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CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CARS
413 Saint Andrews Place
Placentia, CA 92870
(714) 719-0295
[email protected]
http://www.calightningsprints.com/
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Hillberg (714) 719-0295 or [email protected]
For Immediate Release
MICHNOWICZ WINS 5TH MAIN OF 2013 – LIMON EXTENDS POINT LEAD!
(Placentia, CA, August 20, 2013) Lomita, California veteran Bobby Michnowicz took the lead late in the race and went on to win his series leading California Light Sprint Car fifth main event of the year at the California Racer’s Hall of Fame Night at Perris Auto Speedway last Saturday night. While Michnowicz was winning the main, Corona’s Steve Limon added 51-points to his advantage over Dan Hillberg and now leads the championship standings by 76-points with only five races left in the season.
Michnowicz, nearly swept the show on Saturday as he out qualified the 14-car field with a fast lap of 17.759 around the famous Riverside County half-mile clay oval. The only blemish on his record for the night came when he was narrowly defeated by San Clemente’s Ronnie Hancock in their six-lap heat race. Second year driver Jeff Dyer of Silver Lake won the other heat.
Dyer was the show for most of the main event in front of the large Saturday crowd. Starting third in the 20-lap main event, the United States Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal’s expert found his way to the point position as the field screamed off turn two on the opening lap. Lakewood’s Tom Downing gave early chase to the leader until Placentia’s Hillberg relegated him to third on lap three.
Hillberg, who came into the night trailing Limon by 25 points, looked strong in his second place run and seemed prepared to hack some points off the leader’s advantage. That all went up in smoke when he coasted down the front chute on lap nine and turned into the pits done for the night with mechanical problems.
The beneficiary of Hillberg’s misfortune was Michnowicz who inherited second. He and Limon, who ran out of brakes around the halfway point of the race, set their sights on the leader. They were trading the 2nd spot back and forth and at the same time they were moving to within striking distance of leader Dyer who dealing with lapped cars who insisted on racing in front of him.
Disaster nearly struck on lap 16 when newcomer Chris Hoffman spun to a stop on the front straight. Dyer saw the stopped car and took evasive action in turn four and clipped the front end of Michnowicz. Michnowicz continued on while Dyer came to a stop. However, the yellow had already been out for Hoffman so Dyer got his spot back at the front of the pack for the restart. Likewise, Limon, who was second at the last completed lap, returned to that position with Michnowicz third.
As soon as the green light came back on, Michnowicz got past Limon and set his sights on Dyer and the lead. He found an opening on the inside line and relegated the longtime leader to second in turn one on the 17th lap. Once out front, the veteran racer streaked away to a comfortable lead. By the time the checkered flag ended the race, Michnowicz had nearly a half-straight advantage. Dyer held off the hard charging Limon for second with Corona’s Darren Hillberg fourth and the “Flying Jew,” Zach Zauss of Murrieta fifth.
Michnowicz also received the Oil Twins Amsoil Hard Charger Award for going from eighth to first in the main event.
Michnowicz, who won the 2013 championship, moved by Downing for third in the standings behind leader Limon and Hillberg. Downing is fourth, only two-points behind Michnowicz. Murrieta’s Zauss’ fifth place finish combined with San Diego’s Damon Arnett’s blown engine allowed him to take over sixth in points. Arnett is only four-points out of the top five.
The CLS gets a month off before returning to action at Perris at the Glenn Howard Memorial on September 14th.
For 2013, cars in the CLS will be carrying transponders and they will qualify at all events. The driver with the most fast qualifying times at the end of the season will win the “Cold Fire West Qualifying Championship” and will pocket an extra $500.00. Another new sponsor to the series this season is Extreme Muffler. They will sponsor the “Extreme Muffler Heat Race Championship” and the driver with the most heat race wins will collect a $500.00 check.
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank series sponsors Christian Stover Foundation, Rod End Supply, Cold Fire West, Sander Engineering, Saldana Race Products, DK Machining and Fabrication, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Circle Track Performance, Extreme Muffler, Performance by Rosson Racing, Electro Tech Powder Coating, Oil Twins Amsoil and Haul Ass Fuel. If you or your company would like to become part of the California Lightning Series for the 2013 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
Perris Auto Speedway Main Event (with finishing positions): 1. Bobby Michnowicz (8th), 2. Jeff Dyer (3rd) 3. Stephen Limon (7th), 4. Darren Hillberg (5th), 5. Zach Zauss (9th), 6. Tom Downing (1st), 7. Ronnie Hancock (6th), 8 James Quire III (10th), 9. Jon Squire (11th), 10. Damon Arnett (2nd), 11. Chris Hoffman (13th), 12. Dan Hillberg (4th), 13. Dale Gamer (12th)
2013 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Points
1. Steve Limon - Corona – 1997
2. Dan Hillberg – Placentia - 1921
3. Bobby Michnowicz - Lomita – 1696
4. Tom Downing – Lakewood – 1694
5. Zach Zauss – Murrieta – 1549
6. Damon Arnett – San Diego – 1545
7. Jeff Dyer - Silver Lake - 1507
8. Guy Maresch – Anaheim Hills – 1451
9. Dale Gamer - Anaheim – 1437
10. Darren Hillberg – Corona - 1203
2013 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 9 Perris Auto Speedway Winged – Dan Hillberg
March 16 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – King of California Mini Sprint Challenge – Bobby Michnowicz
March 30 Ventura Raceway Winged – Steve Limon
April 13 Perris Auto Speedway Winged – Jarrett Kramer
April 20 Bakersfield Speedway Non Wing – King of California Mini Sprint Challenge – Doug Nunes
April 27 Orange Show Stadium Winged – Bobby Michnowicz
May 11 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – King of California Mini Sprint Challenge – Bobby Michnowicz
May 25 Perris Auto Speedway Winged – Kevin Michnowicz
June 29 Orange Show Stadium Winged – Steve Limon
July 4 Perris Auto Speedway Winged – Bobby Michnowicz
August 10 Santa Maria Speedway Winged – Doug Nunes
August 17 Perris Auto Speedway Winged – Bobby Michnowicz
September 14 Perris Auto Speedway Winged
September 28 Bakersfield Speedway Winged
October 19 Ventura Raceway Winged
November 2 Perris Auto Speedway Winged
November 3 Perris Auto Speedway Winged
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
This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768
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