With his son off riding dirt bikes for the day, veteran driver Bobby Michnowicz jumped back into the black #21K and scored his series leading fifth victory of the 2011 season in the California Lightning Sprint Car Series last Saturday night at Victorville Raceway Park. Two spots behind the winner, Tim Brown took a giant step closer to the series championship with another top three finish.
Michnowicz, of Lomita, began in the seventh starting spot in the 20-lap main and quickly began knifing his way through the field on the rough, 1/3 of a mile clay oval. Defending series champion Jarrett Kramer of Spring Valley found his way to the point early on and kept his hopes of winning a second straight crown alive. Coming into the night second in points and trailing leader Brown by 171-points, Kramer needed the win and needed Brown to finish back in the field.
Driving the #1 at the head of the pack is a familiar sight and Kramer was poised to drive off for his third win of the season, but on lap five disaster struck when a valve on the intake broke and he was done for the night. That gave 1994 CRA champion Michnowicz the opportunity he was looking for and he drove to his fifth win of the season. Impressive rookie Stephon Limon posted a best ever CLS finish when he edged Brown for second. Fellow Corona resident Darren Hillberg continued his second half surge with a fourth place finish and climbed into the top five in points. Buena Park veteran Paul Krueger rounded out the top five.
After the checkered, Michnowicz commented on the race. “The track was really rough,” the veteran racer said. “But that is Ok. It makes it a driver’s track and I kind of like that.”
Brown, who lives in Wildomar, continued his amazing drive to the title with his third place finish. He now leads Kramer by a massive 223-points with only three point paying races to go in the 2011 campaign.
Before the main event, Brown and Michnowicz won the two heat races from outside front row starting spots.
This Saturday, September 24th, the CLS will make its final 2011 appearance at “The West’s Fastest 1/3 of a Mile High Banked Clay Oval,” Bakersfield Speedway. After that, they will wrap up the 2011 campaign with races at Ventura on October 15th and at the Ovals Nationals at Perris Auto Speedway the first weekend of November.
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.
To keep up with the CLS on line, please visit the web site at: http://www.calightningsprints.com/index.html
2011 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. Tim Brown – Wildomar – 1954
2. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley – 1731
3 Dan Hillberg – Placentia – 1639
4. Alexander Bissett – Hemet – 1628
5. Darren Hillberg – Corona – 1554
6. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 1542
7. Stephen Limon – Corona – 1489
8. Dan Lancaster – Imperial Beach – 1446
9. Paul Krueger – Buena Park – 1459
10. Guy Maresch – Anaheim Hills – 1393
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 – Jarrett Kramer
August 27th – Santa Maria Speedway – Tim Brown
September 17th – Victorville Raceway Park – Bobby Michnowicz
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