5.26.18 California Lightning Sprints Results
2010 California Lightning Sprint Car Series champion and 2018 season point leader Jarrett Kramer scored his first win of the year when he bested the field in the “70th Anniversary Salute to Indy” at Perris Auto Speedway last Saturday night. In posting the win, Kramer became the fourth different winner in five CLS races in 2018.
Five-time series champion Bobby Michnowicz of Lomita, who has been plagued with problems the past three races, started the night off by posting the fastest qualifying time with a lap of 17.707 on the famous Riverside County half-mile oval. Second-year CLS driver Dominic Del Monte of Gardena was second fastest in qualifying when he toured the clay track in 17.840. Lakeside’s Brent Sexton, who came into the night second in the championship standings, timed in third quick at 17.919.
Spring Valley’s Jarrett Kramer races around the outside of “Rockstar” Jon Robertson of Torrance and #45 Cody Nigh of Camarillo at the Salute to Indy. Please give photo credit to Vane Ledgerwood.
Before the mains, the CLS contested three six-lap heat races. Lakeside’s Aiden Lange, who is the only driver in the series with two wins this year, captured the first one. Brent Sexton came home the winner in the second heat with his son Grant duplicating his “Pop’s” performance with a win in heat three.
Chino’s Pat Kelley, who was basking in the glory of his son hitting a homerun for the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league team in Altoona, Pennsylvania earlier in the day, was on the pole for the 20-lap main event. Palmdale teen Eric Greco joined him on the front row. Lange and Bermuda Dunes California Highway Patrol Officer Jeff Dyer made up row two. Kramer and Brent Sexton were side by side in the third row with Del Monte and Michnowicz slated to start in the fourth stanza. However, Michnowicz was having mechanical ills again. He elected to start at the back and was done before a lap was in the books.
The main started off in less than artistic style and was called back a couple of times for cars jumping and another for a multi-car tangle in turn one.
Once the race got underway, it was Kelley, who decades ago raced stock cars at Ascot, setting the pace in front of teens Greco and Lange. Dyer broke into the top three before the end of the first go around, but it was Kramer who stole everyone’s attention on lap two when he went from fourth to second. Dyer moved back into the top three on the third lap.
Kramer relegated Kelley back to the second-place spot when he went inside of him in turn one on the fourth circuit for the lead. Once out front, Kramer, who qualified fourth fastest and finished second in his heat, moved away from the competition. Brent Sexton and Lange both got by Kelley on lap seven and that put them in second and third, but they were a good distance behind the streaking #14.
Dalton Sexton, Brent’s other teenage son, had moved from his 13th place starting spot to fifth and was going forward fast. However, his night ended abruptly when he went up in a puff of smoke on lap 13. Three laps later, his father Brent met with a similar fate while running second. Combined with son Grant, who was knocked out in the first lap turn one tangle, it was a rough night for Sexton/Gatlin Racing.
Kramer, in the Malicious Liquids/Anarchist Mfg/Reber Reinforcing/Finest City Dog Training/Victory Graphix/BK Wings/Kramer Brothers Racing/DLX/Triple X/ Guhl 2016 Kawasaki ZX10, was destined for the victory only to have the action slowed by a yellow on the last lap when El Cajon’s Jon Squire came to a stop to avoid previous week’s winner Cody Nigh of Camarillo.
When Kevin Winter’s threw the green for the final time, Kramer inched away for his first win of 2018. Lange was a close second with Del Monte, Dyer and rookie Michael Tobiason of Ramona third through fifth.
In a strange twist, Indio’s James Turnbull, after only completing five-laps, was the main event “Hard Charger” finishing 13th after starting 21st. The strange situation came due to many of the cars being eliminated before the end of the first lap.
Kramer’s win parlayed with Brent Sexton’s hard luck has allowed the Spring Valley veteran to open a 55-point lead in the championship standings. Lange is third and is only 6-points behind Sexton. Dyer and Del Monte make up the remainder of the top five.
Things switched around in the “Rookie of the Year” battle with Dalton Sexton overtaking brother Grant. However, his advantage is only three points over his sibling.
The CLS is off the next two Saturday’s before contesting round #1 of the “Civil War” vs the BCRA on June 16th at the Bakersfield Speedway.
Salute to Indy Results (with starting positions)
1. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley – 5th
2. Aiden Lange – Lakewood – 3rd
3. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena – 7th
4. Jeff Dyer – Bermuda Dunes – 4th
5. Michael Tobiason – Ramona – 10th
6. Pat Kelley – Chino – 1st
7. Eric Greco – Palmdale – 2nd
8. Robb Pelmear – Ventura – 9th
9. Jon Squier – El Cajon – 11th
10. Cody Nigh – Camarillo – 14th
11. Brent Sexton – Lakeside – 6th
12. Dalton Sexton – Lakeside – 13th
13. James Turnbull – Indio – 21st
14. Jon Robertson – Torrance – 16th
15. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 8th
16. Grant Sexton – Lakeside – 12th
17. Wyatt Downing – Lakewood – 15th
18. James Squire III – Lakeside – 17th
19. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 18th
20. Frank Dirmar – Lakewood – 19th
21. James Weiland – Ramona – 20th
2018 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA 629
2. Brent Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 574
3. Aiden Lange – Lakewood, CA – 568
4. Jeff Dyer – Bermuda Dunes, CA – 541
5. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena, CA – 534
5. Pat Kelley – Chino, CA – 511
7. Cody Nigh – Camarillo, CA – 478
8. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 413
9. Eric Greco – Palmdale, CA – 382
10. Dalton Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 370
March 17 – Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National – Rained Out
March 24 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Rained Out
April 14 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Bobby Michnowicz
April 21 – Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National – Aiden Lange
May 5 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Aiden Lange
May 19th – Barona Speedway – Jim Squire Memorial – Cody Nigh
May 26 – Perris Auto Speedway – USAC National – Salute to Indy – Jarrett Kramer
June 16 – Bakersfield Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA
July 7 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National
July 21 – Santa Maria Raceway – Civil War vs BCRA
August 1 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Ventura County Fair
August 18 – Perris Auto Speedway – USAC National – California Racer’s Hall of Fame Night
August 25 – Barona Speedway
September 8 – Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National
September 21 – Placerville Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA
September 22 – Placerville Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA
October 6 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National
October 20 – Barona Speedway
October 27 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National
November 17- Bakersfield Speedway USAC National with USAC National and Western Midgets
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank the following sponsors for helping make the 2017 season possible: Christian Stover Foundation, Circle Track Performance, Cold Fire West, DK Fabrication, Extreme Muffler, Fast Undercar, Hoosier Tire, Keizer Wheels, Outlaw Wings, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Saldana Race Products, Sander Engineering, Speedmart, Speed Partz, Super Shocks, T Shirts by Timeless, Woodland Auto Display.
If you or your company would like to become part of the series for its historic 25th season in 2018, please call Bobby Michnowicz at (310) 320-5569.
To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/californialightningsprints/
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, 2014 Bobby Michnowicz, 2015 Bobby Michnowicz, 2016 Bobby Michnowicz, 2017 Bobby Michnowicz.