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Topic: MICHNOWICZ TAKES LEAD ON CAUTION AND WINS 5TH LIGHTNING SPRINT MAIN OF 2017 Email this topic to a friend | Subscribe to this TopicReport this Topic to Moderator
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ScottDaloisio
August 31, 2017 at 05:30:54 PM
Joined: 11/14/2006
Posts: 3102
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CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CARS 

22126 South Vermont, Unit A

Torrance, CA 90502

(310) 320-5569

http://racecls.com/

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

For Immediate Release

MICHNOWICZ TAKES LEAD ON CAUTION AND WINS 5TH LIGHTNING SPRINT MAIN OF 2017!

(Torrance, CA, August 30, 2017) Four-time California Lightning Sprint Car Series Champion Bobby Michnowicz took the lead during a caution period in the CLS/USAC Lightning Sprint main event last Saturday night at Perris Auto Speedway and went on to his series leading fifth main event of the year.  The victory also capped off a clean sweep for the Lomita, California driver who was also fast qualifier on the night and who won his six-lap heat race.

For the start of the event, Lakewood teen Wyatt Downing was on the pole with Jeff “Ponch” Dyer of Bermuda Dune on his outside.  The second row was made up of another Lakewood teen, Aiden Lange, and Chris Dickey of Murrieta.  Strangely, none of those four would finish the 20-lap main event.  Behind the first four, current point leader and 2010 champ Jarrett Kramer of Spring Valley and Placentia’s Dan Hillberg manned row three with two-time CLS “King” Brent Sexton of Lakeside and Michnowicz in row four.

After a sloppy start was called back on the original go, Dyer took the lead over Downing and Dickey on the second try.  Not long thereafter Downing was the first to exit when he lost a clutch on the second lap and ended up with a disappointing 22nd place finish. 

Michnowicz, who won the other 2017 race at The PAS on Memorial Day weekend, broke into the top three on lap two and one lap later, he relegated Dickey back to the third spot. Then it was just up to him and chase down California Highway Patrol Officer Dyer who was setting a blistering pace and who had a sizable lead.

The first yellow in the main came when first year CLS driver James Turnbull spun in his pretty #2J and slid to a stop in turn four.  He was done for the duration with a broken starter.  That took Dyer’s big lead away, but he was not going to throw in the towel. 

Michnowicz attacked hard on the restart, but Dyer fought him off and built a small buffer between himself and his closest pursuer.  Things were looking like Dyer may have been the man to beat on the night.  However, he was one of the doomed top four starters.  On lap nine, Guy Maresch of Anaheim Hills came to a stop on the back straight after a bolt broke on the right-side bird cage and hit the brake rotor.  Unexpectedly on the caution, leader Dyer pulled into the infield.  Before the yellow, Dyer could smell water, but the temperature was good.  Once the yellow came out the temperature skyrocketed and he pulled it in to save the engine.  Turns out a small hole in the radiator allowed air to force all the water out.

If things were not already bad enough for Dyer, his brother, John Nelson of Norco, got upside down in turn one on the restart bringing out the yellow flag.  Nelson was not hurt and the car did not appear to be badly injured either, but there was enough damage for it to be done for the night.

From that point on, the handwriting was pretty much on the wall.  Michnowicz, in the Tshirts By Timeless/Pflum Wagner Racing/Fuel Safe Racing Cells/Cold Fire West/Fabozzi Metal Works/Outlaw Wings/Kaiser Wheels/Circle Track Performance/Super Shox/DLX 2011 Kawasaki ZX10, was in front for the restart with clear sailing ahead of him. 

Issues for the top four starters continued when Dickey and Lange touched wheels and Lange went around in turn three.  Not long after Dickey, who has two main event wins on the year, left the festivities with a broken fuel pump, thus sending the last of the first four starters back to the pits.

It was all Michnowicz to the finish and he won the race by a half straight over Sexton.  Kramer took the third-place spot with Hillberg and fast rookie Dominic Del Monte of Gardena rounding out the top five.

Palmdale’s Eric Greco, in his second year of CLS racing, was the main event “Hard Charger” coming from 20th at the start to finish seventh.

Before the main event, Michnowicz timed in fastest of the 23-cars on hand with a lap of 17.835.  Sexton was second quick in a car he is selling when he toured the famous Riverside County half-mile clay oval with a lap of 18.030.  Hillberg was third with a lap of 18.122.  Michnowicz, Lange and “Rockstar” Jon Robertson of Torrance won the three six-lap heat races.

Kramer’s third place finish combined with Lange’s hard luck allowed him to open a 117-point lead over the teenager in the championship standings.  Michnowicz is third and only trails Lange by three-markers.  Camarillo’s Cody Nigh, who blew an engine for the second race in a row, and Greco round out the top five.

This Saturday, September 2nd, CLS/USAC will be at the picturesque Ventura Raceway for the fourth time of the season.  Three different drivers, Michnowicz, A.J. Bender of San Diego and Charlie Caracillo of Madera, have won the first three.  The track is conveniently located just off the freeway on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 West Harbor Boulevard, Ventura, CA  93001.  The track phone number is (805) 648-RACE.

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 the 2017 season, 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/

Perris Auto Speedway Main Event (with finishing positions)

1. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 8th

2. Brent Sexton – Lakeside – 7th

3. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley – 5th

4. Dan Hillberg – Placentia – 6th

5. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena – 9th

6. Ken Coulston – Bermuda Dunes – 17th

7. Eric Greco – Palmdale – 20th

8. Dale Gamer – Anaheim – 11th

9. Pat Kelley – Chino – 16th

10. Jon Squire – El Cajon – 15th

11. Jon Robertson – Torrance – 10th

12. James Heling – San Bernardino – 18th

13. Frank Ditmar – Lakewood – 21st

14. Chris Dickey – Murrieta – 11th

15. James Squire III – Lakeside – 12th

16. Jeff Dyer – Bermuda Dunes – 2nd

17. Aiden Lange – Lakewood – 3rd

18. Guy Maresch – Anaheim Hills – 13th

19. John Nelson – Norco – 22nd

20. Mike Kotlinski – Nuevo – 19th

21. James Turnbull – Indio – 14th

22. Wyatt Downing – Lakewood – 2nd

 

California Lightning Sprints Championship Point Standings

1. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley – 1531

2. Aiden Lange - Lakewood – 1414

3. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita – 1403

4. Cody Nigh – Camarillo – 1259

5. Eric Greco - Palmdale - 1192

6. Chris Dickey - Murrieta – 1188

7. Brent Sexton - Lakewood - 1048

8. Dominic Del Monte - Gardena - 1088

9. Wyatt Downing Lakewood – 1003

10. Jon Robertson - Torrance – 907

 

2017 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule

 

March 11: Imperial Valley Raceway – California Midwinter Fair – Jarrett Kramer

March 12: Imperial Valley Raceway – California Midwinter Fair – Bobby Michnowicz

March 25: Bakersfield Speedway – Civil War with BCRA – Jarrett Kramer

April 8: Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Rained Out

April 22: Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National – Bobby Michnowicz

May 5: Silver Dollar Speedway – Civil War w/BCRA – Chris Dickey

May 6: Placerville Speedway – Civil War w/BCRA – Zach Keefe

May 27: Perris Auto Speedway – Salute to Indy - USAC National – Bobby Michnowicz

June 3: Ventura Raceway – USAC National – A.J. Bender

June 17: Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National – Charlie Caraccilo

June 24: Santa Maria Raceway – USAC National - Chris Dickey

July 8: Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Charlie Caraccilo

August 2: Ventura Raceway – Fair Race - USAC National – Bobby Michnowicz

August 26: Perris Auto Speedway– USAC National – Bobby Michnowicz

September 2: Ventura Raceway – USAC National

September 23: Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National

October 7: Ventura Raceway – Civil War w/BCRA

October 28: Ventura Raceway – USAC National

November 18: Bakersfield Speedway – Western States Lightning Championship USAC National

-----------------------------------------------
**=Proposed Date.
This schedule is subject to change. 
 

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

This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768






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