Ramona, California’s Bobby Bender made it two for two in California Lightning Sprint Car action at Perris Auto Speedway in 2010 when he narrowly beat Johnny Bluntach to the Eddie Ramirez checkered flag in the 20 lap main event in front of a good size crowd last Saturday night.
The night started off with a different twist as the Lightning Sprints qualified instead of using the pill draw to determine starting spots on the tacky half-mile clay oval. Indiana native Chris Dickey set fast time in the 21-car field with a lap of 18:103. That sizzling lap would have been good enough to qualify Dickey 20th in the companion USAC/CRA 410 Sprint Car 27 car field.
When Ramirez turned on the green light to start the main, Spring Valley’s Seth Kramer jumped from the outside of the front row to lead the field into turn one. Bender, who started in tenth like he did when he won at The PAS in March, was quickly advancing his way to the front and was up to third before the end of the fifth lap.
Kramer maintained the lead until Wildomar’s Tim Brown got by him in turn one on the eighth go around. Brown was coming off a career best third place finish at The PAS in March. Brown maintained the lead until an eventful lap 10. Bender had inside row four starter Johnny Bluntach had both passed Kramer for second and third earlier in the tenth circuit and when Brown bicycled in turn four, they raced by him for first and second. Kramer also passed Brown for third before the latter got back up to speed.
Defending series champion Stuart Hielscher Sr. dropped out on a yellow flag period just past the halfway point. On the subsequent green flag, Bender quickly pulled away from the pack when Bluntach did not get a good restart. At that point, it appeared that Bender was going to run away from the pack, but that was not the case.
While Bender was setting the tempo at the head of the pack, series point leader Jarrett Kramer of Spring Valley was coming towards the front. After staring ninth, he raced into the top five on the 12th lap and one circuit later; he got by Brown for fourth.
Bluntach was methodically closing in on leader Bender over the last few laps and on the final circuit, he caught the leader’s black #4 car. Off turn four the final time, Bluntach chose the inside line and got a good run down low. Bringing the crowd to its feet for the final chapter, Bender prevailed by a mere half car length as the fans shouted a roar of approval to both drivers for the exciting finish. Seth Kramer took third with brother Jarrett finishing fourth for the second time in a row at The PAS. Corey Ballard, Brown, Tim Moody, Stuart Hielscher Jr., Karl Von Yolkes and young Jacob Will rounded out the top ten.
Bender, Ballard and Brown won the six lap heat races earlier in the program.
Following Saturday’s race, Jarrett Kramer holds a 24-point lead over brother Seth in the championship point standings. Bobby Bender is third, 39 points behind the leader, with Bluntach fourth and A.J. Bender, Bobby’s younger brother, fifth.
This Saturday the California Lightning Sprint Cars head to the beautiful Ventura Raceway quarter-mile for their first of three 2010 races at the beachside oval. The VRA Sprint Cars, Senior Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, Sport Compacts and Go Carts will join them on the program. The spectator gates will open at 3:00 PM and the first race will be at 5:30. For more information visit the Ventura Raceway web site at venturaraceway.com or call: (805) 648-RACE.
The California Lightning Sprint Cars have added an additional date at Perris Auto Speedway on May 8th.
DVD’s from Saturday’s race will be available form Raceway Video. You can visit their website at: www.racewayvideo.com. You can also call: (818) 618-9764
California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to acknowledge the following sponsors for making the 2010 campaign possible. The Christian Stover Foundation, Performance by Rosson Racing, BK Wings, Circle Track Performance and Hoosier Tires. Anyone wishing to come on board as a series sponsor can call Brent Sexton at: (619) 454-6945.
For more information on this Saturday’s race or the 2010 California Lightning Sprint Car Series, contact Brent Sexton ((619) 454-6945 or sextonfire@cox.net) or Scott Daloisio (909 226-7768 or sdaloisiosports@aol.com).
MARCH 13 MAIN EVENT FINISH (with starting positions for top 10)
1. Bobby Bender (16th)
2. Johnny Bluntach (7h)
3. Seth Kramer (2nd)
4. Jarrett Kramer (9h)
5. Corey Ballard (5th)
6. Tim Brown (4th)
7. Tim Moody (11th)
8. Stuart Hielscher Jr. (6th)
9. Karl Von Yolkes (1st)
10. Jacob Will (18th)
11. Dale Gamer
12. Robert Wilhelm
13. Alex Bissett
DNF
14. Chris Dickey
15. Stuart Hielscher Sr.
16. A.J. Bender
17. Peter Benker
18. Dan Hillberg
19. Guy Maresch
POINT STANDINGS
1. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 390
2. Seth Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 366
3. Bobby Bender – Ramona, CA – 351
4. Johnny Bluntach – Rowland Heights, CA – 334
5. A.J. Bender – Ramona, CA – 323
6. Robert Wilhelm – El Cajon, CA – 247
7. Dale Gamer – Anaheim, CA – 244
8. Wink Schweitzer – Bakersfield, CA – 240
9. Tim Brown – Wildomar, CA – 238
10. Dan Hillberg – Placentia, CA – 228
2010 CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
April 17th … Ventura Raceway
May 1st … Bakersfield Speedway
May 29th … Perris Auto Speedway
June 5th … Ventura Raceway
June 12th … Perris Auto Speedway
June 19th … Santa Maria Speedway
July 3rd … Perris Auto Speedway
July 24th … Perris Auto Speedway (1st Annual Christian Stover Memorial
July 31st … Bakersfield Speedway
August 14th … Perris Auto Speedway
August 28th … Perris Auto Speedway
September 11th … Ventura Raceway
September 25th … Bakersfield
October 2nd … Perris Auto Speedway
October 9th … Perris Auto Speedway (Southern California Fair)
November 5th & 6th … Perris Auto Speedway (Oval Nationals)
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 Ganson
2007 Shane Rosson
2008 Brent Sexton
2009 Stuart Hielshier Sr.
2010 Jarrett Kramer