4.13.13 California Lightning Sprints Results
2010 California Lightning Sprint Car champion Jarrett Kramer changed his clutch between his heat race and the main event and then went on to lead all 20-laps in the main to claim the win before a massive crowd at Perris Auto Speedway last Saturday. In posting the win, Kramer became the fourth different winner in as many races for the competitive CLS series in 2013.
The 31-year-old racer started the main event on the pole in his bright orange BK Wings, Power Perfection Performance, KalGard Lubricants Henchcraft/Suzuki GSXR 1000. Once the Kevin Winters green flag started the race, Kramer was the first driver to reach turn one and he was the first to the other 79 turns in the race as well. Anaheim’s Dale Gamer was second on the start, but was passed by both Dan Hillberg of Placentia and Murrieta’s Stuart Hielscher Jr. before the end of the first circuit.
Nothing changed over the first nine-laps of the main event and Kramer, who turns 32 on Thursday, built up a half straight lead over Hillberg. However, the red flag waved on lap ten when Gamer flipped his red #17 in turn four. Simultaneously with the Gamer flip, series point’s leader Steve Limon, who lives in Corona, slapped the front chute wall with his right rear. The slap affected the right rear shock the rest of the way, but the third year racer continued to move forward in the field.
Once the race was restarted, 2012 champion Bobby Michnowicz of Lomita and Hielscher began a torrid battle for third. They traded the spot back and forth for a couple of laps before Hielscher, who like Kramer was making his season debut, slowed on the back straight and was done for the night.
Michnowicz, who started 10th, took Hillberg for second on lap 15, but he was a long way behind the leader who was not about to slow down to make it a race. Kramer had nearly a half-straight advantage when Michnowicz took the runner up spot and he had just about the same cushion when the race ended five laps later.
Limon, despite problems from the shock, took Hillberg for 3rd on lap 18 and stayed there till the checkered. Hillberg ended up fourth with teenager Kevin Michnowicz of Lomita fifth.
Bobby Michnowicz, who also won one of the three hear races, was the Amsoil OilTwins.com Hard Charger going from 10th on the start to his second place finish. Limon and Kevin Michnowicz won the other two heat races.
Guy Maresch of Anaheim Hills out qualified the 22-car field with a time of 19.541.
Limon, who came into the night with a nine-point lead in the championship chase over Hillberg, added 10-points to that total as the CLS prepares for this Saturday’s race at Bakersfield. Hillberg is still in the second place. Maresch, who came from 12th to 7th in the main, moved up to a tie for third in the standings with Lakewood’s Tom Downing. The “Flying Jew,” Zach Zauss, is fifth in the points, just nine behind Maresch and Downing.
This Saturday, the CLS returns to “The West’s Fastest 1/3 of a Mile High Banked Clay Oval,” the Bakersfield Speedway, for the second round of “The King of California Mini Sprint Challenge.” It will be the first of two-times this year that the CLS will be running without a wing. Extra money up for grabs on Saturday includes $100.00 for the “Hard Charger” and it will be the first night of the “$500.00 Fast Qualifier Award Challenge.” The fastest qualifying lap between this Saturday and the May 11th race at Bakersfield will earn the driver a $500.00 bonus courtesy of Cold Fire West, Inland Empire Performance, Superior Machining, Damon’s Home Services and T-Shirts by Timeless.
For 2013, cars in the CLS will be carrying transponders and they will qualify at all events. The driver with the most fast qualifying times at the end of the season will win the “Cold Fire West Qualifying Championship” and will pocket an extra $500.00. Another new sponsor to the series this season is Extreme Muffler. They will sponsor the “Extreme Muffler Heat Race Championship” and the driver with the most heat race wins will collect a $500.00 check.
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank series sponsors Christian Stover Foundation, Rod End Supply, Cold Fire West, Sander Engineering, Saldana Race Products, DK Machining and Fabrication, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Circle Track Performance, Extreme Muffler, Performance by Rosson Racing, Electro Tech Powder Coating, Oil Twins Amsoil and Haul Ass Fuel. If you or your company would like to become part of the California Lightning Series for the 2013 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
Perris Auto Speedway Main Event Results (with starting positions): 1. Jarrett Kramer (1st), 2. Bobby Michnowicz (10th), 3. Steve Limon (8th), 4. Dan Hillberg (3rd), 5. Kevin Michnowicz (9th), 6. Zach Zauss (7th), 7. Guy Maresch (12th), 8. Jason Arnett (11th), 9. James McCauley (14th), 10. Dale Gamer (2nd), 11. Tom Downing (6th), 12. Mike Kotlinski (16th), 13. Donna Kotlinski (17th), 14. Stuart Hielscher (5th, 15. Jim Squire III (4th), 16. Alexander Bissett (3rd), 17. John Kerber (19th), 18. Jeff Dyer (15th), 19. Chris Watkins (18th)
2013 10 in California Lightning Sprint Car Series Points
1. Steve Limon – Corona – 686
2. Dan Hillberg – Placentia – 667
3. Guy Maresch – Anaheim Hills – 571
3. Tom Downing – Lakewood – 571
5. Zach Zauss – Murrieta – 562
6. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 528
7. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 519
8. Alex Bissett – Hemet – 516
9. Damon Arnett – San Diego – 502
10. Mike Kotlinski – Nuevo – 457
2013 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 9 Perris Auto Speedway Winged – Dan Hillberg
March 16 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – King of California Mini Sprint Challenge – Bobby Michnowicz
March 30 Ventura Raceway Winged – Steve Limon
April 13 Perris Auto Speedway Winged – Jarrett Kramer
April 20 Bakersfield Speedway Non Wing – King of California Mini Sprint Challenge
April 27 Orange Show Speedway Winged
May 11 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – King of California Mini Sprint Challenge
May 25 Perris Auto Speedway Winged
June 1 Orange Show Speedway Non Wing
July 4 Perris Auto Speedway Winged
July 27 Route 66 Motorplex Winged
August 10 Santa Maria Speedway Winged
August 17 Perris Auto Speedway Winged
September 14 Perris Auto Speedway Winged
September 28 Bakersfield Speedway Winged
October 19 Ventura Raceway Winged
November 2 Perris Auto Speedway Winged
November 3 Perris Auto Speedway Winged
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