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CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CARS
413 Saint Andrews Place
Placentia, CA 92870
(714) 719-0295
[email protected]
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Hillberg (714) 719-0295 or [email protected]
For Immediate Release
DEFENDING CHAMP KRAMER GETS 1ST 2011 LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR WIN!
(Placentia, CA, May 31, 2011) Jarrett Kramer, the 2010 California Lightning Sprint Car Series champion, finally shook the monkey off of his back and notched his first 2011 win in convincing style last Saturday night at Southern California's Home to Major League Sprint Car Racing, Perris Auto Speedway. The race featured 23 cars, the largest field of the season, and was witnessed by The PAS' biggest crowd of the year.
For the start of the 2011 season it has been one thing after the other for the 29-year-old from Spring Valley, California. Mechanical ills, completely missing a race and weighing light after an apparent win have been setbacks that marred the start of his campaign. However, Kramer, and crew chief and cousin Layton Kramer, "threw everything we had," at the car and it worked as the margin of victory was nearly a half straightaway on the famous Riverside County clay oval.
It did not take Kramer long to get to the front of the pack in the 20-lap main event. Starting on the outside of row two, he quickly shot to the low line and by the time the field roared into turn one, he was second behind pole sitter Dan Hillberg of Placentia. Going for the jugular early, Kramer wasted no time and took the lead from Hillberg on the next go around. For all intents and purposes, the race for the lead was over. Kramer, who finished second at the previous CLS race in Santa Maria, was never seriously challenged from that point on.
While Kramer seemed to effortlessly pull away from the field, a constant war raged for the final 18 laps for the second place spot. Hillberg held the spot until being passed by first year CLS driver John Sparland of San Marcos. The red flew for the first time when Oklahoma native Tobey Sampson and first time driver Russell Green of Anaheim got together on lap four with Sampson getting onto his side. Sampson got out uninjured, but his bright orange racer was to damaged to continue. Green restarted at the back.
Once the green flag came back out, Kramer again pulled away from the competition. Hillberg got back by Sparland for second on the restart and stayed there until series point lead Tim Brown of Wildomar, who started inside the fifth row, raced into the runner up spot on lap nine.
Things really starting heating up just after the halfway point. Lomita teenager Kevin Michnowicz, who had won three of his previous four starts in 2011 and who started ninth, was flying towards the front of filed and he had 15-year-old Carlsbad driver Jacob Will coming with him. Michnowicz passed Brown for second in turn three on lap eleven. Coming off turn four, Brown tried to return the favor, but got into the back of the 17-year-old's car and shot toward the inside wall. Brown bounced off the wall and miraculously kept on going straight. However, Michnowicz, Will and Hillberg all got past him.
Not long after Brown's great save, the race saw its most serious incident of the night. The #99 car of first time John Sims of Carlsbad came to a stop along the inside wall on the back straight. During the subsequent yellow, Green, still at speed, ran over the right rear wheel of another car and catapulted into a series of violent flips into the turn three billboards. Fortunately Green was not hurt, but the Dale Gamer owned racecar had extensive damage.
Like before, when the green flag came out for the restart, Kramer again showed that he was the class of the field and pulled away. Michnowicz stayed in the second place spot until Will raced inside of him at the white flag. That was as far as Will could get as one lap later he crossed the line a half straight behind the elated Kramer. Michnowicz stayed in third with Brown and Hillberg rounding out the top five.
Earlier in the evening, Will, Brown and Michnowicz captured the three six lap heat races.
Brown, who recorded his fifth top five finish in six 2011 starts, extended his lead in the championship standings to 49 points over Hillberg. While the two 50-year old plus drivers hold down the top two spots, they better not look over their shoulders as suddenly Will, who was back in his own car after three races in Seth Kramer's #12, has crept to within 16-points of Hillberg. Alexander Bissett, a Hemet resident who is only 16, is fourth in points. Dale Gamer of Anaheim rounds out the top five.
The CLS has this Saturday night off, but on June 11th, it will make its first ever appearance on the racy 1/3 of a mile Pick-A-Part Victorville Raceway Park clay oval.
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank 2011 series sponsors Christian Stover Foundation, Circle Track Performance, DJ Safety, Electro Tech Powder Coating, Elliott's Powder Coating, DK Machine and Fabrication, Hoosier Tires, Keizer Wheels, Performance by Rosson Racing, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Saldana Race Products and Sander Engineering. If you or your company would like to become part of the California Lightning Series for the 2011 season, please call Dan Hillberg at: (714) 719-0295
May 28, 2011 Perris Main Event Finishing Order: 1. Jarrett Kramer (Spring Valley, CA), 2. Jacob Will (Carlsbad, CA), 3. Kevin Michnowicz (Lomita, CA), 4. Tim Brown (Wildomar, CA), 5. Dan Hillberg (Placentia), 6. Guy Maresch (Anaheim Hills, CA), 7. Alexander Bissett (Hemet), 8. Stephen Limon (Corona), 9. Darren Hillberg (Corona, CA), 10. John Sparland (San Marcos, CA), 11. Paul Krueger (Buena Park), 12. Dale Gamer (Anaheim, CA), 13. Scotty Ashlock (Austin, CO), 14.Ryan Sherman (Lake Elsinore), 15. Dan Lancaster (Imperial Beach, CA), 16. Dawn Sparland (San Marcos), 17. JJ Bagwell (Vista, CA), 18. Donna Kotlinski (Nuevo, CA), 19. Chris Benker Spring Valley), 20. Russell Green (Anaheim), 21. John Simms (Vista, CA)., 22. Tobey Sampson (Torrance, CA), 23. Peter Benker (El Cajon)
2011 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. Tim Brown - Wildomar - 970
1. Dan Hillberg - Placentia - 921
3 Jacob Will - Carlsbad - 905
4. Alexander Bissett - Hemet - 868
5. Dale Gamer - Anaheim - 782
6. Paul Krueger - Buena Park - 748
7. Darren Hillberg - Corona - 745
8. Jarrett Kramer - Spring Valley - 740
9. Stephen Limon - Corona - 735
9. Kevin Michnowicz - Lomita - 735
2011 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 12 - Perris Auto Speedway - Kevin Michnowicz
April 2nd - Perris Auto Speedway - Kevin Michnowicz
April 16th - Ventura Raceway - Dan Hillberg
April 30th - Bakersfield Speedway - Bobby Michnowicz
May 14th - Santa Maria Speedway - Kevin Michnowicz
May 28th - Perris Auto Speedway - Jarrett Kramer
June 11th - Victorville Raceway Park
July 2nd - Perris Auto Speedway
July 23rd - Bakersfield Speedway
July 30th - Perris Auto Speedway
August 20th - Perris Auto Speedway
August 27th - Santa Maria Speedway
September 10th - Victorville Raceway Park
September 24th - Bakersfield Speedway
October 15th - Ventura Raceway
October 29th - Victorville Raceway Park
November 4th - Perris Auto Speedway
November 5th - Perris Auto Speedway
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 Ganson
2007 Shane Rosson
2008 Brent Sexton
2009 Stuart Hielcshier Sr.
2010 Jarrett Kramer
This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768. Please keep an eye out for our other clients: Perris Auto Speedway, "Dynamite" David Cardey, Greg Alexander and Justin Marvel in the RB Motorsports #1B and the Oil Twins Amsoil.
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