6.11.16 California Lightning Sprints Results
Madera’s Charlie Caraccilo became the second California Lightning Sprint Car Series multi-time winner of 2016 when he bested a 15-car main event last Saturday night at the Bakersfield Speedway.
The only blip on the screen for Caraccilo on the night came when he was second fast in qualifying with a lap of 13.526. Only three-time champion Bobby Michnowicz of Lomita stopped the clocks quicker on the 1/3 of a mile banked oval when he clocked in with a time of 13.291. Soon thereafter, Caraccilo and Michnowicz came back to win their respective eight-lap heat races.
For the main on the rough track, Caraccilo started fifth in his Jasper Engines & Transmissions/Sterling Auto Repair/Tom’s Truck Repair/Campus Automotive/Fast Line Cycles/DLX/06 Suzuki GSXR1000 #87. It did not take him long to get to the front. He got a great start and when rookie pole sitter Wyatt Downing of Lakewood gave him the inside line in turn two on the opening circuit, Caraccilo pounced on the opportunity and seized the point position.
Michnowicz, who missed the last race at Perris Auto Speedway due to engine issues two weeks earlier, took the second spot in turn one on lap two. A couple of laps later, Kingsburg’s Doug Nunes slid into third and got into a war with Michnowicz for second. The veteran duo put on a crowd pleasing show by swapping lines back and crossing under each other at sizzling speeds.
Nunes, who won his first CLS race of 2016 at the Perris event, finally shook off Michnowicz and headed straight for the leader. He became engaged in another torrid battle when he caught Caraccilo and he eventually relieved of the lead.
A lap nine restart saw Nunes at the point with Caraccilo in second. Coming into turn one on the tenth go around, Nunes got into the corner too hot, pushed up from the bottom line on the track allowing Caraccilo burst thru to take the lead back. From that point on, the battle for the lead was over as Caraccilo, who also won the last race at Bakersfield at the end of April, pulled away to nearly a half straight lead.
Caraccilo’s only issue late in the race was navigating the lapped traffic and he did so with no major issues and secured his second win of the season. Michnowicz chased down Nunes in the closing laps and they became embroiled in yet another war for the second time in the 20-lapper with Nunes holding the three-time champ at bay for the spot. Ventura’s Bruce Douglass raced home in fourth with points leader Alex Grigoreas fifth.
Coming from his eighth starting spot to finish second, Nunes was the main event “Hard Charger.”
Grigoreas came in with a 60-point lead in the championship standings and added a single digit to his cushion over Pat Kelley from Chino who finished seventh. San Bernardino’s James Heling, who finished 11th, is third. Corona’s Darren Hillberg and Anaheim’s Dale Gamer are fourth and fifth respectively.
Downing continues to lead the “Rookie of the Year,” point standings over Camarillo’s Cody Nigh and Aiden Lange of Lakewood. Nigh is 35-points out of the top spot while Lange trails the leader by 55.
The CLS 2016 season will reach the halfway point when it makes its second and final appearance of the year at Perris Auto Speedway on July 2nd. Joining the CLS on the card will be the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars and the PAS Senior & Young Gun Sprints. In addition to all of the open wheel racing, at intermission, the track will host what is annually known as the biggest and best fireworks show in Riverside County.
Bakersfield Main Event (with starting positions)
1. Charlie Caraccilo – Madera – 5th
2. Doug Nunes – Kingsburg – 8th
3. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 4th
4. Bruce Douglass – Ventura – 2nd
5. Alex Grigoreas – Upland – 9th
6. Cody Nigh – Camarillo – 3rd
7. Pat Kelley – Chino – 7th
8. Wyatt Downing – Lakewood – 1st
9. Jon Robertson – Torrance – 10th
10. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 15th
11. James Heling – San Bernardino – 12th
12. James Squire III – Lakeside – 14th
13. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley – 13th
14. Darren Hillberg – Corona – 6th
15. Aiden Lange – Lakewood – 11th
California Lightning Sprint Car Series Points
1. Alex Grigoreas – Upland 927
2. Pat Kelly – Chino – 866
3. James Heling – San Bernardino – 813
4. Darren Hillberg – Corona – 764
5. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 732
6. Jon Robertson – Torrance – 718
7. Jeff Dyer – Victorville – 704
8. Wyatt Downing – Lakewood – 657
9. Cody Nigh – Camarillo – 622
10. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 616
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank the following sponsors for helping make the 2016 season possible: Christian Stover Foundation, Circle Track Performance, Cold Fire West, DK Fabrication, Extreme Muffler, Fast Undercar, Hoosier Tire, Keizer Wheels, Lucas Oil, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Rosson Racing, Saldana Race Products, Sander Engineering, Speedmart, Speed Partz, Surf N’ Sprint, Super Shocks, T Shirts by Timeless, Woodland Auto Display
If you or your company would like to become part of the series for the 2016 season, please call Bobby Michnowicz at: (310) 320-5569.
To keep up with the CLS on line, please visit the web site at: http://www.calightningsprints.com/index.html
2016 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 5: Imperial Valley Raceway – El Centro, CA – Alex Grigoreas
March 19: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
April 2: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA – Alex Grigoreas
April 16: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA – Alex Grigoreas
April 30: Bakersfield Raceway – Bakersfield, CA – Charlie Caraccilo
May 14: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA – Pat Kelley
May 28: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute To Indy) – Doug Nunes
June 11: Bakersfield Raceway – Bakersfield, CA – Charlie Caraccilo
July 2: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Firecracker)
July 9: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
August 3: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA (Ventura County Fair)
August 20: Santa Maria Raceway – Santa Maria, CA
September 3: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA (BoD & General Membership Meeting)
September 17: Bakersfield Raceway – Bakersfield, CA
October 1: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
October 15: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
October 29: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
November 13: **General Membership Meeting / 2017 Rules Meeting
November 19: **Imperial Valley Raceway – El Centro, CA
———————————————–
**=Proposed Date.
This schedule is subject to change.
Civil War Dates TBD
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.