9.26.15 California Lightning Sprints Results
Just when you thought things may heat up in the California Lightning Sprint Car Series championship chase, Bobby Michnowicz did what he does best by sweeping the show setting fast time, winning his heat and the main event at the California Lightning Sprint Car Series race last Saturday at the Bakersfield Speedway. The win, which came just one week after he had one taken away for being to light at Perris Auto Speedway, was the Lomita veteran’s eighth win in 13 CLS starts this year. It also sewed up the “Civil War” championship title for the veteran racer.
An impressive 30-car field showed up for the “Civil War” finale at the track known as, “The West’s Fastest 1/3 Of A Mile High Banked Clay Oval In The West.” Fourteen racers represented the CLS portion of the field with the BCRA and a group of NMS racers who, traveled from Washington, comprising the remainder of the field.
Michnowicz started the night off when he out qualified the field with a lap of 12.915. Doug Nunes, who has two CLS wins this year, was second quick at 13.216. San Diego Chris Dickey, who would bow out of the night later after a spectacular engine fire in his heat race, was third fast qualifier with a time of 12.243. Madera’s Charlie Carracilo at 13.312 and Palcentia’s Dan Hillberg at 13.334 rounded out the top five.
Bobby Michnowicz and crew chief/wife Wendy after winning his eighth CLS main event and the Civil War Championship Saturday at Bakersfield. Please give photo credit to Paquet Photography.
With 30-cars vying to get into the main event, four heats and a B main were necessary to set the field for the 20-lapper. CLS drivers Michnowicz, Alex Grigoreas of Upland and Spring Valley’s Jarrett Kramer swept the wins in the first three heat races. Only Kiwi Alexander prevented a complete CLS sweep of the heats. Hillberg, who won the main event at Perris Auto Speedway the previous week, took the B-main event.
Despite an early bobble in the main event, Michnowicz came from his outside row four starting spot to post the hard fought win. Title contenders Grigoreas and Jeff Dyer of Fort Irwin may have been forces to deal with, but for the second race in a row, Dyer became a victim of yellow flags when he ran out of fuel. Grigoreas, who ran strong throughout the first half of the season had spark plug problems. It was the third time in the last four races that mechanical woes had bitten him.
When the checkered ended the race, Michnowicz had no room to spare as Nunes, who won at Bakersfield on April 25th, was only a car length behind. Madera’s Charlie Caraccilo was right behind Nunes and garnered his second CLS third place finish of 2015. Ripon’s Brian Corso, who is ranked second in BCRA points, was fourth followed by Washington’s Eric Turner. Hillberg, who started 17th and finished 7th, was the main event “Hard Charger.”
With his win and Grigoreas misfortune, Michnowicz put and an extra 84-points on his cushion and now leads by 192 heading into the final two races of the year. Dyer, Hillberg and Gamer remain third, fourth and fifth.
Chino’s Pat Kelley put some extra distance between himself and Torrance’s Jon Robertson in the “Rookie of the Year” battle. With two races to go, Kelley, who finished 17th in the main, now leads Robertson, who did not make the main, by 47-points.
In the Civil War Series standings, Michnowicz, who won both races this year, beat BCRA’s Scott Kinney by 35-points for the title. CLS drivers Hillberg, Dyer and Gamer closed out the top five.
Only two more dates remain on the 2015 CLS calendar. The series will make it final stop at Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway On October 17th and will then close out the season on November 21st at the Imperial Valley Raceway on the fairgrounds in El Centro.
Bakersfield Speedway Results (with starting positions)
1. Bobby Michnowicz (8th), 2. Doug Nunes (9th), 3. Charlie Caraccilo (6th), 4. Brian Corso (1st), 5. Eric Turner (12th), 6. Scott Kinney (7th), 7. Dan Hillberg (17th), 8. Jared Gunderson (4th), 9. Jarrett Kramer (11th), 10. Emily Lindgren (16th), 11. David Prickett (21st) 12. Dale Gamer (22nd), 13. Danika Jo Parker (18th), 14. Hunter Kinney (13th), 15. Jeff Dyer (2nd), 16. Kiwi Alexander (14th), 17. Pat Kelley (15th), 18. Seth Espy (5th), 19. Alex Grigoreas (10th), 20. Scott Males (20th), 21. Zack Zauss (19th), 22. Kyle Offill (3rd)
2015 CLS Point Standings
1. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 2495
2. Alex Grigoreas – Upland – 2303
3. Jeff Dyer – Fort Irwin – 2273
4. Dan Hillberg – Placentia – 2198
5. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 2007
6. James Heling – San Bernardino – 1928
7. Pat Kelley – Chino – 1910
8. Jon Robertson – Torrance – 1863
9. Don Kuener – Perris – 1529
10. Cori Andrews – Murrieta – 1186
2015 Civil War Series Final Points
1. Bobby Michnowicz – CLS – 240
2. Scott Kinney – BCRA – 205
3. Dan Hillberg – CLS – 181
4. Jeff Dyer – CLS – 154
5. Dale Gamer – CLS – 135
6. Zach Zauss – CLS – 128
7. Doug Nunes – BCRA – 108
8. Charlie Caraccilo – BCRA – 105
9. Brian Corso – BCRA – 97
10. Eric Turner – NMS – 93
If you or your company would like to become part of the series for the 2015 season, please call Bobby Michnowicz at: (310) 320-5569.
To keep up with the CLS on line, please visit the web site at: http://www.calightningsprints.com/index.html
2015 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 7: Imperial Valley Raceway (El Centro) 1/4 Mile – Bobby Michnowicz
March 21: Bakersfield Speedway 1/3 Mile – Bobby Michnowicz (Civil War CLS vs BCRA)
April 11: Ventura Raceway 1/5 Mile – Doug Nunes
April 25: Bakersfield Speedway 1/3 Mile – Doug Nunes
May 9: Santa Maria Raceway 1/4 Mile – Alex Grigoreas
May 23: Perris Auto Speedway 1/2 Mile (Salute To Indy) – Bobby Michnowicz
June 6: Ventura Raceway 1/5 Mile – Bobby Michnowicz
June 20: Bakersfield Speedway 1/3 Mile – Bobby Michnowicz
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway 1/2 Mile (Firecracker) – Jarrett Kramer
July 18: Ventura Raceway 1/5 Mile – Rained Out
August 1: Merced (Civil War CLS vs BCRA) – Canceled
August 15: Perris Auto Speedway 1/2 Mile – Bobby Michnowicz
August 29: Santa Maria Raceway 1/4 Mile – Bobby Michnowicz
September 19: Perris Auto Speedway 1/2 Mile – Dan Hillberg
September 26: Bakersfield Speedway 1/3 Mile (Civil War CLS vs BCRA) – Bobby Michnowicz
October 17: Ventura Raceway 1/5 Mile
November 21: Imperial Valley Raceway (El Centro) 1/4 Mile – TBD
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