8.27.22 California Lightning Sprints Results
(Torrance, CA, August 31, 2022) Longtime veteran Bobby Michnowicz took the familiar road to the top step of the podium when he outdistanced the field in round #3 of the CLS vs BCRA Civil War Series at the Placerville Speedway last Saturday night. The win was the second of the year for the legendary racer.
Bobby Michnowicz after his Civil War Series win at Placerville.
Twenty-two cars showed up for the race on the famous red clay banked quarter mile on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. BCRA point leader Matt Land of Elk Grove kicked things off when he set fast time in West Evans Motor Sports Qualifying with a lap of 12.517. Last season’s CLS champion and current point leader David Gasper of Santa Barbara turned in the second best time with a 12.581. Longtime BCRA star Dakota Albright of Waterford was third quickest at 12.594.
Land kept his night perfect when he won the Extreme Muffler Heat #1 over Michnowicz, and Friday’s Chico winner Connor Spier of Fillmore. In Yoshimura R & D Heat Race #2, Livermore’s Greg Dennett gave BCRA two wins to start the night. Camarillo’s Cody Nigh placed second with Josef Ferolito of Modesto third. Albright gave BCRA a clean sweep of the heats when he topped Harley Aguilera of Orangevale and Palmdale’s Eric Greco in the Saldana Race Products third heat.
Nigh, who was looking for his first win of the season, was on the pole for the main with Yucca Valley’s Jeff Dyer alongside. Dennett was off the inside of row two for the 25-lapper with Oak Hills resident Michnowicz next to him. Albright and Land occupied row three.
Nice guy Nigh raced into the lead at the drop of the green and had Dyer, Michnowicz, Dennett and Land in pursuit. Nigh started to put some distance between himself and the pack on lap two while his uncle, Michnowicz, relegated Dyer to third in turn three on the same lap. Dyer spun in turn two on the third revolution on the famous oval. Land, with nowhere to go clobbered him and was then in turn hit by Ferolito. Land, who was working on a clean sweep, tipped over onto his right side. The red flag came out and while both were uninjured, the heavy damage their cars sustained knocked them out for the night.
On the restart, Nigh was at the point with Michnowicz in tow. Dyer, whose car took off again when Land hit him before the red flew, was third. Dennett and Albright were fourth and fifth. Spier, who was sixth, immediately raced by Albright and Dennett to move up to fourth. However, he was behind Dyer whose car was definitely feeling the effects of being part of the crash and was drastically slower. The California Highway Patrol officer called in a night after two more laps.
Michnowicz chased down his nephew on lap five and tried to sneak by on the inside in turn three. However, he caught a piece of the berm and bobbled allowing Nigh to stretch his lead out. Michnowicz turned the tables on Nigh when the latter drifted a little high off two on lap seven and tapped the rough stuff on the outside going down the back straight. The wily veteran seized the opportunity and flew by the race-long leader as they drove into turn three.
Michnowicz, who has been having an uncharacteristic season with only one win and several DNF’s, pulled away as soon as he commandeered the lead. When he caught the lapped traffic on lap 11, he was a full straightaway in front of his closest pursuer. Nigh was being pressured by Spier and Albright, but he eventually pulled away from them. Albright broke into the top three when he got by rookie Spier on the 16th go around but that was as far as he was going to get. When he raced under the checkers, ageless Michnowicz had a full straight lead over Nigh. Albright placed third with Spier fourth and Dennett fifth.
“It is nice to finally get a win and it is nice to see everybody here,” the happy winner told the fans. “The track was good and the car was good. It has been a long time and we have been in a slump, no doubt. I just kept looking down the front straightaway and counted down the laps, because when you have been snake bitten like we have been, you just know something is going to go wrong.”
Spier who started 10th and finished fourth was the race “Hard Charger” and picked up contingencies from Speed Mart, Advanced Racing Suspension and Hepfner Racing Products for the effort. Land picked up the Speed Mart “Hard Luck Award” and “Rockstar” Jon Robertson received the “First Car Not on the Lead Lap” contingencies from Rebel Gears.
Gasper remains in the CLS point lead and has a 36-point advantage over the new guy in second, Greco. Nigh moved up to third while Dyer slipped back to fourth. Placerville winner Michnowicz remained in fifth.
Will Browne maintains the lead in the Rookie of the Year chase. Spier is 22-points behind.
Going into the final Civil War Series race at the Bakersfield Speedway on September 24th, defending champ Gasper has a 31-point lead over Greco. Glendora’s Browne is third with Michnowicz and Nigh fourth and fifth.
The CLS returns to action on September 24th when it makes its only appearance of the year at the Lemoore Raceway.
West Evans Motorsports Qualifying: 1. Matt Land, 12.517; 2. David Gasper, 12.581; 3. Dakota Albright 12.594; 4. Will Browne, 12.604; 5. Josef Ferolito, 12.612; 6. Eric Greco, 12.644; 7. Bobby Michnowicz, 12.650; 8. Hunter Kinney, 12.665; 9. Brandon Leedy, 12.667; 10. Connor Spier, 12.676; 11. Cody Nigh, 12.742; 12. Harlee Aguilera, 12.778; 13. Nick Chivello, 12.823; 14. Greg Dennett, 12.851, 15. Jon Robertson, 13.017; 16. Cody Meyer, 13.019; 17. Kaden Ramos, 13.185; 18. Scott Kinney, 13.412; 19. Greg Meyers, 13.575; 20. Jaden Meyer, 13.725; 21. Danielle Clauson-Sevo, 14.473, 22. Jeff Dyer, 14.473
Extreme Muffler Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. Land; 2. Michnowicz; 3. Spier; 4. Dyer; 5. Browne; 6. Greg Meyers; 7. Cody Meyer
Yoshimura R & D Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. Dennett; 2. Nigh; 3. Ferolito; 4. Hunter Kinney; 5. Gasper; 6. Jayden Meyer
Saldana Race Products Heat 3: (8 laps): 1. Albright; 2. Aguilera; 3. Greco; 4. Leedy; 5. Robertson; 6. Clauson-Sevo; 7. Scott Kinney
Main Event with Distance Behind and Starting Positions (20 Laps)
1. Bobby Michnowicz, Oak Hills, CA, (4th)
2. Cody Nigh, Camarillo, CA, +4.942, (1st)
3. Dakota Albright, Waterford, CA, +6.011, (5th)
4. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA, +7.541, (10th)
5. Greg Dennett, Livermore, CA, +8.711, (3rd)
6. Hunter Kinney, Citrus Heights, CA, +9.243, (11th)
7. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA,+9.992, (9th)
8. David Gasper, Santa Barbara, CA,+10.375, (13th)
9. Will Browne, Glendora, CA, +11.208, (14th)
10. Harlee Aguilera, Orangevale, CA, +11.476, (7th)
11. Brandon Leedy, Placerville, CA,+13.148, (12th)
12. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA, +1 Lap, (16th)
13. Nick Chivello, Manteca, CA, +1 Lap, (19th)
14. Jayden Meyer, Placerville, CA, +1 Lap, (17th)
15. Danielle Clauson-Sevo, CA, +4 Laps, (21st)
16. Gage Myers, Placerville, CA, +11 Laps, (15th)
17. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, + 21 Laps, (2nd)
18. Matt Land, Elk Grove, CA, +23 Laps, (6th)
19. Josef Ferolito, Modesto, CA, +23 Laps, (8th)
20. Kaden Ramos, Cameron Park, CA, +24 Laps (20th)
21. Scott Kinney, Citrus Heights, CA, +25 Laps (18th)
DNS Cody Meyer
CLS Contingency Awards
Heat Race #1 – Extreme Muffler $50.00 Product Certificate – Matt Land
Heat Race #2 – Yoshimura R & D – $50.00 CSI Product Certificate – Greg Dennett
Heat Race #3 – Saldana Racing Products $50.00 Product Certificate – Dakota Albright
1st Place Main Event – Eibach Springs $100.00 Product Certificate – Bobby Michnowicz
2nd Place Main Event – Vahlco Wheels $50.00 Product Certificate – Cody Nigh
3rd Place Main Event – Jake Swanson Shock Technology $50 Product Certificate – Dakota Albright
4th Place Main Event – Hyper Chassis – $50 Product Certificate – Connor Spier
5th Place Main Event – Smith Titanium Product Certificate – Greg Dennett
10th Place Main Event – King Racing Products $25.00 Product Certificate – Harlee Aguilera
Fast Qualifier – West Evans Motorsports $25.00 Product Certificate – Matt Land
Hard Charger – Speed Mart $25.00 Product Certificate – Connor Spier
Hard Charger – Advanced Racing Suspension $50.00 Product Certificate – Connor Spier
Hard Charger – Hepfner Racing Products $25.00 Product Certificate – Connor Spier
Hard Luck Award – Speed Mart $25.00 Product Certificate – Matt Land
1st Car Not On The Lead Lap – Rebel Gears 30% Off Coupon – Jon Robertson
California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. David Gasper – 1526
2. Eric Greco – 1490
3. Cody Nigh – 1390
4. Jeff Dyer – 1389
5. Bobby Michnowicz – 1215
6. Will Browne – 1111
7. Connor Spier – 1089
8. Jon Robertson – 875
9. Pat Kelley – 847
10. Dominic Del Monte – 656
Civil War Series Point Standings
1. David Gasper – CLS – 375
2. Eric Greco – CLS – 344
3. Will Browne – CLS – 333
4. Bobby Michnowicz – CLS – 300
5. Cody Nigh – CLS – 299
6. Greg Dennett – BCRA – 282
7. Harlee Aguilera – BCRA – 263
8. Dakota Albright – BCRA – 244
9. Matt Land – BCRA – 239
10. Brandon Leedy – BCRA – 236
The following companies have become marketing partners with the CLS in 2022. They have offered up more than $13,000.00 in contingencies that will be awarded on top of the regular racing purses and they will be paid out throughout the year. Yoshimura R&D, Hoosier Tires West, T-Shirts By Timeless, Extreme Mufflers, Saldana Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Speed Mart, Cold Fire West, West Evens Motorsports, RC Fuel Injection, Jake Swanson Shock Technology, Advanced Racing Suspensions, CSI Shocks, Eibach Springs, Triple X Race Components, King Racing Products, Hyper Racing Products, Rebel Gears, Vahlco Wheels, Wilwood Disk Brakes, Fuel Safe Systems, MPI, Circle Track Performance, E-Z UP, Hepfner Racing, Smith Titanium, and Hoosier Speed.
If you or your company would like to become a partner of the longtime racing organization, contact Jon Robertson via email at mailto:jon.robertson@sbcglobal.net or by calling (310) 367-9050.
2022 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 25 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – Grant Sexton
April 2 Merced Speedway Non-Wing –– Civil War #1 – David Gasper
April 16 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – A.J. Bender
April 30 Ventura Raceway Winged (Make Up Main) David Gasper
April 30 Ventura Raceway Winged – Bobby Michnowicz
May 14 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – A.J. Bender
May 21 Ventura Raceway Winged – Eric Greco
June 11 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – David Gasper
June 25 Ventura Raceway Winged – David Gasper
July 9 Ventura Raceway Winged – David Gasper
July 23 Ventura Raceway Winged – Dave Gasper
August 6 *Santa Maria Raceway Winged – Brent Sexton
August 26 Silver Dollar Speedway Winged – Civil War #2 – Connor Spier
August 27 Placerville Speedway Winged – Civil War #3
Sept. 10 Lemoore Raceway Winged
Sept. 24 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – Civil War #4
October 8 Mohave Valley Raceway Winged – With SWLS
October 29 Ventura Raceway Winged
Nov. 15 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – With USAC Midgets – Civil War #5
Nov. 17 Placerville Speedway Non-Wing – With USAC Midgets – No Points
Nov. 18 Placerville Speedway Non-Wing – With USAC Midgets – No Points
Nov. 19 Placerville Speedway Non-Wing – With USAC Midgets – No Points
*Non Points Race
To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/ or on Facebook at 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, 2018 Jarrett Kramer, 2019 Jarrett Kramer, 2021 David Gasper