7.21.18 California Lightning Sprints Results
Kingsburg, California’s Doug Nunes topped the show in round #2 of the California Lightning Sprint Car Series/Bay Cities Racing Association “Civil War Series” last Saturday night at the Santa Maria Raceway. The veteran driver started the evening off by setting fast qualifying time and he ended the night with a win in the 25-lap main event.
Nunes started the night off by setting fast time when he toured the semi-banked clay oval with a lap of 14.312. That was quickest in the 25-car field for the only CLS race at Santa Maria in 2018. Oakdale’s Bradley Dillard was second quick when he timed in just a tick slower at 13.374 and Visalia’s Kiwi Alexander was third with a lap of 14.556.
Five-time CLS champion Bobby Michnowicz of Lomita and third year CLS drivers Eric Greco of Palmdale and Cody Nigh of Camarillo captured the heat races.
For the main event, second-year CLS driver Robb Pelmear of Ventura and Greco manned the front row. Dan Hillberg of Placentia and Chino’s Pat Kelley made up row two. The third row featured Michnowicz and Hunter Kinney who resides in Sacramento. Alexander and Nunes were in the fourth row.
Pelmear got an early jump on the original start and officials called it back. On the restart, something broke as he came down the front chute. That handed the initial lead to teenager Greco while Pelmear coasted into the infield with a very frustrating last place finish.
Greco and Chino’s Kelley manned the top two spots over the first two laps before the yellow waved on the third circuit when five-time champion Michnowicz stopped on the back chute. For the restart, the top five showed Greco at the point followed by Kelley, Kinney, Nunes and Alexander. Kinney took Kelley in turn one on the restart for second and one lap later Nunes, who had a nose wing that was standing straight up in the air, got past Kelley for third.
Greco had nearly a half straight lead by the end of the sixth circuit, but that lead shrunk in a hurry a lap later when he caught up to what would soon be lapped traffic. Kinney and Nunes closed the gap, but once the leader hit some clean air again, he opened up his advantage.
A yellow slowed the action once again on the 11th circuit when Lakeside rookie Dalton Sexton went around on the front straight. For the restart with 15 laps to go, Greco was still the race long leader with Nunes, who had gotten past Kinney for second, right on his tail. Kinney, Kelley and Alexander were third through fifth.
Greco and Nunes quickly pulled away from the pack and the kid held the racing grandfather at bay until lap 17 when Nunes raced past on the inside going into turn one.
A couple of laps later another yellow slowed the action, but there was no slowing Nunes. On the restart, he maintained his lofty position at the head of the pack. Alexander quickly relegated Greco to third, but there was no catching the leader and Nunes raced to the checkered flag to become the sixth different winner in eight CLS races in 2018. Alexander came across the line in second with series point leader Jarrett Kramer of Spring Valley third. Greco and Nigh rounded out the remainder of the top five.
Kramer continues his march to his second CLS championship and now leads second-place Aiden Lange of Lakewood by 129-points. Gardena teen Dominic Del Monte is third in the points with Nigh and two-time series champ Brent Sexton of Lakeside fourth and fifth.
In addition to leading the yearlong CLS standings, Kramer took over the lead in the “Civil War Series” points. He has a 13-point cushion over second place Nigh. BCRA’s Alexander is third with Nunes and Del Monte fourth and fifth. The “Civil War” series will conclude with two nights of racing at the Placerville Speedway on September 21st and 22nd.
Next up for the CLS will be the annual race at the Ventura County Fair next Wednesday, August 1st.
Santa Maria Main Event Finish (with starting positions)
1. Doug Nunes – Kingsburg – 8th
2. Kiwi Alexander – Visalia – 7th
3. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley – 13th
4. Eric Greco – Palmdale – 2nd
5. Cody Nigh – Camarillo – 10th
6. Brad Dillard – Oakdale – 12th
7. Aiden Lange – Lakewood – 15th
8. Pat Kelley – Chino – 4th
9. Danika’jo Parker – Oakdale – 20th
10. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena – 9th
11. Scott Kinney – Sacramento – 14th
12. Frank Ditmar – Lakewood – 18th
13. Hunter Kinney – Sacramento – 6th
14. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 22nd
15. Kyle Dodd – 23rd
16. Jeff Dyer – Bermuda Dunes – 16th
17. Grant Sexton – Lakeside – 11th
18. Dalton Sexton – Lakeside – 17th
19. Brent Sexton – Lakeside – 19th
20. Jon Robertson – Torrance – 21st
21. Dan Hillberg – Placentia – 3rd
22. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 5th
23. Robb Pelmear – Ventura – 1st
2018 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 1006
2. Aiden Lange – Lakewood, CA – 877
3. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena, CA – 844
4. Cody Nigh – Camarillo, CA – 825
5. Brent Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 799
6. Pat Kelley – Chino, CA – 745
7. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 640
8. Jeffrey Dyer – Bermuda Dunes, CA – 667
9. Eric Greco – Palmdale, CA – 663
10. Grant Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 567
2018 Civil War Standings (CLS vs BCRA)
1. Jarrett Kramer – CLS – 227
2. Cody Nigh – CLS – 214
3. Kiwi Alexander – BCRA – 199
4. Doug Nunes – CLS – 192
5. Dominic Del Monte – CLS – 175
6. Bobby Michnowicz – CLS – 174
7. Scott Kinney – BCRA – 156
8. Eric Greco – CLS – 155
8. Dan Hillberg – CLS – 155
10. Aiden Lange – CLS – 149
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 – Bruce Douglass
July 7 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Aiden Lange
July 21 – Santa Maria Raceway – Civil War vs BCRA – Doug Nunes
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.