7.28.12 California Lightning Sprints Results
Steve Limon, the 2004 California Lightning Sprint Car Rookie of the Year, scored his first CLS main event victory before a large crowd last Saturday night at Perris Auto Speedway.
Limon, who lives in nearby Corona, California, started the scheduled 20-lap main on the famous Riverside County clay oval on the pole. Just to his right was recent high school graduate Kevin Michnowicz and Bobby Michnowicz, Kevin’s father, was starting outside the second row. Since the Lomita based family team had won four of the first seven CLS main events of 2012 and Bobby had won the last two at The PAS, most in the crowd figured if they got out front the race would be over. They did get out front when starter Kevin Winters waved the green flag to start the race, but things did not turn out how everyone thought they would. The son was out first with his father in second and Limon occupying third.
Placentia veteran Dan Hillberg, who began the evening second in the championship point standings, encountered mechanical problems on the first lap and was done for the night. The issues proved costly as Hillberg fell from second to fifth in the tight standings.
The Michnowicz duo was having a good fight for the lead up front before the race was first slowed by a red flag when El Cajon’s Jon Squire flipped in turn one on the third circuit. Squire had a sore back, so officials made sure they took their time getting him out of the battered car. He eventually climbed out under his own power.
Once the green flag came back out, the Michnowicz pair continued to occupy the top two spots. Much to the surprise of many in the crowd, they were not streaking away from the field as usual. Limon, who spent 4 1/2 years in Iraq while serving in the United States Army, would not let them go. The new father stalked the lead duo until he split them in spectacular fashion and took the lead coming off turn two on the seventh lap.
The younger Michnowicz dropped out of the race soon after Limon took the lead. A yellow slowed the action on lap eight, but as soon as the green light came back on, Limon pulled away into a huge lead. On that same restart, Corona’s Darren Hillberg took the second spot from Bobby Michnowicz. The yellow flags kept coming and on a lap nine caution period, the elder Michnowicz joined his son as a retiree on the infield. The family reunions in the pits continued as Darren Hillberg, who was still in second, retired on the lap nine restart and joined his older brother on the sidelines.
A couple more yellow flags flew and track officials decided that due to time concerns, a green, white checkered would end the race six-laps early. As had been the case before on at the end of the last two cautions, Limon left the field and waltzed away for a half straightaway win. Point leader “Zoom Guy” Maresch of Anaheim Hills, came from his ninth starting spot to finish second behind Limon. Murrieta’s Zach Zauss scored his best ever CLS finish by taking third after starting 12. Lake Elsinore’s Ryan Sherman also posted his best CLS finish with a fourth. Dale Gamer of Anaheim rounded out the top five.
Iowa native Chance Sheffield, who is in the United States Army and stationed at Fort Irwin, made his first ever start in the CLS and collected the Oil Twins Amsoil Hard Charger Award with an eight place finish after starting 22nd.
A fine 22-car field featured three six lap heat races, which were won by Darren Hillberg, Bobby Michnowicz and 17-year-old Alexander Bissett of Hemet.
Limon’s win vaulted him from fourth to second in the championship point standings. Heading into the next race at Chris Kearn’s Santa Maria Speedway on August 11th, Maresch has an 82-point advantage over Limon as the series opens the second half of the campaign. Bobby Michnowicz is third, with Gamer moving up to fourth and Dan Hillberg dropping from second back to fifth.
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank 2012 series sponsors Christian Stover Foundation, Rod End Supply, Sander Engineering, Saldana Race Products, DK Machining and Fabrication, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Circle Track Performance, DJ Safety, Performance by Rosson Racing, Racing Optics, Electro Tech Powder Coating and Oil Twins Amsoil (Hard Charger Award at The PAS). If you or your company would like to become part of the California Lightning Series for the 2012 season, please call Dan Hillberg at: (714) 719-0295.
To keep up with the CLS on line, please visit the web site at: http://www.calightningsprints.com/index.html
Main Event Finishing Order With Starting Positions
1. Steve Limon (1st), 2. Guy Maresch (9th), 3. Zach Zauss (12th), 4. Ryan Sherman (10th), 5. Dale Gamer (5th), 6. Jim Squire (14th), 7. Donna Kotlinski (19th), 8. Chance Sheffield (22nd), 9. Jon Sims (17th), 10. Damon Arnett (7th), 11. James McCauley (11th), 12. Darren Hillberg (5th), 13. Bobby Michnowicz (4th), 14. Alexander Bissett (6th), 15. Dan Lancaster (16th), 16. Kevin Michnowicz (2nd), 17. Tom Downing (17th), 18. Jon Squire (15th). 19 Mel Murphy (18th). 20. Gabby Robles (13th), 21. Dan Hillberg (20th), 22. Jeff Dyer (3rd)
2012 California Lightning Sprint Car Points
1. Guy Maresch – Anaheim Hills – 980
2. Steve Limon – Corona – 898
3. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 861
4. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 850
5. Dan Hillberg – Placentia – 837
6. Darren Hillberg – Corona – 775
7. Damon Arnett – Corona – 758
8. Alexander Bissett – Hemet – 742
9. Zach Zauss – Murrieta – 740
10. Kevin Michnowicz – Lomita – 513
2012 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
February 25 – Perris Auto Speedway – Kevin Michnowicz
March 10 – Perris Auto Speedway – Kevin Michnowicz
March 17 – Bakersfield Speedway – Rained Out
March 31 – Perris Auto Speedway – Stuart Hielscher Jr.
April 14 – Bakersfield Speedway – Rained Out
April 28 – Perris Auto Speedway – Dan Hillberg
May 12 – Bakersfield Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA – Scott Kinney
May 26 – Perris Auto Speedway – Salute to Indy – Bobby Michnowicz
July 4 – Perris Auto Speedway – Fireworks Show – Bobby Michnowicz
July 28 – Perris Auto Speedway – Hall of Fame Night – Steve Limon
August 11 – Santa Maria Speedway
August 18 – Perris Auto Speedway
September 1 – Bakersfield Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA
September 15 – Perris Auto Speedway – Glenn Howard Memorial
September 22 – Ventura Raceway
September 20 – Bakersfield Speedway
November 2 – Perris Auto Speedway – Oval Nationals
November 3 – Perris Auto Speedway – Oval Nationals
TBA – Awards Banquet
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