(DECEMBER 18, 2010, PLACENTIA, CA) While many in the racing community are taking time off for the holidays, the new trio at the helm of the California Lightning Sprint Car Series is hard at work preparing for the fast approaching 2011 campaign. Dan Hillberg, Tobey Sampson and Bobby Michnowicz are working feverishly as they try to bring the series back to its glorious past.
Hillberg, who resides in Placentia, California, Sampson, who makes his home in Torrance and Michnowicz, who lives in Lomita, have nearly 100 combined years of racing under their belts. They believe that experience will help them revive the CLS Series. Hillberg began his racing career with the USRC Midgets in the late 1970s. Sampson, a native of Oklahoma, began racing in the Sooner State before heading to Indiana to race and then ventured west to California. Michnowicz started racing as a child in ¼ Midgets, progressed to ¾ Midgets with the original NMRA and on to Sprint Cars where he won the last ever CRA championship in 1994. Hillberg will serve as president, Sampson is vice president and Michnowicz will be the secretary.
With the down turn in the economy, the CLS series, like all of racing, has faced significant challenges over the past few years including a declining car count. The powers that be hope to rectify that problem.
“We want to get the club back to the way it was a few years ago,” Hillberg said over the phone. “We want to increase the car count and we want everybody to have fun. The last two races after it was announced we were taking over, the car count did go up. We hope that continues throughout the 2011 season.”
The 2011 California Lightning Sprint Car Series schedule is nearing completion and will be released in the very near future. The club will officially release its brand new web site within the next few days. Renowned racing Webmaster Lance Jennings designed the exciting new site.
Born in 1994, the California Lightning Sprint Car Series has been a stepping-stone for many of the West Coast’s top open wheel stars including three-time USAC/CRA champion Mike Spencer, David Cardey, Greg Bragg and Darren Hagen to name just a few.
Anyone wishing to come on board as a series sponsor, racer or for general information can call or E-mail Dan Hillberg at (714) 719-0295 or CLS.Dan.Hillberg@gmail.com .
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 Hielshier Sr.
2010 Jarrett Kramer
