Corey Ballard became the third different California Lightning Sprint Car main event winner in four races in 2010 when he topped the field last Saturday night at the Ventura Raceway.
Ballard, the son of longtime First Division Speedway Motorcycle racer Jan Ballard, started on the pole and dominated the competition on the beach side 1/5 of a mile dirt oval for his second ever Lightning Sprint Car main event victory. The Orange, California drivers first win came last season at Chris Kearns’ Santa Maria Speedway. Karl Von Yolkes of Lakeview Terrace started third in the 15-car field and ended up with a Lightning Sprint Car career best second place finish behind Ballard. Third place went to series point leader Jarrett Kramer, of Spring Valley, who started 11th in the main. A.J. Bender or Ramona finished fourth with Dan Hillberg of Placentia, who has been racing open wheel cars for over 30 years, taking fifth. Impressive teenage rookie Jacob Will of Carlsbad came from 14th to finish sixth.
Ballard, Hillberg and Guy Maresch (Anaheim Hills) won the three heat races.
Jarrett Kramer, who has not finished farther back than fourth this far in 2010, continues to set the pace in the championship point standings and now has a 68-point advantage over second place A.J. Bender. Johnny Bluntach of Rowland Heights is third in the title chase. Bobby Bender, who has two wins in four races in 2010 and who became a victim of the two-spin rule at Ventura, is fourth. Spring Valley’s Seth Kramer sits fifth in points after a frustrating time at Ventura. Coming into Saturday’s Ventura race, Seth was second in points behind brother Jarrett, but engine problems put him on the trailer before the start of the main event.
The California Lightning Sprint Cars take this Saturday off before returning to the Bakersfield Speedway on May 1st. They head back to their home track, Perris Auto Speedway, two times in May. The first time will be May 8th and the second will be at the Annual Salute to Indy on May 29th. The series will make its second of three appearances at Ventura on June 5th.
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to acknowledge the following sponsors for making the 2010 campaign possible. The Christian Stover Foundation, Performance by Rosson Racing, BK Wings, Circle Track Performance and Hoosier Tires. Anyone wishing to come on board as a series sponsor can call Brent Sexton at: (619) 454-6945.
For more information on this Saturday’s race or the 2010 California Lightning Sprint Car Series, contact Brent Sexton ((619) 454-6945 or sextonfire@cox.net) or Scott Daloisio (909 226-7768 or sdaloisiosports@aol.com).
MAIN EVENT FINISH (with starting positions)
1. Corey Ballard (1st)
2. Karl Von Yolkes (3rd)
3. Jarrett Kramer (11th)
4. A.J. Bender (7th)
5. Dan Hillberg (5th)
6. Jacob Will (14th)
7. Guy Maresch (4th)
8. Johnny Bluntach (8th)
9. Chris Dickey (2nd)
10. Dale Gamer (6th)
11. Peter Benker (15th)
12. Robert Wilhelm (13th)
13. Alexander Bissett (12th)
14. Tony Stark (10th)
15. Bobby Bender (9th)
POINT STANDINGS
1. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 511
2. A.J. Bender – Ramona, CA – 443
3. Johnny Bluntach – Rowland Heights, CA – 434
4. Bobby Bender – Ramona, CA – 421
5. Seth Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 386
6. Dan Hillberg – Placentia, CA – 348
7. Dale Gamer – Anaheim, CA – 331
8. Guy Maresch – Anaheim Hills, CA – 328
9. Robert Wilhelm – El Cajon, CA – 325
9. Karl Von Yolkes – Lakeview Terrace, CA – 325
2010 CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
May 1st … Bakersfield Speedway
May 29th … Perris Auto Speedway
June 5th … Ventura Raceway
June 12th … Perris Auto Speedway
June 19th … Santa Maria Speedway
July 3rd … Perris Auto Speedway
July 24th … Perris Auto Speedway (1st Annual Christian Stover Memorial
July 31st … Bakersfield Speedway
August 14th … Perris Auto Speedway
August 28th … Perris Auto Speedway
September 11th … Ventura Raceway
September 25th … Bakersfield
October 2nd … Perris Auto Speedway
October 9th … Perris Auto Speedway (Southern California Fair)
November 5th & 6th … Perris Auto Speedway (Oval Nationals)
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 Hielshier Sr.
2010 Jarrett Kramer