4.28.12 California Lightning Sprints Results
In one of the craziest main events in the 19-season history of the California Lightning Sprint Car Series, longtime veteran Dan Hillberg scored the second win of his career on a pleasant Southern California evening on the famous Perris Auto Speedway half-mile clay oval last Saturday night.
Eighteen Lightning Sprint Cars signed into the pits on the triple header card that the CLS shared with the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars and the PAS Senior Sprints. Among them were Stuart Hielscher Jr. of Murrieta and Lomita 18-year-old Kevin Michnowicz. Hielscher, who won the last race at The PAS in March after three years off the track, and Michnowicz, who won the first two races of the year, started sixth and seventh respectively in the main event.
When starter Kevin Winters waved the green flag to start the 20-lapper, veteran racer Bobby Michnowicz, Kevin’s father, sprang from his outside row one starting spot into the point position. Anaheim’s Dale Gamer got out second with defending series champion Tim Brown of Wildomar third. Hielscher Jr. let everyone in the house know he meant business when he quickly advanced his red #9 car to fourth and challenged Brown for third on the first go around. Before the race was three laps old, Brown and Hielscher Jr., got by gamer for second and third, but by that time, Bobby Michnowicz had built a small, but comfortable lead. Three laps later, Hielscher Jr. took Brown for the second place spot and set his sights on the leader.
Hemet teenager Alexander Bissett, who broke a rod while leading the main event on March 31st, started putting on a show for the appreciative crowd once again. He went to the outside line and flew by both Brown and Hielscher Jr. for second and third much to the crowd’s delight, but on lap 10 he slowed dramatically and coasted back to the pit area with a reported broken valve.
After the first yellow of the race on lap 11, things heated up at the front of the pack. Kevin Michnowicz went from fourth all the way to first in a dazzling mad dash. Once out front, the high school student built a big lead and it looked like he was easily headed for his third win of the year. However, lap 16, which was one of the wildest in the history of the CLS, began when Michnowicz burned a pissed and slowed to a stop. That brought out the yellow flag.
When the race commenced again, Hielscher Jr. was the leader. The former Palomar College football player did not get a good restart and Brown quickly passed him for the lead in turn one. Hielscher Jr. powered off two and raced back under Brown for the top spot on the back straightaway. However, he got sideways in between three and four and slid to a stop bringing out another yellow flag.
This time when the green flag flew Brown was at the point, but like Kevin Michnowicz and Hielscher Jr., lap 16 proved to hard be on this leader. When he entered turn one, his engine billowed white smoke followed by flames as it let go forcing another yellow.
Lap 16 had already sent three leaders to the showers early and amazingly it happened again! This time it was Bobby Michnowicz. After the restart, he slowed in turn two while leading as tacky clay from the track had plugged his radiator causing the engine to overheat and thus torching the head.
When the field prepared to start again it was an understandably nervous Hillberg at the point position. This time the demon lap was kind to the leader and he did not have a problem. In fact he went trouble free all the way to the checkered flag four laps later. Hielscher Jr., who had to restart at the back after his spin, was the fastest car on the track in the late stages. He got as far as second, but time ran out and he was eight-car lengths behind the elated Hillberg at the checkered flag. Buena Park veteran Paul Krueger took third with Guy Maresch of Anaheim Hills fourth. Gabby Robles of San Jacinto had her CLS best ever finish by placing fifth.
2011 Rookie of the Year Steve Limon of Corona won the Oil Twins Amsoil Hard Charger award after coming from 17th to finish sixth in the main event.
Earlier in the program Bobby Michnowicz and Hillberg won the six lap heat races.
Hillberg entered the night with a two-point lead over Kevin Michnowicz in the championship standings. After becoming the third different CLS winner in four races this year, he now leads Michnowicz by 51-points. Maresch, who is third, has crept to within three points of Michnowicz. Gamer and Bissett round out the top five.
After taking this weekend off, the series will be in action in the CLS vs BCRA Civil War at Bakersfield Speedway on May 12th.
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 Results (with starting positions: 1. Dan Hillberg (8th), Stuart Hielscher Jr. (6th)., 3. Paul Krueger (10th), 4. Ryan Maresch (14th), 5. Gabby Robles (12th), 6. Steve Limon (17th), 7. Ryan Sherman (13th). 8. Zach Zauss (11th). 9. Donna Kotlinski (9th), 10. Bobby Michnowicz (2nd), 11. Kevin Michnowicz (7th), 12. Tim Brown (3rd), 13. Jim Squire (16th), 14. Dale Gamer (1st), 15. Damon Arnett (4th), 16. Alexander Bissett (5th), DNS: Tom Downing, Jeffrey Dyer
2012 California Lightning Sprint Car Points
1. Dan Hillberg – Placentia, CA – 498
2. Kevin Michnowicz – Lomita – 447
3. Guy Maresch – Anaheim Hills – 444
4. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 382
5. Alexander Bissett – Hemet – 374
6. Damon Arnett – San Diego – 361
7. Steve Limon – Corona – 359
8. Donna Kotlinski – Nuevo – 328
9. Zach Zauss – Corona – 324
10. Darren Hillberg – Corona – 315
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 – Rained Out
March 31 – Perris Auto Speedway – Stuart Hielscher Jr.
April 14 – Bakersfield Speedway – Rained Out
April 28 – Perris Auto Speedway – Dan Hillberg
May 12 – Bakersfield Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA
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 1 – Bakersfield 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