(Torrance, CA, November 13, 2023) The California Lightning Sprint car series will conclude its 28th season this week with races at the Bakersfield Speedway and the Placerville Speedway. The 7th Annual Western States Lightning Sprint Car Championship presented by Channel Islands Floorcoverings will kick off the busy week at Bakersfield on Tuesday, November 14th. It will be the final points-paying race of the CLS season, and the finale of the CLS/POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints “Best of the West Series.” The CLS will then head north to close 2023 with Bay Cities Racing Association at the prestigious Hangtown 100 on Friday and Saturday, November 17th and 18th.
Heading into Saturday’s clash at Bakersfield, legendary Bobby Michnowicz is on the cusp of his historic sixth CLS championship. Going into the race on “The West’s Fastest 1/3-Mile High Banked Clay Oval,” the Oak Hills driver has a 111-point lead over Palmdale’s Eric Greco. With only 142 points available on the night, Michnowicz could see the championship decided before the main event.
Behind the lead duo, there will be a tremendous fight to the finish for third. Lakewood’s Aiden Lange is third coming into the battle on the famous Kern County clay oval. However, he is only 31 points ahead of “Rockstar” Jon Robertson of Torrance. If that is not tight enough, 2022 Rookie of the Year Connor Speir of Fillmore is just 25 points behind Robertson and 56 markers shy of Lange. Those three spots could be completely flip-flopped by night’s end.
In the Best of the West Series finale, the same two drivers are on top with Michnowicz again leading the way. Greco, a Glendale College first-year student, only trails Michnowicz in the BWS by 64 points. Yucca Valley’s Jeff Dyer is third with defending POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint champion Brent Sexton of Lakeside fourth. Speir is fifth.
The bad news for all of the competition is that Michnowicz has won three of the first six Western States Lightning Sprint Car Championships. Those three wins have come in the past four runnings of the event including last year’s edition. The good news for the competitors is the fact that he has only captured one of the four CLS main events at the “Okie Bowl” this year. Other Bakersfield victors in 2023 are San Diego’s AJ Bender, California Highway Patrol Officer Dyer, and Colorado’s Chris Crowder.
In addition to the regular purse, Channel Islands Floorcovering is guaranteeing the winner will take home more than $500.00 and all starters will get at least $100.00. In addition, there is $1,250.00 in lap money with $25.00 to the leader of each lap, $15.00 for the driver in second, and $10.00 for the third place racer. AG Sandcars/XXX Racing is paying $50.00 to the winner of heat #1. The winner of heat #2 will get $50.00 courtesy of T Shirts By Timeless. The heat three is going to pocket $50.00 from Iza.ini. Brent Horn’s Iron Alliance Engineering is rewarding the fastest qualifier with $100.00 and PJ Beneditti has $100.00 for the main event Hard Charger.
In addition to those titles being decided on Tuesday, the SWLS crown will be settled as well. Dyer has a comfortable 71-point lead over Sexton going into the closer. Threatening Sexton is Dyer’s 16-year-old son Seth. He is just 11 points behind Sexton. Last Saturday at Perris Jeff Dyer won the main event after both Sexton and Seth broke.
As well as the series regulars, another factor in Saturday’s show will be Brodey Graham. The 15-year-old high school football player shocked the CLS regulars when he jumped into a lightning sprint car for the first time and spanked the field in the main event at the Ventura Raceway on October 28th. On Tuesday, he will be heading straight from school to the cockpit of Mike Schweitzer’s #41B to try and make it two wins in a row.
In addition to the lightning sprints, the USAC National Midgets, and American Stocks will also be in action at Bakersfield. Spectator gates will open at 4:00 p.m. with racing at 6:00. Adult tickets are $20.00. Seniors 65 and over and military with proper ID get in for $18.00. Kids 6-12 are $10.00 and children 5 and under are free. Parking is free. The track is located at 5001 North Chester Ext. Ave., Bakersfield (93308). The track website is http://www.bakersfieldspeedway.com/ and the office phone number is (661) 393-3373.
After the show in Bakersfield, the CLS will head to Placerville to join the BCRA for the final two races of the 2023 season at the Hangtown 100. The two wingless races will be non-point shows for the CLS. Drivers AJ Bender and Grant Sexton gave the CLS a clean sweep when they won all three Hangtown events in 2022.
Gates at Placerville will open each day at 3:00 p.m. with racing at 6:00. As well as tickets being available at the track each day before the races, they can also be purchased in advance at the following link online https://www.placervillespeedway.com/. The track is located at 100 Placerville Drive, Placerville, California. The office phone number is (530) 344-7592.
The following companies are marketing partners with the CLS in 2023. Hoosier Tires West, T-Shirts By Timeless, Extreme Mufflers, RacingJunk.com, Advanced Racing Suspension, Channel Islands Floorcoverings, King Racing Products, BR Motorsports, EZ Up, RC Fuel Injection, and Triple X. If you or your company would like to be a marketing partner with the CLS, please contact Jon Robertson using the contact information at the top of this release.
To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/ or on.
2023 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
- Bobby Michnowicz, Lomita, CA … 1887
- Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA … 1776
- Aiden Lange, Lakewood, CA … 1380
- Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA … 1349
- Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA … 1324
- Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA … 1228
- Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA … 1055
- Cody Nigh, Camarillo, CA … 959
- Pat Kelley, Chino, CA … 835
- AJ Bender, San Diego, CA … 746
CLS vs BCRA Civil War Standings
- Greg Dennett, BCRA … 504
- Eric Greco, CLS … 485
- Bobby Michnowicz, CLS … 447
- Dakota Albright, BCRA … 441
- Aiden Lange, CLS … 430
- Chris Crowder, BCRA … 343
- Connor Speir, CLS … 327
- Jon Robertson, CLS … 272
- Leland Day, CLS … 245
- Seth Dyer, CLS … 243
2023 CLS vs SWLS Best of the West Standings
- Bobby Michnowicz, Lomita, CA, CLS … 666
- Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA, CLS … 602
- Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, CLS … 535
- Brent Sexton, Lakeside, CA. SWLS … 490
- Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA, CLS … 447
- Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA, CLS … 447
- Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, CLS … 438
- Pat Kelley, Chino, CA, CLS … 403
- Cody Griggs, Lakeside, CA, SWLS … 299
- Robbie Brockman, El Cajon, CA, SWLS … 280
2023 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 10 Imperial Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #1 AJ Bender
March 11 Imperial Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #2 Braden Chiaramonte
March 18 Bakersfield Speedway CLS With USAC Western Midgets Rained Out
April 1 Mohave Valley Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #3 Brent Sexton
April 8 Bakersfield Speedway CLS AJ Bender
May 13 Ventura Raceway CLS With USAC 360 Sprint Cars Bobby Michnowicz
May 20 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #4 Bobby Michnowicz
June 3 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series Round” #1 Jeff Dyer
June 17 Ventura Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #5 Bobby Michnowicz
July 8 Ventura Raceway CLS Bobby Michnowicz
August 19 Ocean Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series Round” #2 Chris Crowder
September 9 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series” Round #3 Chris Crowder
September 23 Ventura Raceway CLS Aiden Lange
September 30 Merced Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series” Round #4, Eric Greco
October 14 Mohave Valley Speedway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #6 Jeff Dyer
October 28 Ventura Raceway CLS Brodey Graham
November 14 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/SWLS Best of The West Round #6
November 17 Placerville Speedway “Hangtown 100” No Points Non Wing
November 18 Placerville Speedway “Hangtown 100” No Points Non Wing
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
2018 Jarrett Kramer
2019 Jarrett Kramer
2021 David Gasper
2022 David Gasper
