6.14.14 California Lightning Sprints Results
Lomita, California’s Bobby Michnowicz scored his series leading fourth main event win of 2014 when the California Lightning Sprint Car Series visited Perris Auto Speedway last Saturday night. The victory propelled the 2012 series champ from fifth to third in the championship standings.
Third year CLS driver Damon Arnett of San Diego got the early jump and led the first lap with pole sitter James Squire III of Lakeside initially in second . Squire stayed in the runner up spot until being passed by Michnowicz, who began the main on the inside of the third row, at the end of the first circuit. Less than a lap later, Michnowicz’ teenage son Kevin also got by Squire for third.
Bobby Michnowicz, in the TshirtsBy Timeless/Power Performance/Rosson Racing/Fabozi Metal Works /Kawasaki, quickly began to whittle away at Arnett’s lead. By the end of the fifth circuit, he pulled to the back of Arnett’s car and was poised to make a bid for the top spot. At the end of lap six, Michnowicz raced around Arnett’s black #24 car to take the lead and most thought the race for the top spot was over. That is, most, but not Arnett. Two turns later the lead duo encountered a lapped car. Michnowicz went high and Arnett went low to sandwich the lapper and Arnett was back in the lead less than a half of a lap after he lost the top spot.
When Arnett took the lead back, the crowd sat up and took notice. How did he do that and could he hold the past champion back to win his first ever CLS main event was the big question. A lap and a half later, Michnowicz answered the question when he passed Arnett for the lead on the exact same spot on the track as he did the first time.
Once he retook the lead, Michnowicz methodically pulled away from the second place car. By the time the Kevin Winters’ checkered flag ended the 20-lap main on the breezy night, Michnowicz was a full straightaway in front of the second place car. Arnett ended up in the middle of a Michnowicz sandwich at the finish with Kevin just inches behind him in third. Murrieta’s Cori Andrews, who won the last race at The PAS on May 24th, recorded her second straight top five finish when she finished fourth. Series point leader Jeff Dyer of Fort Irwin, who started on the outside of the second row and was shuffled back on the start trying to avoid another car, managed to fight his way back to fifth by the end.
Andrews began the evening when she out qualified the 12-car field with a lap of 17.379 in her black and fluorescent green #22. It was her first ever CLS fast time. Bobby Michnowicz and Dyer won the two six lap heat races and Bobby was also the race “Hard Charger” picking up four spots.
Dyer, a sergeant in the United States Army, still leads the point standings, but Arnett shaved eight points off his advantage and is now only 28 behind. Michnowicz jumped up to third with Corona drivers Cory Hoover and Stephen Limon rounding out the top five.
Despite having brake issues on the night, Hoover, who was second fast qualifier, maintains his lead in the Rookie of the Year standings over Andrews and Torrance racer Jeremy Queener. Andrews is 27-points behind the leader. Queener is 44-points behind Andrews.
A week after the May 24th race, London Ava Limon, the infant daughter of 2013 CLS champion Stephen Limon and his wife Melissa, passed away in her sleep. At intermission on Saturday, the CLS drivers went into the stands and collected more than $2,100.00 from the fans to help with London’s funeral expenses.
The California Lightning Sprint Cars return to action in one of the biggest shows of the year at Perris Auto Speedway on Friday, July 4th. Joining them on the night will be the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, PAS Senior Sprint Cars, PAS Young Gun Sprint Cars and the biggest & best fireworks show in Riverside County.
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank series sponsors Performance by Rosson Racing, T Shirts by Timeless, Cold Fire West, Circle Track Performance, Extreme Mufflers, Racing Optics, Saldana Race Products, Keizer Wheels, Sander Engineering, Christian Stover Foundation, Hoosier Racing Tires, Drake Incorporated and DK Machine. If you or your company would like to become part of the California Lightning Series for the 2014 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
You can also follow on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/calightning.sprints?fref=ts
Perris Main Event (with starting positions): 1. Bobby Michnowicz (5th), 2. Damon Arnett (3rd), 3. Kevin Michnowicz (7th), 4. Cori Andrews (7th), 5. Jeff Dyer (4rh), 6. Cory Hoover (9th), 7. Jeremy Queener (2nd), 8. Zach Zauss (6th), 9. James Squire III (1st), 10. Dale Gamer (10th), 11. Jon Squire (11th), 12. Tom Downing (12th), 13. Paul Benedeti (13th)
California Lightning Sprint Car Series Pont Standings
1. Jeff Dyer – Fort Irwin – 1453
2. Damon Arnett – San Diego – 1425
3. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 3333
4. Corey Hoover – Corona – 1306
5. Stephen Limon – Corona – 1293
6 Cori Andrews – Murrieta – 1279
7. Zach Zauss – Murrieta – 1273
8. Jeremy Queener – Torrance – 1235
9. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 1172
10. Robert Wilhelm – El Cajon – 1023
2014 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 8: Imperial Fairgrounds Raceway – El Centro, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
March 15: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Sokola Shootout) – Jeff Dyer
March 29: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA – Dakota Albright
April 5: Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA – Stephen Limon
April 19: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA – Dan Hillberg
May 3: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
May 10: Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
May 24: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Salute To Indy) – Cori Andrews
June 14: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Firecracker)
August 16: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night)
September 13: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic)
September 27: *Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA
October 18: *Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA
November 7: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 8: Perris Auto Speedway – Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 15: Imperial Fairgrounds Raceway – El Centro, CA
* = Co-Sanctioned Event With BCRA Midget Lites.
This schedule is subject to change.
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