facility that first hosted racing in 1930. Fourth year and defending series champion Steve Limon of Corona established a new track record in qualifying when he got around the finely groomed quarter-mile oval with a lap of 12:260.
Michnowicz bested Silver Lake’s Jeff Dyer and Limon in the first heat race. Longtime Placentia Veteran Dan Hillberg took the second heat over third year CLS driver Damon Arnett of San Diego and Upland’s Alex Grigoreas.
For the main Lakeside’s Jim Squire started on the pole with Grigoreas on the outside of the front row. Grigoreas, who spent a lot of time steering 410 sprint cars in the old SCRA series, got the jump at the green flag and immediately pulled out to a commanding advantage over the remainder of the field.
Dyer, Grigoreas’ teammate, quickly worked his way to the second place spot. Out front Grigoreas was magically weaving his way through the lapped traffic which there was plenty of. Meanwhile, Michnowicz, in the 12M T-Shirts by Timeless/Power Performance/Rosson Racing/Fabozi Metal Works DLX/Kawasaki, was making is usual push towards the front.
On the fifteenth circuit, Michnowicz caught Grigoreas in lapped traffic. As they slid into turn one on lap 16, they came together with a lapped car. The lapped car ended up sliding to a stop on the inside while Grigoreas and Michnowicz appeared to continue on, but Grigoreas broke a chain in the bump and he was done for the night and ended up a heartbreaking 14th after leading most of the way.
Once the green light came back on, nobody had anything for Michnowicz and the Lomita driver, who led the series with six wins in 2013, put the first notch on his belt for 2014. While Michnowicz was putting the finishing touches on the initial main of the new year, the best battle of the night was raging for second, Dyer, on the low line and Limon, trying to drive around him fought the final four laps to the checkered flag. In the end that spot went to Dyer with Limon not far behind. After restarting at the back due to a spin, Hillberg scrapped and clawed his way to fourth with talented teen Alex Bissett of Hemet fifth.
Bissett was the “Hard Charger” of the main moving from 13th to 8th. Three rookies made the start and Corona’s Corey Hoover was the highest finisher of them when he came home 8th. Hoover was also second “Hard Charger” behind Bissett as he started 14th and advanced six spots during the 20-lapper.
His Saturday, March 15th, the CLS makes its 2014 debut at it home track, Perris Auto Speedway. For the first time, CLS will be using the hybrid track which utilizes turns one and two of the inner quarter mile track and turns three and four of the famous PAS half-mile clay oval.
El Centro main event (with starting positions): 1 Bobby Michnowicz (6th), 2, Jeff Dyer (4th), 3. Stephen Limon (8th), 4. Dan Hillberg (7th), 5. Alex Bissett (13th), 6. Damon Arnett (5th), 7. Zach Zauss (9th), 8. Cory Hoover (14th), 9. Jim Squire (1st), 10. Robert Wilhelm (12th), 11. Jon Squire (11th), 12. Jeremy Queener (16th), 13. Con Andrews (15th), 14. Alex Grigoreas (2nd), 15. Dale Gamer (3rd), 16. Guy Maresch (10th), Chance Sheffield DNS
Point Standings
1. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 234
2. Dan Hillberg – Placentia – 211
2. Stephen Limon – Corona – 211
4. Jeff Dyer – Silver Lake – 210
5. Damon Arnett – San Diego – 192
6. Alex Bissett – Hemet – 188
7. Zach Zauss – Murrieta – 181
8. Jim Squire III – Lakeside – 177
9. Cory Hoover – Corona – 171
10. Robert Wilhelm – El Cajon – 164
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: http://www.calightningsprints.com/index.html
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)
March 29: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA
April 5: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
April 19: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA
May 3: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
May 10: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA
May 24: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute To Indy)
June 14: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Firecracker)
August 16: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
August 30: Santa Maria Speedway – Santa Maria, CA
September 13: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
September 27: *Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA
October 18: *Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
November 7: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 8: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 15: Imperial Fairgrounds Raceway – El Centro, CA
* = Co-Sanctioned Event With BCRA Midget Lites.
This schedule is subject to change.
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
2012 Bobby Michnowicz
2013 Stephen Limon