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BCRA’S HUNTER KINNEY DESTROYED THE COMPETITION TO WIN THE 2ND ROUND OF THE CIVIL WAR AT BAKERSFIELD

Bay Cities Racing Association regular Hunter Kinney destroyed the competition to win round #2 of the annual Civil War Series that matches the California Lightning Sprint Cars vs Northern California’s BCRA last Friday night at the Bakersfield Speedway. The Whitney, California driver swept the show by setting the fast time in qualifying, winning his heat, the dash, and leading all 25 laps in the main event.

An all-star field of 20 lightning sprint cars turned up for the night of competition that included a race featuring the legendary World of Outlaw Sprint Cars. Kinney started his night of domination when he steered Brian Fonseca’s Savage Racing, Red Hawk Resort & Casino, Diablo Competition, and Crutchfield Racing Engines #3F to the fastest time in qualifying with a 13.003. Six-time CLS champion and current point leader Bobby Michnowicz of Oak Hills turned in the second-best time at 13.065. Current BCRA point leader Greg Dennett of Livermore was third quick at 13.192. Fillmore’s Connor Speir, winner of the first round of the Civil War Series at Santa Maria on July 27th, had the fourth-best time at 13.260. Young Cody Benker of Alpine, who was making his first Bakersfield appearance, rounded out the top five at 13.284.

Kinney notched his first of three wins on the night when he outdistanced Camarillo’s Cody Nigh and California Highway Patrol Officer Jeff Dyer of Yucca Valley, who was making his first start since his nasty USAC/CRA crash, in the opening heat race. Palmdale’s Eric Greco, who entered the night 78 points behind leader Michnowicz in the CLS standings, captured the second heat race over three-time lightning sprint car champion Brent Sexton of Lakeside and Michnowicz. The final eight lapper went to BCRA regular Matt Land of Elk Grove. Bakersfield’s Leland Day and Dennett placed second and third.

Kinney, who finished third at Bakersfield on April 20th, made it three for three on the night when he came from the back to beat the competition in the dash. The finishing order of the six lapper determined the lineup of the first three rows of the 25-lap main. That meant that Kinney, much to the chagrin of the competition, would be on the pole. Alongside on the front row, he had Alpine’s Peter Benker. Veterans and point leaders in their respective series, Michnowicz and Dennett, would begin in row two, with Cody Benker and Speir in the third row.

Before the cars rolled out for the main event, the track crew worked on and watered the track. Because of that, CLS officials decided to let the cars buzz the wet stuff off the top before going green. Unfortunately, teenage racer Zate Legend of Riverside, who came into the night third in CLS points, got upside down in the brief session ending his night.

Once the race finally got rolling, what happened was predictable. Kinney got the jump on Michnowicz and Benker at the start. By the end of lap two, he was pulling away, and one lap later, he had a near half-straight advantage. The Northern Californian was hitting all of his marks and had a massive lead. However, that ended when Bakersfield’s Leland Day brought out the race's only yellow flag when he engaged one of the large tires on the edge of the track between turns one and two.

Kinney’s Massive advantage disappeared when the yellow came out. For the restart, CLS G.O.A.T., Michnowicz, was in second with Benker, third. Dennet and Nigh rounded out the top five. But that changed when Benker pulled into the infield and stopped during the yellow flag period. His retirement moved Dennett to third, Nigh to fourth, and Greco to fifth.

Once the green lights came back on at “The West’s Fastest 1/3 Mile High Banked Clay Oval,” Kinney continued his mastery over the field. He simply marched away once again. He and the other lead cars had to deal with heavy lapped traffic over the final half of the race, and miraculously, the race stayed green until the finish.

The late race excitement came from Nigh. The San Diego State graduate who placed second the last time the CLS raced on the card with the Outlaws at Bakersfield two years ago, was slicing and dicing his way forward. Late in the going, he caught up to Michnowicz and nearly stole second. However, he had to be content to finish third behind the long-gone Kinney, who gave car owner Fonseca his second CLS triumph of 2024, and Michnowicz. Greco, who started in seventh, finished fourth for the fourth straight time. Dennett rounded out the top five.

“Rockstar” Jon Robertson of Torrance was the main event “Hard Charger” moving up from 17th on the start to finish ninth.

Leader Speir’s advantage in the Civil War Series was slashed from 10 points to 5 going into the series finale at Merced on October 5th. Greco leapfrogged from fourth to second, and Michnowicz moved from ninth to third. Dennett, the only BCRA driver in the top 10, is fourth. Seth Dyer is fifth.

As soon as the main event was finished, a majority of the teams loaded up and headed straight for Saturday’s CLS race at the Ventura Raceway.

Bakersfield Speedway September 13th Results

Qualifying: 1. Hunter Kinney, 13.003; 2. Bobby Michnowicz, 13.065; 3. Greg Dennett, 13.192; 4. Connor Speir, 13.260; 5. Cody Benker, 13.284; 6. Peter Benker, 13.294; 7. Cody Nigh, 13.375; 8. Eric Greco, 13.384; 9. Zate Legend, 13.400; 10. Jeff Dyer, 13.411; 11. Brent Sexton, 13.463; 12. Matt Land, 13.531; 13. Leland Day, 13.669; 14. Pat Kelley, 13.704; 15. Clay Byers, 13.787; 16. Seth Dyer, 13.836; 17. Jon Robertson, 13.877; 18. Tatum Manu, 14.234; 19. Broedy Graham, 14.372; 20. Kelly Weitzel, 14.546

Heat 1 - 8 Laps: 1. Kinney, 2. Nigh, 3. J. Dyer, 4. Speir, 5. S. Dyer, 6. Day, 7. Graham

Heat 2 - 8 Laps: 1. Greco, 2. Sexton, 3. Michnowicz, 4. C. Benker, 5. Kelley, 6. Robertson, 7. Weitzel

Heat 3 - 8 Laps: 1. Land, 2. Day, 3. Dennett, 4. P. Benker, 5. Byers, 6. Manu

Dash - 6 Laps: 1. Kinney, 2. P. Benker, 3. Michnowicz, 4. Dennett, 5. C. Benker, 6. Speir

Main Event 25 Laps (with starting positions and distance behind)

1. Hunter Kinney, Sacramento, CA (1st)
2. Bobby Michnowicz, Oak Hills, CA (3rd) … 5.842
3. Cody Nigh, Camarillo, CA, (9th) … 6.728
4. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA, (7th) … 7.960
5. Greg Dennett, Livermore, CA (4th) … 8.685
6. Conner Speir, Fillmore, CA, (6th) … 10.039
7. Brent Sexton, Lakeside, CA, (12th) … 11.297
8. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, (11th) … 13.479
9. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA, (17th) … 14.414
10. Leland Day, Bakersfield, CA, (13th) … 1 Lap
11. Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, (16th) … 1 Lap
12. Clay Byers, Castaic, CA, (15th) … 1 Lap
13. Pat Kelley, Chino, CA, (14th) … 1 Lap
14. Matt Land, Elk Grove, CA (8th) … 1 Lap
15. Kelly Weitzel, El Cajon, CA (20th) … 2 Laps
16. Broedy Graham, Bakersfield, CA (19th) … 5 Laps
17. Peter Benker, Alpine, CA (2nd) … 17 Laps
18. Zate Legend, El Cajon, CA (10th) … DNS
19. Cody Benker, Alpine, CA (5th) … DNS
    DNS Tatum Manu

CLS vs BCRA Civil War Points

1. Connor Speir, CLS … 243
2. Eric Greco, CLS … 239
3. Bobby Michnowicz, CLS … 216
4. Greg Dennett BCRA … 198
5. Seth Dyer, CLS … 191
6. Jon Robertson, CLS … 183
7. Zate Legend, CLS … 181
8. Leland Day, CLS … 181
9. Pat Kelley, CLS … 163
10. Clay Byers, CLS … 159

2024 CLS Lap Leaders
Michnowicz, Bobby … 92
Speir, Connor … 33
Greco, Eric … 28
Dyer, Jeff … 25
Kinney, Hunter … 25
Dyer, Seth … 17
Lange, Aiden … 16
Bender, AJ … 15
Dyer, Seth … 9
Nigh, Cody … 4
Dennett, Greg … 1

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