California Lightning Sprints
Home | Register | Contact | Verify Email | FAQ |
Blogs | Photo Gallery | Press Release | Results | HoseheadsClassifieds.com


Welcome Guest. Already registered? Please Login

 

Forum: California Lightning Sprints (go)
Moderators: CLS Dan  /  ljennings  /  smokinokie


Records per page
 
Topic: A.J. BENDER WINS LIGHTNING SPRINT RACE AT BAKERSFIELD!  Email this topic to a friend | Subscribe to this TopicReport this Topic to Moderator
Page 1 of 1   of  0 replies
ScottDaloisio
September 14, 2018 at 04:39:43 PM
Joined: 11/14/2006
Posts: 3102
Reply

CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CARS 

22126 South Vermont, Unit A

Torrance, CA 90502

(310) 320-5569

http://racecls.com/

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bobby Michnowicz (310) 320-5569

For Immediate Release

A.J. BENDER WINS LIGHTNING SPRINT RACE AT BAKERSFIELD! 

(Torrance, CA, September 13) With a night off from his regular racing gig in the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, San Diego, California’s A.J. Bender returned to his roots and survived a hard-fought battle to take home the trophy in the California Lightning Sprint Car main event at the Bakersfield Speedway.  In posting the win, the 25-year-old San Diego boat captain became the seventh different winner in the first 12 CLS races this year. 

If qualifications were any indication on what was to come, nobody would have given Bender much of a chance on the night as he timed in 13th fast in the 24-car field.  Gardena teenager Dominic Del Monte topped the qualifying charts when he toured the 1/3 of a mile-high banked clay oval in 13.178.  Five-time series champion Bobby Michnowicz of Lomita was second quick with a time of 13.236 and Visalia’s Kiwi Alexander was third when he stopped the clocks at 13.386.

Bender changed things up and began to look formidable when he won the first eight-lap heat race of the night.  Michnowicz and CLS rookie Kyle Dodd posted wins in the other two.

For the main, Bender was on the outside of the first row with Dodd starting to his left.  The second row featured Palmdale’s Eric Greco and 2018-point leader Jarrett Kramer of Spring Valley.  Lakeside’s Brent Sexton was on the inside of the third row with Kevin Michnowicz of Lomita, who was making his first appearance in over a year, on the outside. 

When the green flag started the 20-lap main, Bender blasted into the lead and led the first lap over Kramer and Brent Sexton who was in the #18 normally driven by his oldest son Dalton.  Kramer gave Bender all he could handle over the first four-laps as he tried to claw his way past on the inside.  On the fifth circuit, Kramer ventured to the cushion, but the first of two yellows in the race brought the proceedings to a halt.

For the restart, it was Bender at the point in the #91 followed by Kramer, Sexton, Kevin Michnowicz and Dodd. Once the green light was turned back on, Bender assumed his role at the front with Kramer right behind.  Kevin Michnowicz quickly advanced to third and Alexander raced into fifth.

Kramer ended his tenure in second when he raced around the outside of Bender for the lead on the sixth lap.  The lead duo immediately raced away from the pack and continued their private war for the top spot.  Kramer, who has two CLS wins on the year, held Bender at bay until the latter swept by on the outside coming off turn two on the 11th circuit to reclaim the lead.

The green light stayed on until lap 15 when Kevin Michnowicz went up in smoke ending his evening with a frustrating 18th place finish.  Before racing could get back underway, CLS officials penalized Alexander two spots for coming through the infield and back onto the track under green flag conditions.

Racing resumed with six laps to go and Bender established a commanding lead that he carried all the way to the checkered flag.  Kramer continued his championship caliber season by finishing second.  Bobby Michnowicz placed third followed by Alexander and Del Monte.

Lakewood’s Aiden Lange put memories of his rough month of August in the rear-view mirror and won the “Italian Stallion Hard Charger” award coming from 21st on the start to finish eighth.

Kramer’s second-place finish allowed him to increase his lead to 237-points over second place Cody Nigh of Camarillo, who finished sixth in the main, in the championship standings.  Sexton is third and is only eight-points behind Nigh.  Fast qualifier Del Monte is fourth and main event “Hard Charger” Lange is fifth.

The CLS is off this Saturday before venturing north to the Placerville Speedway for the final two rounds of the “Civil War Series” vs the BCRA on September 21st and 22nd.

Bakersfield Main Event (with starting positions)

1. A.J. Bender – San Diego, CA – 2nd

2. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 4th

3. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 10th

4. Kiwi Alexander – Visalia, CA – 9th

5. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena, CA – 13th

6. Cody Nigh – Camarillo, CA – 14th

7. Brent Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 5th

8. Aiden Lange – Lakewood, CA – 21st

9. Eric Greco – Palmdale, CA – 3rd

10. Kyle Dodd – 1st

11. James Turnbull – Indio, CA – 11th

12. Grant Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 17th

13. Robb Pelmear – Ventura, CA – 7th

14. Pat Kelley – Chino, CA – 20th

15. Frank Ditmar – Lakewood, CA – 23rd

16. Wink Schweitzer – Bakersfield, CA – 15th

17. Dale Gamer – Anaheim, CA – 18th

18. Kevin Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 6th

19. James Heling – San Bernardino, CA – 19th

20. Jon Robertson – Torrance, CA – 22nd

21. Dan Foster – Sacramento, CA – 16th

22. Donny Martin – Bakersfield, CA – 12th

23. Rex Jorn – Clovis, CA 24th

 

2018 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings

1. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA - 1517

2. Cody Nigh - Camarillo – 1280

3. Brent Sexton - Lakeside, CA – 1272

4. Dominic Del Monte - Gardena, CA – 1224

5. Aiden Lange - Lakewood, CA – 1200

6. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 1183

7. Eric Greco - Palmdale, CA – 1127

8. Pat Kelley - Chino, CA – 1060

9. Grant Sexton - Lakeside, CA – 956

10. Dale Gamer - Anaheim, CA – 854

 

2018 Civil War Standings (CLS vs BCRA)

1. Jarrett Kramer – CLS – 227

2. Cody Nigh – CLS – 214

3. Kiwi Alexander – BCRA – 199

4. Doug Nunes – CLS – 192

5. Dominic Del Monte – CLS – 175

6. Bobby Michnowicz – CLS – 174

7. Scott Kinney – BCRA – 156

8. Eric Greco – CLS – 155

8. Dan Hillberg – CLS – 155

10. Aiden Lange – CLS - 149

 

March 17 – Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National – Rained Out

March 24 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Rained Out

April 14 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Bobby Michnowicz

April 21 – Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National – Aiden Lange

May 5 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Aiden Lange

May 19th – Barona Speedway – Jim Squire Memorial – Cody Nigh

May 26 – Perris Auto Speedway – USAC National – Salute to Indy – Jarrett Kramer

June 16 – Bakersfield Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA – Bruce Douglass

July 7 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Aiden Lange

July 21 – Santa Maria Raceway – Civil War vs BCRA – Doug Nunes

August 1 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Ventura County Fair – Bobby Michnowicz

August 18 – Perris Auto Speedway – USAC National – California Racer’s Hall of Fame Night – Jarrett Kramer

August 25 – Barona Speedway – Bobby Michnowicz

September 8 – Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National – A.J. Bender

September 21 – Placerville Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA

September 22 – Placerville Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA

October 6 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National

October 20 – Barona Speedway

October 27 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National

November 17- Bakersfield Speedway USAC National with USAC National and Western Midgets

The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank the following sponsors for helping make the 2017 season possible: Christian Stover Foundation, Circle Track Performance, Cold Fire West, DK Fabrication, Extreme Muffler, Fast Undercar, Hoosier Tire, Keizer Wheels, Outlaw Wings, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Saldana Race Products, Sander Engineering, Speedmart, Speed Partz, Super Shocks, T Shirts by Timeless, Woodland Auto Display.

If you or your company would like to become part of the series for its historic 25th season in 2018, please call Bobby Michnowicz at (310) 320-5569.

To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/

Facebook 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

This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768 mailto:[email protected]

 

 






Post Reply
You must be logged in to Post a Message.
Not a member register Here.
Already registered? Please Login





If you have a website and would like to set up a forum here at HoseHeadForums.com
please contact us by using the contact link at the top of the page.

© 2024 HoseHeadForums.com Privacy Policy