Heading into last weekend, veteran racer Bobby Michnowicz figured he would be spending Saturday night as crew chief for his son Kevin at the California Lightning Sprint Car race at Perris Auto Speedway. However, a phone call offering a ticket to the X-Games for the teenage racer changed everybody’s plans. Kevin went to X-Games and Bobby, instead of being a crew chief, drove the #21K to his 2011 series leading fourth main event win.
A Fine field of 22 CLS cars showed up for the series tenth race of the season. Defending series champion Jarrett Kramer of Spring Valley, John Sparland of San Marcos and Anaheim Hills’ Guy Maresch won the three heat races.
Lake Elsinore’s Ryan Sherman and Corona’s Darren Hillberg sat on the front row for the start of the main event with veteran Dan Lancaster of Imperial Beach and second in points Dan Hillberg in row two. Darren Hillberg, who won his first ever main event at the CLS last race at The PAS on July 2nd, grabbed the lead on the start, but before the opening lap ended, his older sibling, Dan, driving the Tobey Sampson owned bright orange #82, took the point. Michnowicz, who resides in Lomita and who opened the race inside the fourth row, passed five cars on the opening go round and was in second as they started the second circuit.
Michnowicz, the 1994 CRA champ, set his sights on the leader and by the end of lap three, he was all over the back of Hill berg’s car. Just like at Bakersfield the previous week, Michnowicz took the lead coming off turn two and the only thing standing between himself and the checkered flag was some upcoming lapped traffic, yellow flags and 16-laps of racing.
The first yellow of the main flew on lap five when Jon Sims stalled on the front straight. Once the green light came back on, Michnowicz quickly pulled away to a half straightaway lead. Another yellow came out on lap eight when Anaheim’s Dale Gamer and Buena Park’s Paul Krueger got together in turn four. The result was the same again at the front of the pack as Michnowicz pulled away. However, Kramer blasted by series point leader Tim Brown and Dan Hillberg for second.
Over the last half of the race, Michnowicz inched away to another half straight away lead and his fourth win of the year. Kramer finished second to Michnowicz for the second straight race. Brown, who comes from Wildomar to race, finished third. For Brown it was his ninth top five finish in 10 races in 2011. Placentia’s Dan Hillberg, who finished last in the Sampson car the week before in Bakersfield, took fourth with Sparland fifth.
Brown, who was racing with a heavy heart as his mother passed away earlier in the day, extended his commanding series point lead to 154-points over Dan Hillberg. Kramer, who is third, closed to within 59-points of Hillberg. Hemet teenager Alexander Bissett, who was making his first appearance in the Zach Zauss #29, finished eighth in the main and maintained his fourth place spot in the series standings. Gamer rounds out the top five.
The CLS takes a couple weeks off before returning to The PAS on August 20th followed by its final 2011 appearance at Chris Kearns’ Santa Maria Speedway on August 27th.
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank 2011 series sponsors Christian Stover Foundation, Circle Track Performance, DJ Safety, Electro Tech Powder Coating, Elliott’s Powder Coating, DK Machine and Fabrication, Hoosier Tires, Keizer Wheels, Performance by Rosson Racing, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Saldana Race Products and Sander Engineering. If you or your company would like to become part of the California Lightning Series for the 2011 season, please call Dan Hillberg at: (714) 719-0295.
Attached to this release is a photo of Bobby Michnowicz #21K taking the lead from Dan Hillberg in the main event. Media lease feel free to use this release and please give photo credit to Doug Allen.
To keep up with the CLS on line, please visit the web site at: http://www.calightningsprints.com/index.html
July 30 Main Event Finish: 1. Bobby Michnowicz (Lomita), 2. Jarrett Kramer (Spring Valley), .3 Tim Brown (Wildomar), 4. Dan Hillberg (Placentia), 5. John Sparland (San Marcos), 6. Peter Benker (El Cajon), 7. Guy Maresch (Anaheim Hills), 8. Alexander Bissett (Hemet), 9. Jim Squire (lakeside), 10. Dan Lancaster (Imperial Beach), 11. Jon Squire (El Cajon), 12. Ryan Sherman (Lake Elsinore), 13. Dawn Sparland (San Marcos), 14. JJ Bagwell, 15. Donna Kotlinski (Nuevo), 16. Robert Wilhelm (El Cajon), 17. Dale Gamer (Anaheim), 18. Paul Krueger (Buena Park), 19. Jon Simms (Carlsbad), 20. Tom Downing (Lakewood), 21. Darren Hillberg (Corona)
2011 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. Tim Brown – Wildomar – 1533
1. Dan Hillberg – Placentia – 1379
3 Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley – 1320
4. Alexander Bissett – Hemet – 1279
5. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 1214
6. Dan Lancaster – Imperial Beach – 1131
7. Paul Krueger – Buena Park – 1110
8. Darren Hillberg – Corona – 1091
9. Jacob Will – Carlsbad – 1065
10. Stephen Limon – Corona – 1048
2011 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 12 – Perris Auto Speedway – Kevin Michnowicz
April 2nd – Perris Auto Speedway – Kevin Michnowicz
April 16th – Ventura Raceway – Dan Hillberg
April 30th – Bakersfield Speedway – Bobby Michnowicz
May 14th – Santa Maria Speedway – Kevin Michnowicz
May 28th – Perris Auto Speedway – Jarrett Kramer
June 11th – Victorville Raceway Park – Bobby Michnowicz
July 2nd – Perris Auto Speedway – Darren Hillberg
July 23rd – Bakersfield Speedway – Bobby Michnowicz
July 30th – Perris Auto Speedway – Bobby Michnowicz
August 20th – Perris Auto Speedway
August 27th – Santa Maria Speedway
September 10th – Victorville Raceway Park
September 24th – Bakersfield Speedway
October 15th – Ventura Raceway
November 4th – Perris Auto Speedway
November 5th – Perris Auto Speedway
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 Ganson
2007 Shane Rosson
2008 Brent Sexton
2009 Stuart Hielcshier Sr.
2010 Jarrett Kramer