6.1.19 California Lightning Sprints Results
After Jarrett Kramer’s win last Saturday night in the POWRi Lucas Oil California Lightning Sprint Car Series main event at the Ventura Raceway, many of the championship contenders may be ruing the fact that the series still has five races at the track this year. Thus far in 2019, Kramer has won all three CLS races at the beachside oval and last Saturday night, he did it in convincing style leading every inch of the way.
Kramer’s commanding performance came after a disaster at the Barona Speedway two weeks earlier when he lost an engine in his own car. He then left the track to borrow another car, but only lasted two laps and finished dead last in the main event. To add to that weekend’s woes, the two-time and defending series champion also lost the point lead.
Twenty-three cars signed into the pits for the seventh race of the 2019 campaign. Jeff Dyer of Bermuda Dunes, who makes his living writing tickets to speeding drivers as a California Highway Patrol officer, was the speediest driver in qualifying with a lap of 11.911. James Turnbull, who resides near Dyer in Indio, was second quick with a time of 12.025. Third fastest was five-time series champion Bobby Michnowicz of Lomita who stopped the clocks at 12.031. Eventual winner Kramer was 11th fastest with a 12.232.
Teenage brothers Dalton and Grant Sexton of Lakeside took the wins in the first two heat races. Keeping a theme of San Diego County drivers in the heats, San Diego’s A.J. Bender, who tested the turn three billboards the last time the CLS was at Ventura, took the win in the third heat. Gardena’s Dominic Del Monte closed out the preliminaries with a win in the B main.
For the 25-lap finale, Kramer was on the pole in the Malicious Liquids/Anarchist Manufacturing/AK Hardparts/Reber Reber Inc./Finest City Dog Training/BK Wings/Guhl Motors/Victory Graphix/Kramer Brothers Racing/DLX/Kawasaki ZX10R #1. Camarillo’s Cody Nigh was on the outside of the front row. Row two was made up of Ramona’s Kyle Dodd and two-time series champion Brent Sexton of Lakeside. Kingsburg’s Doug Nunes, who came into the night second in points, and Michnowicz sat in row three. Turnbull and Dyer were in the fourth row.
After the original start was aborted when some cars in the middle of the pack tangled on lap-one, Kramer raced into the lead on the restart. Nunes steered his pretty white #7 into second on the opener and was chased by Nigh, Sexton and Michnowicz.
Nunes applied immense pressure on Kramer through the first four laps and kept looking for a way by on the outside. A yellow slowed the proceedings on the fifth lap. For the restart, the top five remained the same as they were on lap one. As soon as the green came back out, Nunes again started badgering Kramer for the lead, but the yellow reared its ugly head again two laps later.
The yellows were hindering what could be a great race, but finally, on the lap seven restart, the drivers were able to put some continuous laps in the books. And, they did not disappoint the fans in the grandstands. Like before, Nunes immediately put the pressure on leader Kramer, but this time as they pulled away, they had another car with them. Brent Sexton was giving chase and he was not far behind.
Fast qualifier Dyer, who was running just outside of the top five, saw his hopes of a top finish take a hit when he parked it big time in turn four on lap 10. By the time he recovered, he had lost seven spots.
By lap 11, Kramer and Nunes had pulled away from third place Brent Sexton. Nunes was still glued to Kramer’s rear end and was waiting for the slightest bobble from the leader. He tried to go around the race long pacesetter as they swept off turn four on lap 13. However, his left front made what seemed like minor contact with Kramer’s right rear. It was nothing out of the normal and nothing heavy, but Nunes car quickly slowed and eventually coasted to a stop in turn one. Even though the contact appeared insignificant, it was enough to knock his chain off and punt him out of the race. The on-track crew tried to get the chain back on Nunes’ car, but their efforts were in vane and for the second time in three races at Ventura this year, he would not be around for the checkered flag.
The restart with 11 laps remaining still had Kramer at the point. Nigh was second and was followed by Brent Sexton, Michnowicz and Bender. This time the Spring Valley based veteran walked away from the competition and quickly built up a huge lead. The race stayed green over the final 11 circuits and when it came to an end, Kramer had close to a full straightaway between himself and second place finisher Nigh. Running in traffic, Michnowicz got by Sexton for third in the final corner. Sexton hung on for fourth and Bender finished fifth.
Palmdale’s Eric Greco, who is fourth in points, was the main event “Hard Charger” finishing in ninth place after starting 17th.
“The guys, the competitors will probably say it is because we started on the front row,” Kramer told infield announcer Tami Velasquez after the race. “We have a new motor. We blew one two weeks ago and I lost the points lead. By the time we come out tonight, I do not want to hurt this motor, but come the main event, it is game time. Qualifying was little bad. Heat race got better and in the main event we were on fire. I love coming here and look forward to coming back.”
Kramer’s third victory of the year allowed him to forge ahead on the 2019 CLS main event win list. Coming into the night, he was tied with Michnowicz and Nunes with two triumphs apiece.
Going into the June 15th race at the Bakersfield Speedway, Michnowicz has a 21-point lead in the point standings over Kramer. Nunes slipped back to third with Greco fourth and Nigh fifth.
The POWRi Lucas Oil California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank the following sponsors for helping make the 2019 season possible: Lucas Oil, All Coast Construction, Christian Stover Foundation, Circle Track Performance, Cold Fire West, Fast Undercar, Hoosier Tire, Keizer Wheels, Outlaw Wings, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Speed Partz, Super Shocks, T Shirts by Timeless and Woodland Auto Display.
If you or your company would like to become part of the series for its 26th season in 2019, 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/
Ventura Raceway Results (with starting positions)
1. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 1st
2. Cody Nigh – Camarillo, CA – 2nd
3. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 6th
4. Brent Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 4th
5. A.J. Bender – San Diego, CA – 6th
6. Dalton Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 11th
7. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena, CA – 13th
8. Eric Greco – Palmdale, CA – 17th
9. Jon Robertson – Torrance, CA – 15th
10. Jeff Dyer – Bermuda Dunes, CA – 8th
11. Gage Cheek – Santa Clarita, CA – 14th
12. Robb Pelmear – Ventura, CA – 12th
13. James Heling – San Bernardino, CA – 18th
14. Jason Arnolde – San Diego, CA -16th
15. Frank Ditmar – Lakewood, CA – 19th
16. Grant Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 12th
17. Doug Nunes – Kingsburg, CA – 5th
18. Shane Sexton – 20th
19. James Turnbull – Indio, CA – 7th
20. Kyle Dodd – Ramona, CA – 3rd
2019 POWRi Lucas Oil California Lightning Sprint Cars Series Point Standings
1. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 864
2. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 843
3. Doug Nunes – Kingsburg, CA 793
4. Eric Greco – Palmdale, CA – 760
5. Cody Nigh – Camarillo, CA – 709
6. Jeff Dyer – Bermuda Dunes, CA – 669
6. Aiden Lange – Lakewood, CA – 669
8. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena, CA – 663
9. Dalton Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 644
10. A.J. Bender – San Diego, CA – 578
2019 POWRi Lucas Oil California Lightning Sprint Car Series
March 16 Bakersfield Speedway – Doug Nunes
March 23 Ventura Raceway – Jarrett Kramer
April 6 Barona Speedway – Doug Nunes
April 20 Bakersfield Speedway – Bobby Michnowicz
May 4 Ventura Raceway – Jarrett Kramer
May 18 Barona Speedway – Bobby Michnowicz
June 1 Ventura Raceway – Jarrett Kramer
June 15 Bakersfield Speedway
July 6 Ventura Raceway
July 27 Santa Maria Raceway
August 10 Barona Speedway
August 24 Ventura Raceway
September 7 Ventura Raceway
September 21 Bakersfield Speedway
October 5 Ventura Raceway
October 26 Ventura Raceway
November 17 Bakersfield Speedway
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, 2018 Jarrett Kramer