Two-time California Lightning Sprint Car Series champion Brent Sexton made a rare appearance to win the final race of the year during the running of the 15th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals at Perris Auto Speedway last Saturday night. Veteran Jarrett Kramer, who led the point standings for much of the year, won the season long war to capture the 2010 CLS championship.
Kramer, who lives in Spring Valley, came into the final night with a 46-point advantage over teenage sensation A.J. Bender. Normally that advantage would be enough for the title, but with double points up for grabs and a full field of 21 cars on hand, the championship would not be settled until starter Eddie Ramirez threw the checkered flag to end the eight month campaign.
When the 20-lap A main got underway before the second largest PAS crowd of 2010, Bender’s older sibling, Bobby, zoomed from the outside of row three to the lead on the first circuit. The 24-year old led the CLS with seven main event wins on the year and many thought the race was over at that point.
Through the first ten laps of the race, Bender advanced his lead and at one point was over a full straightaway ahead of his closest pursuer, but disaster struck when Tim Brown’s engine went up in a ball of flames on lap 11. That tightened up the field with Bender, Sexton, who is from Lakeside and who started 16th, and 16-year old Kevin Michnowicz, fighting for the top spot until another yellow slowed the field on lap 17.
When the green flag came back out, Bobby Bender’s car slowed and so did younger brother A.J.. Bobby had a plugged fuel filter and was done for the night while his 17-year-old brother knocked his car into neutral and lost several spots. That was all that Kramer needed to lock up his first ever CLS title.
Meanwhile at the front, Lomita’s Michnowicz tried to pry the lead away from Sexton, who was driving the car Stuart Hielscher Sr. drove to win the 2009 championship. The kid gave the two-time champion all he could handle, but Sexton prevailed and won by three car lengths. Michnowicz’ second place was his best yet in his half season in the CLS series. Hielscher Sr., who resides in Murrieta, took the third place spot with new champion Kramer fourth and rookie Peter Benker of El Cajon fifth.
Sexton, Kramer and A.J. Bender won the Friday night heat races.
Kramer had a 96-point advantage over A.J. Bender in the final season standings. Dan Hillberg of Placenta, Bobby Bender and Anaheim’s Dale Gamer rounded out the top five in the championship chase. Kramer became the 14th different champion in the 17-year history of the California Lightning Sprint Car Series.
During the two-day event it was announced that Dan Hillberg would be the new California Lightning Sprint Car Series president for the 2011 season. Tobey Sampson will be the new vice president and Bobby Michnowicz will be the secretary-treasurer.
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, Hoosier Tires and Accelerated Environmental Service. The club also picked an anonymous sponsor for the four Bakersfield races and would like to thank them as well. 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
1. Brent Sexton
2. Kevin Michnowicz
3. Stuart Hielscher Sr.
4. Jarrett Kramer
5. Peter Benker
6. Tim Moody
7. Jarrett Kramer
8. Dale Gamer
9. A.J. Bender
10. Alex Bissett
11. Karl Von Yokes
12. Scotty Ashlock
13. Jacob Will
14. Steve Limon
15. Guy Maresch
16. Mike Kotlinski
17. Bobby Bender
18. Dan Hillberg
19. Darren Hillberg
20. Ryan Sherman
21. Tim Brown
FINAL 2010 POINT STANDINGS
1. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 2403
2. A.J. Bender – Ramona, CA – 2307
3. Dan Hillberg – Placentia, CA – 1945
4. Bobby Bender – Ramona, CA – 1935
5. Dale Gamer – Anaheim, CA – 1884
6. Guy Maresch – Anaheim Hills, CA – 1827
7. Seth Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 1633
8. Peter Benker – El Cajon, CA – 1599
9. Robert Wilhelm – El Cajon, CA – 1247
10. Jacob Will – Carlsbad, CA – 1156
11. Karl Von Yokes – Lakeside, CA 1111
12. Alexander Bissett – Hemet, CA – 935
13. Darren Hillberg – Corona, CA – 874
14. Cory Ballard – Orange, CA – 837
15. Johnny Bluntach – Rowland Heights, CA – 749
16. Kevin Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 670
17. Tim Brown – Wildomar, CA – 635
18. Tim Moody – San Diego, CA – 599
19. Stuart Hielscher Sr. – Murrieta, CA – 556
20. Brent Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 542
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