6.17.23 California Lightning Sprints Results
BOBBY MICHNOWICZ WINS BEST OF THE WEST MAIN EVENT AT VENTURA
(Torrance, CA, June 20, 2023) Put lightning sprint car legend Bobby Michnowicz on the pole and watch the rest of the field battle for the minor placings. That is exactly what happened when the California Lightning Sprint Car Series squared off with the POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints in round five of the “Best of the West” series last Saturday at Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway. The lightning portion of the program was part of the Wagsdash that also featured the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars. Thirty years ago, Michnowicz won the Wagsdash in his 410 sprint car. On Saturday, with his mom looking on from the grandstands, he did it again on the lightning sprint side of the show.
For the fifth time this year, Michnowicz, 59, started the show by besting the field in qualifying with a lap of 12.820. “Rockstar” Jon Robertson of Torrance turned in his best qualifying effort of 2023 when he was second fastest at 12.919. The third best in time trials was Michnowicz’s nephew Cody Nigh of Camarillo who stopped the clocks at 13.020. Palmdale’s Eric Greco, who is second in both the CLS and “Best of the West” standings, was fourth at 13.063, and Yucca Valley’s Jeff Dyer was fifth with a 13.071.
The only driver to defeat five-time CLS champion Michnowicz on the night was Dyer. The California Highway Patrol Officer led Michnowicz, and Nigh in a pursuit to the checkered flag in Racing Junk heat race #1. It was Dyer’s series-leading third heat race win of 2023. In Extreme Muffler heat race #2, it was Greco getting to the checkered first at the end of eight laps. Lakewood’s Aiden Lange and Lakeside’s Dalton Sexton finished in the place and show positions.
Much to the chagrin of the competition, Michnowicz was on the pole when the 12-car field rolled onto the track for the 25-lap main. Nigh of Camarillo, was alongside on the front row. Row two featured red-hot Dyer and Greco. The third row had Sexton, who was only making his fourth start of the season, and Robertson.
On the initial attempt to start the race, Michnowicz got a good start coming off turn four and led the field across the line. Unfortunately for him, officials thought it was too good of a start and called it back.
The second try to start the race got farther – well a little farther – but a turn-one tangle involving Robertson, Lange, Sexton and Seth Dyer stopped the action as fast as it started. Unfortunately, Robertson and Lange were done for the duration.
Everyone was hoping the third time to start the race would be the charm and it was. In fact, it went straight through to the checkered flag without another stop. Oak Hills Michnowicz raced into the lead for the third time when starter Kris Kornder waved the green to start the race. He was chased into turn one by Nigh, Jeff Dyer, Brent Sexton of Lakeside, and Greco.
There was no passing among the first five over the first three circuits. That changed on lap four when Greco took 2022 POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series Champion Brent Sexton for third. One lap later, Jeff Dyer, who was one of the few trying the top, shot around Nigh for second. By the time those passes were going on, Michnowicz had steered his powerful T Shirts By Timeless/Super Shox/Pflum & Wagner/Outlaw Wings/Fabozi Metal Works/Bondio Fab/Fast Time Studios/TJ Forged/DLX/Kawasaki ZX10 #21K to a half straightaway lead.
Michnowicz hit the lapped traffic on lap eight, but it failed to slow him down. Passing was at a premium in the main and everything remained status quo until the 14th go around when Greco, who has only finished out of the top five twice this year, took third from Nigh. Simultaneously on the night before Father’s Day, Dalton Sexton showed no love for his dad Brent in racing conditions when he passed him for fifth.
Michnowicz had built up such a huge lead that he seemed to back off the pace a bit over the final 10-laps. By the time the checkers ended the race, he was still far ahead of his pursuers. Dyer ended up second and was followed by Greco, Nigh and Dalton Sexton in the top five.
Pat Kelley of Chino moved up five spots to finish seventh and was the race “Hard Charger.”
After going winless in the first four races of the current campaign, Michnowicz has turned his fortunes around and has now won three of the last four. The veteran added 10 points to his lead over the ever-persistent Greco in the CLS championship standings. Dyer and Robertson are third and fourth. Fillmore’s Connor Speir, who left Saturday’s main at Ventura after only a handful of laps, is fifth.
After five of seven rounds of the “Best of the West” series, Michnowicz sits on top of that heap as well with the devilish total of 666 points. Greco is 64 points behind. Dyer is third. Brent Sexton, who was coming off a seventh-place finish in his first-ever USAC/CRA race the week before at Perris, is fourth. Speir, who debuted in a 360 car at Perris the week prior, is fifth in the “Best of the West.”
The CLS is now headed into a cushy portion of the schedule with only three races through September 9th. Up next will be a return trip to Ventura on July 8th. The race following that will be round #2 of the “Civil War Series” vs the Bay Cities Racing Association at the Johnny Key Classic at Watsonville’s Ocean Speedway on August 19th. The CLS will get another couple of weeks off before round three of the “Civil War Series” at Bakersfield on September 9th. Things will get very busy after that with seven races through mid-November.
The following companies are marketing partners with the CLS in 2023. Hoosier Tires West, T-Shirts By Timeless, Extreme Mufflers, RacingJunk.com, Advanced Racing Suspension, King Racing Products, BR Motorsports, EZ Up, RC Fuel Injection, and Triple X. If you or your company would like to be a marketing partner with the CLS, please contact Jon Robertson using the contact information at the top of this release.
To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/californialightningsprints
CLS Ventura Raceway June 17 Results
Qualifying: 1. Bobby Michnowicz, 12.820, 2. Jon Robertson, 12.919, 3. Cody Nigh, 13.020, 4. Eric Greco, 13.063, 5. Jeff Dyer, 13.071, 6. Dalton Sexton, 13.238, 7. Seth Dyer, 13.266, 8. Aiden Lange, 13.358, 9. Brent Horn, 13.494, 10. Brent Sexton, 13.574, 11. Connor Speir, 14.077, 12. Pat Kelley, 14.087, 13. Zate Legend, 15.464
Racing Junk Heat #1 (8 Laps): 1. Jeff Dyer, 2. Michnowicz, 3. Nigh, 4. Seth Dyer, 5, Speir, 6. Legend
Extreme Muffler Heat #2 (8 Laps):1. Greco, 2. Lange, 3. Dalton Sexton, 4. Robertson, 5. Brent Sexton, 6. Kelley
Bakersfield Main Event (25 Laps with starting positions and distance behind the leader)
1. Bobby Michnowicz, Oak Hills, CA (1st)
2. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA (3rd) … 3.955
3. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA (4th) … 5.882
4. Cody Nigh, Camarillo, CA (2nd) … 11.003
5. Dalton Sexton, Lakeside, CA (5th) … 11.515
6. Brent Sexton, Lakeside, CA (10th) … 12.287
7. Pat Kelley, Chino, CA, (12th) … 2 Laps
8. Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA (7th) … 3 Laos
9. Zate Legend, Riverside, CA (11th) … 3 Laps
10. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA (9th) … 22 Laps
11. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA (6th) … 25 Laps
12. Aiden Lange, Lakewood, CA (8th) … 25 Laps
Lap Leaders: Michnowicz 1-25
CLS June 3rd Contingency Awards
Racing Junk Heat Race #1 – Jeff Dyer
Extreme Muffler Heat Race #2 $50.00 Certificate – Eric Greco
BR Motorsports Main Event 2nd Place Finisher $25.00 Certificate – Jeff Dyer
King Motorsports Main Event 5th Place Finisher $25.00 Certificate – Dalton Sexton
Advanced Racing Suspension Hard Charger $50.00 Certificate – Pat Kelley
Additional 2023 Contingency Awards
Member: Extreme Muffler – 10% off purchase
Member: EZ UP – 30-40% Off Purchase
Member: RC Fuel Injection – 50% Off Products and Services to all race series participants
Series Champion: Triple X Racing Components – $500.00 off any chassis or chassis kit
2023 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. Bobby Michnowicz, Lomita, CA … 1013
2. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA … 950
3. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA … 861
4. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA … 749
5. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA … 662
6. Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA … 637
7. AJ Bender, San Diego, CA … 611
8. Brent Sexton, Lakeside, CA … 591
9. Pat Kelley, Chino, CA … 537
10. Aiden Lange, Lakeside, CA … 525
2023 CLS vs SWLS Best of the West Standings
1. Bobby Michnowicz, Lomita, CA, CLS … 666
2. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA, CLS … 602
3. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, CLS … 535
4. Brent Sexton, Lakeside, CA. SWLS … 490
5. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA, CLS … 447
5. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA, CLS … 447
7. Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, CLS … 438
8. Pat Kelley, Chino, CA, CLS … 403
9. Cody Griggs, Lakeside, CA, SWLS … 299
10. Robbie Brockman, El Cajon, CA, SWLS … 280
CLS vs BCRA Civil War Standings
1. Jeff Dyer, CLS … 135
2. Eric Greco, CLS … 130
3. Greg Dennett, BCRA … 125
4. Dakota Albright, BCRA … 118
5. Connor Speir, CLS … 105
6. Brent Sexton, CLS … 101
7. Josef Ferolito, BCRA … 96
8. Jon Robertson, CLS … 93
9. Aiden Lange, CLS … 88
10. Seth Dyer, CLS … 82
2023 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 10 Imperial Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #1 AJ Bender
March 11 Imperial Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #2 Braden Chiaramonte
March 18 Bakersfield Speedway CLS With USAC Western Midgets Rained Out
April 1 Mohave Valley Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #3 Brent Sexton
April 8 Bakersfield Speedway CLS AJ Bender
May 13 Ventura Raceway CLS With USAC 360 Sprint Cars Bobby Michnowicz
May 20 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #4 Bobby Michnowicz
June 3 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series Round” #1 Jeff Dyer
June 17 Ventura Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #5 Bobby Michnowicz
July 8 Ventura Raceway CLS
August 19 Ocean Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series” Round #2, Johnny Key Classic
September 9 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series” Round #3
September 23 Ventura Raceway CLS
October 7 Merced Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series” Round #4, Wayne Albright Memorial Non Wing
October 14 Mohave Valley Speedway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #6 With USAC/CRA Sprint Cars
October 28 Ventura Raceway CLS
November 14 Bakersfield Speedway CLS With USAC National Midgets
November 16 Placerville Speedway “Hangtown 100” No Points Non Wing
November 17 Placerville Speedway “Hangtown 100” No Points Non Wing
November 18 Placerville Speedway “Hangtown 100” No Points Non Wing
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, 2019 Jarrett Kramer, 2021 David Gasper, 2022 David Gasper
This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com