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OR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bobby Michnowicz (310) 320-5569
CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CARS
22126 South Vermont, Unit A
Torrance, CA 90502
(310) 320-5569
http://www.calightningsprints.com/
For Immediate Release
HILLBERG PICKS UP SECOND WIN OF THE YEAR AT GLENN HOWARD CLASSIC!
(Torrance, CA, September 18, 2014) Longtime veteran Dan Hillberg became only the second driver in 2014 to win more than one main event in the California Lightning Sprint Car Series when he outdistanced the field in the Glenn Howard Classic last Saturday at Perris Auto Speedway.
The 20-lap main event got off to a rocky start for all three of the championship contenders. Bobby Michnowicz, who came into the night third in points and with a series leading five main events wins, became the first victim at the drop of the initial green. As the pack screamed into The PAS hybrid track, which uses turns one and two of the inner quarter mile track and turns three and four of the half mile, Michnowicz coasted silently into the first corner before coming to a stop off of turn two. Unknown at the time, the culprit was a bad crank trigger sensor and it spelled the end of the night for the 2012 champion.
On the second try, a multi-car pileup brought the proceedings to a stop before the field reached the second turn. Fort Irwin’s Jeff Dyer, who has led the points most of the campaign, had his throttle system was damaged and he was done for the night.
With those two out, it only left the second place car in the championship chase, San Diego’s Damon Arnett, on the track and he was poised to take full advantage of the opportunity offered. And, after the tangle the previous start, he was starting on the outside of the front row. The third time the green flew, Arnett jumped into the lead in front of Corona rookie Corey Hoover. A smooth run up front and Arnett was going to be the new point leader. However, it was not to be. When he got into turn three on the first lap, Arnett had about a three car length lead, but he spun in front of the entire pack! Amazingly he did a 360 and everyone missed him, but he went from the lead all the way back to eighth.
Arnett’s misfortune handed the leaded to the 2014 CLS Rookie point leader Hoover. The impressive teenage racer maintained the top spot until he bobbled in turn two on the 13th circuit. That is all the longtime veteran Hillberg was waiting for. He quickly pounced on the situation and put his bright yellow LMC/Decore Plating/Okie Race Cars/Doug’s Auto Body #10 into the top spot. Hoover quickly recovered from the bobble, but it was too late as wily veteran Hillberg was gone and parked in the CLS victory circle for the second time in 2014. Hoover was second about a half straight behind Hillberg, Anaheim Hills racer Guy Maresch, who has missed several races this year, came from ninth on the start to a season best third at the finish. Fourth spot went to Upland’s Alex Grigoreas who tipped over in the lap one tangle and had to restart at the back. Murrieta rookie Cori Andrews, who won a main on the same track back in May, finished fifth.
Maresch was the main event “Hard Charger” going from 9th on the start to his third place finish.
Earlier in the night, Michnowicz out qualified the 17-car field with a lap of 17:217. Hoover and fellow rookie Jeremy Queener won the two six lap heat races.
Arnett’s spin proved costly. He came in trailing Dyer by 36-points in the 2014 championship chase. Had he not spun on the first lap, he would have been the new point leader with four races to go. Instead, he is still second, but now only trails the leader by eight-points. Michnowicz is third with Hoover and Andrews rounding out the top five.
Hoover still leads the Rookie of the Year standings. Andrew is 29-points behind . Queener is third 70 behind the leader.
The CLS will be back in action as it visits the Bakersfield Speedway for the final time in 2014 on September 27th. It will also be the final round of the “North vs South Civil War Series” matching the CLS against Northern California’s BCRA.
There are two changes to the remaining CLS schedule. Instead of racing on the Friday and Saturday, November 7th & 8th, at the 19th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals Presented by All Coast Construction, the CLS will race on the Thursday and Friday, November 6th and 7th, portions of the show. The race on the 7th will now be the season finale for the CLS as the November 15th race at El Centro has been canceled due to another event on the Imperial County Fairgrounds.
PAS Main Event (with starting positions): 1. Dan Hillberg (6th), 2. Corey Hoover (3rd), 3. Guy Maresch (9th), 4. Alex Grigoreas (5th), 5. Cori Andrews (11th), 6. Damon Arnett (4th), 7. Dale Gamer (13th), 8. Zach Zauss (10th), 9. Tom Downing (14th), 10. Jeremy Queener (2nd), 11. Jon Squire 15th), 12. James Squire (13th), 13. Mike Kotlinski (1st), 14. Jeff Dyer (7th), 15. Bobby Michnowicz (8th)
California Lightning Sprint Car Series Pont Standings
1. Jeff Dyer - Fort Irwin - 1774
2. Damon Arnett - San Diego - 1766
3. Bobby Michnowicz - Lomita - 1700
4. Corey Hoover - Corona - 1617
5. Cori Andrews - Murrieta - 1588
6. Zach Zauss - Murrieta - 1584
7. Jeremy Queener - Torrance - 1547
8. Dale Gamer - Anaheim - 1451
9. Dan Hillberg - Placentia - 1320
10. Stephen Limon - Corona - 1293
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank series sponsors Performance by Rosson Racing, T Shirts by Timeless, Cold Fire West, Circle Track Performance, Extreme Mufflers, Racing Optics, Saldana Race Products, Keizer Wheels, Sander Engineering, Christian Stover Foundation, Hoosier Racing Tires, Drake Incorporated and DK Machine. If you or your company would like to become part of the California Lightning Series for the 2014 season, please call Bobby Michnowicz at: (310) 320-5569.
To keep up with the CLS on line, please visit the web site at: http://www.calightningsprints.com/index.html
You can also follow on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/calightning.sprints?fref=ts
2014 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 8: Imperial Fairgrounds Raceway - El Centro, CA - Bobby Michnowicz
March 15: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Sokola Shootout) - Jeff Dyer
March 29: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA - Dakota Albright
April 5: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA - Stephen Limon
April 19: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA - Dan Hillberg
May 3: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA - Bobby Michnowicz
May 10: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA - Bobby Michnowicz
May 24: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Salute To Indy) - Cori Andrews
June 14: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA - Bobby Michnowicz
July 4: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Firecracker) - Bobby Michnowicz
August 16: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (California Racers Hall of Fame Night) - Kevin Michnowicz
September 13: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Glenn Howard Classic) - Dan Hillberg
September 27: *Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA
October 18: *Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA
November 6: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
November 7: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Oval Nationals)
* = Co-Sanctioned Event With BCRA Midget Lites.
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
This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768
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