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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 LAST LIGHTNING MAIN OF THE YEAR - BROWN WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP!
(Placentia, CA, November 9, 2011) Teenage sensation Kevin Michnowicz ended the season the same way as he started it when he won the California Lightning Sprint Car main event at the 16th Annual Budweiser Oval Nationals last Saturday night at Perris Auto Speedway. While Michnowicz won the battle, Wildomar, California veteran Tim Brown won the war when he was officially crowned 2011 CLS champion.
Twenty-seven cars jammed the pits for the final race of the year and a large crowd sat in the grandstands on the chilly November night. Michnowicz, a high-school student from Lomita, began the 20-lap main event outside row five in his mom and dad's #21K. Once starter Kevin Winters threw the green flag to begin the final race of the campaign, two-time series champion Brent Sexton of Lakeside grabbed the initial lead, but he was quickly passed before the end of the first circuit by Hemet teenager Alexander Bissett.
Veteran Dan Hillbeg of Placentia pushed his #10 all the way to the second place spot on lap two and stayed there until the fourth circuit when rookie of the year contender Stephen Limon of Corona got tagged by Spring Valley's Jarrett Kramer and flipped into the turn four wall. Fortunately Limon was uninjured, but his 2011 season was over. Before the race got the green flag again, Hillberg, who has had problem after problem in the second half of the season, was black flagged when his exhaust pipe came off.
Kramer, who started the season slow, but who came on strong the second half of the year, was fast and was slicing his way towards the front of the pack. He shot by Sexton for second on the restart and then took Bissett for the lead before the lap was over. While Kramer was taking to the lead, Michnowicz was methodically working his way towards the front of the pack and by the time race reached the midway point and Winters' crossed flags, he was up to second.
The final red flag of 2011 waved when Nuevo's Mike Kotlinski flipped on the front straight and came to rest under the starter's stand on lap 14. The veteran driver crawled from the car uninjured, but his car was finished for the night.
Once the race began again, it was all Michnowicz. He quickly passed Kramer and drove away to win by a half straightaway. Kramer held onto second and as soon as he got out of his car he apologized over the track PA to Limon for the tangle in turn four. Series champion Brown placed third with Northern California visitor Brian Corso fourth and Ramona's Bobby Bender, who started 15th, fifth.
Earlier in the night, Brown, Michnowicz and Corso won the six lap heat races.
The final tally shows that Brown won the championship by 208-points over Kramer. Bissett ended up third overall in the standings with Dan Hillberg fourth and Anaheim's Dale Gamer fifth. The top 20 in points can be found near the end of this release.
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 2012 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
Oval Nationals Main Event Finish (with starting spots).
1. Kevin Michnowicz (10th), 2. Jarrett Kramer (7th), 3. Tim Brown (11th),
4. Brian Corso (9th), 5. A.J. Bender (15th), 6. Alexander Bissett (3rd), 7. Darren Hillberg (18th), 8. Brent Sexton (2nd), 9. Dale Gamer (1st), 10. Guy Maresch (6th), 11. Paul Krueger (8th), 12. Dan Lancaster (16th), 13. Jon Squire (13th), 14. Donna Kotlinski (17th), 15. Damon Arnet (22nd), 16. John Simms (23rd), 17. James McCauley (26th), 18. Tom Downing (14th), 19. Mike Kotlinski (19th), 20. Jacob Rogers (25th), 21. Dan Hillberg (21st), 22. Stephen Limon (22nd), 23. Chris Watkins (24th), 24. Ryan Sherman (12th)
2011 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. Tim Brown - Wildomar - 2489
2. Jarrett Kramer - Spring Valley - 2281
3 Alexander Bissett - Hemet - 2143
4. Dan Hillberg - Placentia - 2008
5. Dale Gamer - Anaheim - 1975
6. Stephen Limon - Corona - 1917
7. Paul Krueger - Buena Park - 1909
8. Dan Lancaster - Imperial Beach - 1892
9. Guy Maresch - Anaheim Hills - 1847
10. Darren Hillberg - Corona - 1816
11. Bobby Michnowicz - Lomita - 1445
12. Dawn Sparland - San Marcos - 1233
13. John Sparland - San Marcos - 1139
14. Kevin Michnowicz - Lomita - 1110
15. Jacob Will - Carlsbad - 1065
16. Donna Kotlinski - Nuevo - 657
17. Jim Squire - Lakeside - 486
18. Tom Downing - Lakewood - 460
19. Gabby Robles - Nuevo - 449
20. Zach Zauss - Murrieta - 440
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 - Bobby Michnowicz
July 2nd - Perris Auto Speedway - Darren Hillberg
July 23rd - Bakersfield Speedway - Bobby Michnowicz
July 30th - Perris Auto Speedway - Bobby Michnowicz
August 20th - Perris Auto Speedway - Jarrett Kramer
August 27th - Santa Maria Speedway - Tim Brown
September 17th - Victorville Raceway Park - Bobby Michnowicz
September 24th - Bakersfield Speedway - Seth Kramer
October 15th - Ventura Raceway - Bobby Michnowicz
November 5th - Perris Auto Speedway - Kevin Michnowicz
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
2011 Tim Brown
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, Justin Marvel in the RB Motorsports #1B and the Oil Twins Amsoil.
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