CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CARS
22126 South Vermont, Unit A
Torrance, CA 90502
(310) 320-5569
http://www.calightningsprints.com/
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Bobby Michnowicz (310) 320-5569
For Immediate Release
DYER WINS CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT MAIN – MICHNOWICZ WINS 4TH CHAMPIONSHIP!
(Torrance, CA, November 3, 2016) Victorville’s Jeff Dyer won the battle by notching his second California Lightning Sprint Car main event winof the season, but Lomita’s Bobby Michnowicz won the war when he sewed up his record breaking fourth series title last Saturday night at Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway. The race was the final of the year for the CLS.
Qualifying turned into a family affair for Michnowicz as his son Kevin turned in the fastest lap among the 23-cars at the finale with a time of 11.944. Michnowicz’ nephew, Cody Nigh of Camarillo, was second quick when he toured the seaside oval with a lap of 12.032. The soon to be four-time champ himself was third fast with a time of 12.176.
Heat races, as per usual, proceeded the main event. Dyer, Palmdale rookie Eric Greco and Chino’s Pat Kelley each won one of the eight lappers. For teenager Greco, who made his first ever start with the CLS at Ventura in July, it was his initial heat win with the club.
For the main event, Anaheim veteran Dale Gamer and Dyer comprised the first row. The second row was made up of Kelley and 2010 CLS champ Jarrett Kramer of Spring Valley. Placentia’s Dan Hillberg and 2013 BCRA “Rookie of the Year” Bradley Dillard of Oakdale sat in row three.
Dyer, who is currently attending the California Highway Patrol Academy in Sacramento and who commutes home to Victorville on the weekends, got a rocket start at the wave of the green flag to start the 25-lapper and led Gamer and Kramer into the first turn. The sometimes USAC/CRA driver immediately built a nice lead on the first circuit while Kramer moved into second before the end of the initial go around.
After an early yellow, Dyer had the wily veteran Kramer glued to his rear end for the restart. Kramer put all his years of experience to work and quickly knifed his way to the inside of Dyer and they battled side-by-side for the top spot for a full lap with Kramer leading at the end of the fourth circuit by a half car length. By the time they came off turn two on lap five, Dyer had fallen behind the new leader, but went to the outside heading down the back chute and by the time they came off turn four again, they were dead even. This time when they crossed the line Dyer had reclaimed the top spot by the thickness of a dime!
In what was shaping up as one of the best battles in the CLS all year long, Kramer had the bottom dialed in one and two and quickly shot back into the lead. However, Dyer was better through three and four and again reclaimed the top spot as they ended the sixth lap.
Dyer established about a one car length advantage as the lead duo hit lapped traffic on lap seven. After some early slicing and dicing through the initial lappers, things got serious for Dyer and Kramer when they hit a big pack of lapped cars on lap 10. Threading their way by the lappers allowed Madera’s Charlie Caraccilo, who has three CLS main event wins in 2016, and San Diego’s A.J. Bender to close in on the top two.
Finally, at the halfway point, Dyer got out of the big pack of lappers and pulled away from the field once again. Bobby Michnowicz, who started 10th, pulled into fourth when he went inside of Bender with 10-laps to go.
Dyer had advanced his lead to about five-car lengths once again, but things were not done yet. That old bugaboo named lapped traffic would rear its head again. As Dyer took the white flag, he was fast approaching four more lapped cars and with Kramer baring down on him, he could not relax. He got past the first two lappers fast enough, but in a role reversal from battle earlier in the race, Dyer found himself on the low line with Kramer outside. Kramer knew what he had to do and tried to drive around the outside of the leader coming off four and heading for the checkered. However, Dyer slid his #4 Dyer Motorsports/Glen Sels Engineering/Cold Fire West/Tshirts By Timeless/Team JSR/Hyper/2008 Suzuki GSXR 1000 up in front of Kramer for his second win of the year. Kramer was right on the winner’s bumper at the checkered with Caraccilo, Bobby Michnowicz and Bender rounding out the top five. Michnowicz was also the race “Hard Charger” after starting 10th.
Bobby Michnowicz fourth place finish, combined with San Bernardino’s James Heling finishing 15th, gave him his fourth championship in five years by 136-points. Rookie Nigh was third in the year long standings and only trailed Heling by 18-points. 2015 “Rookie of the Year” Kelley placed fourth with Lakewood rookie Aiden Lange rounding out the top five.
Nigh, who won the 2015 Open Class championship with the So Cal Oval Karters, won the “Rookie of Year Award.” Lange, who broke early in the season ending main, was second with Lakewood’s Wyatt Downing third.
The 2017 schedule will be announced soon after the conclusion of the exciting 2016 season.
Ventura Main Event (with starting positions)
1. Jeff Dyer – 2nd – Victorville
2. Jarrett Kramer – 4th – Spring Valley
3. Charlie Caraccilo – 5th – Madera
4. Bobby Michnowicz – 10th- Lomita
5. A.J. Bender – 9th – San Diego
6. Dan Hillberg – 7th – Placentia
7. Cody Nigh – 11th – Camarillo
8. Bruce Douglass – 8th – Ventura
9. Eric Greco – 15th – Palmdale
10. Pat Kelley – 3rd – Chino
11. Dale Gamer – 1st – Anaheim
12. Bradley Dillard – 6th – Oakdale
13. Danika Jo Parker – 13th – Oakdale
14. Zach Zauss – 19th – Murrieta
15. James Heling – 21st – San Bernardino
16. Jon Robertson – 20th – Torrance
17. Jon Simms – 23rd – Carlsbad
18. James Squire III – 14th – Lakeside
19. Jon Squire – 17th – El Cajon
20. Kevin Michnowicz – 12th – Lomita
21. Wyatt Downing – 18th – Lakewood
22. Aiden Lange – 16th - Lakewood
California Lightning Sprint Car Series Points
1. Bobby Michnowicz - Lomita - 1785
2. James Heling – San Bernardino - 1649
3. Cody Nigh – Camarillo – 1631 *
4. Pat Kelley – Chino - 1612
5. Aiden Lange - Lakewood – 1479 *
6. Dale Gamer – Anaheim - 1450
6. Jon Robertson – Torrance - 1417
8. Dan Hillberg - Placentia – 1282
9. Alex Grigoreas - Upland – 1276
10. Wyatt Downing - Lakewood – 1273 *
* Rookie
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank the following sponsors for helping make the 2016 season possible: Christian Stover Foundation, Circle Track Performance, Cold Fire West, DK Fabrication, Extreme Muffler, Fast Undercar, Hoosier Tire, Keizer Wheels, Lucas Oil, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Rosson Racing, Saldana Race Products, Sander Engineering, Speedmart, Speed Partz, Surf N’ Sprint, Super Shocks, T Shirts by Timeless, Woodland Auto Display.
If you or your company would like to become part of the series for the 2016 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
2016 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 5: Imperial Valley Raceway - El Centro, CA – Alex Grigoreas
March 19: Bakersfield Speedway - Bakersfield, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
April 2: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA – Alex Grigoreas
April 16: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA – Alex Grigoreas
April 30: Bakersfield Raceway - Bakersfield, CA – Charlie Caraccilo
May 14: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA – Pat Kelley
May 28: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Salute To Indy) – Doug Nunes
June 11: Bakersfield Raceway - Bakersfield, CA – Charlie Caraccilo
July 2: Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, CA (Firecracker) – Bobby Michnowicz
July 9: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA – Jeff Dyer
August 3: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
August 20: Santa Maria Raceway - Santa Maria, CA – Charlie Carracilo
September 3: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
September 17: Bakersfield Raceway - Bakersfield, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
October 1: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA – Bruce Douglass
October 15: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA – Bobby Michnowicz
October 29: Ventura Raceway - Ventura, CA – Jeff Dyer
November 13: **General Membership Meeting / 2017 Rules Meeting
-----------------------------------------------
**=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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