|
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
DOUGLASS WINS LIGHTNING SPRINT CIVIL WAR RACE AT BAKERSFIELD!
(Torrance, CA, June 21, 2018) After a rather inauspicious start to the night, Ventura, California veteran Bruce Douglass put all the pieces together and won the opening round main event of the “Civil War Series” at the Bakersfield Speedway last Saturday. The series pits So Cal’s California Lightning Sprint Car Series vs Northern California’s Bay Cities Racing Association.
After qualifying 10th in the 29-car field and finishing fourth in his eight-lap heat race, Douglass was anything, but a favorite in the main event. However, misfortune for those who qualified faster than him in their heat races resulted in Douglass starting on the pole. Outside of him was five-time series champion Bobby Michnowicz of Lomita. The second row featured rookie Grant Sexton of Lakeside and Visalia’s Kiwi Alexander. The third row was made up of current CLS point leader Jarrett Kramer of Spring Valley and the night’s fastest qualifier Doug Nunes of Kingsburg.
As it was getting late, was very breezy and extremely cold, officials decided to cut the main to 20-laps instead of the originally announced 30. The wind had pulled most of the moisture out of the track and dictated how the race was going to be run. When the green flag opened the affair, Douglass wheeled the Lucas Oil/Fast Undercar/T Shirts By Timeless/Henchcraft 2000 Kawasaki ZX-12 #31 into the lead. Douglass took the car to the bottom and like most everyone else in the 22-car starting field, he kept it there due to the dry conditions. Over the first four circuits, the only pass and challenge of a pass in the top four came when Kramer took the third spot from Sexton.
Douglass reached the lap traffic at the end of the seventh circuit, but a lap later received a huge break when six cars, including third place Kramer, were involved in an incident coming out of turn four bringing out a yellow flag.
For the restart, 66-year-old Douglass had Michnowicz, two-time series champ Brent Sexton of Lakeside, Alexander and Placentia’s Dan Hillberg in tight formation behind him. Once the green flag flew, Michnowicz peeked around the outside of Douglass through turns one and two. He almost pulled even with the race-long leader, but by turn three he returned to the bottom and remained second. However, before the lap could be completed, former Speedway Motorcycle racer Brandon Leedy of Roseville stopped in turn two bringing out another yellow.
When the green light came back on this time, Michnowicz again tried to look outside of the leader. This one cost him as Alexander immediately sped into the hole he left open on the bottom. By the time Michnowicz’ foiled bid ended, he had to drop in behind Alexander in third.
By the end of the 12th-lap, Douglass had nearly a half straight advantage on the field. If the tire eating surface did not waste his right rear, Douglass had the win under lock and key. Alexander’s dream of a top two finish looked intact until turn two on the last lap when Michnowicz got into him. By the time the contact was done, Alexander was stopped off the track inside of turn two and there was no caution flag. Meanwhile, Douglass was cruising to the win and became the fifth different winner in six 2018 CLS races. Michnowicz finished second with Placentia’s Dan Hillberg third. Fourth spot and the “Italian Stallion Hard Charger” award went to Camarillo’s Cody Nigh who came all the way from 19th. Kramer, who had to come from the back after the early race stack up in turn four, rounded out the top five.
“Even a blind squirrel gets a nut every now and then, you probably know that,” Douglass said to announcer Brian Smith. “Get some of that rubber down and I love the bottom. Bobby knows that. We had a great time here tonight and look forward to coming back again.”
Earlier in the night, Nunes was fast qualifier with a lap of 13.569. Gardena’s Dominic Del Monte was second quick at 13.638 and Kramer was third with a lap of 13.783. Michnowicz, Kramer, Dalton Sexton of Lakeside and Lakewood’s Frank Ditmar won the four heats and Del Monte won the Semi.
Kramer came into the race with a 55-point lead in the standings and went out leading by 72 over Brent Sexton. Del Monte move from fifth to third in the standings. Aiden Lange of Lakewood and Nigh are fourth and fifth.
Grant Sexton took back the lead in the “Rookie of the Year” chase and now leads older brother Dalton by 16-points.
The CLS is off until it returns to its home track, the Ventura Raceway, on July 7th.
Saturday’s race was the first of four in the “Civil War Series.” Round two will take place at the Santa Maria Raceway on July 21st. The homefield advantage will switch to BCRA’s Placerville Speedway on September 21st and 22nd.
June 16 CLS Bakersfield Speedway Main Event Finish (with starting positions)
1. Bruce Douglass – Ventura, CA – 1st
2. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 2nd
3. Dan Hillberg – Placentia, CA – 9th
4. Cody Nigh – Camarillo, CA – 19th
5. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 5th
6. Brent Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 16th
7. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena, CA – 17th
8. Scott Kinney – Sacramento, CA – 15th
9. Jon Robertson – Torrance, CA – 13th
10. Hunter Kinney – Sacramento, CA – 18th
11. Kiwi Alexander – Visalia, CA – 4th
12. Grant Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 3rd
13. Frank Ditmar – Lakewood, CA – 14th
14. Danika Jo Parker – Oakdale, CA – 12th
15. Aiden Lange – Lakewood, CA – 7th
16. Terry Bergstrom – 20th
17. Dakota Albright – Waterford, CA – 11th
18. Doug Nunes – Kingsburg, CA – 6th
19. Brandon Leedy – Roseville, CA – 22nd
20. Pat Kelley – Chino, CA – 8th
21. Dalton Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 10th
22. Eric Greco – Palmdale, CA – 21st
2018 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA - 753
2. Brent Sexton – Lakeside, CA – 681
3. Dominic Del Monte – Gardena, CA - 641
4. Aiden Lange - Lakewood, CA – 636
5. Cody Nigh – Camarillo, CA - 592
6. Pat Kelley - Chino, CA – 568
7. Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita, CA – 548
8. Jeffrey Dyer – Bermuda Dunes, CA – 541
9. Grant Sexton – Lakeside, CA - 446
10. Eric Greco - Palmdale, CA – 432
2018 Civil War Standings (CLS vs BCRA)
1. Bobby Michnowicz – CLS – 135
2. Bruce Douglass – CLS – 132
3. Jarrett Kramer – CLS – 124
4. Dan Hillberg – CLS – 123
5. Cody Nigh – CLS – 114
6. Dominic Del Monte – CLS – 107
6. Brent Sexton – CLS – 107
8. Scott Kinney – BCRA – 97
9. Jon Robertson – CLS – 93
10. Kiwi Alexander – BCRA - 88
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
July 21 – Santa Maria Raceway – Civil War vs BCRA
August 1 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Ventura County Fair
August 18 – Perris Auto Speedway – USAC National – California Racer’s Hall of Fame Night
August 25 – Barona Speedway
September 8 – Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National
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]
|
