ROUND FIVE OF THE CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR SERIES IS THIS SATURDAY AT THE VENTURA RACEWAY (Torrance, CA, April 30, 2024) For the first time since last October, the California Lightning Sprint Cars Series will converge on the Ventura Raceway for round #5 of the 2024 racing season this Saturday, May 4th. It will be the first of five appearances for the CLS on the famous beachside oval this year. Spectator gates will open at 3:00 p.m. and the first race will be at 5:30. In 2024, the CLS paid five visits to the Ventura County Fairgrounds which first hosted races in the early 1920s. Bobby Michnowicz won the first three of the five races on the picturesque bullring last year. His success on the oval, which is located within feet of the breaking waves of the Pacific Ocean, helped propel him to his sixth CLS title. Aiden Lange of Lakewood and Bakersfield’s Broedy Graham won the other two races at Ventura last year. Coming into this week’s race, Oak Hills, California’s Michnowicz has won two of his three 2024 starts in the series that was born in 1994. Those triumphs came in the last two series races, both of which were at the Bakersfield Speedway. Young drivers Lange and Fillmore’s Connor Speir emerged victorious at the other two series races which were at the Imperial Valley Raceway during the California Mid-Winter Fair in March. Michnowicz, 60, who won his first CLS title a dozen years ago, carries a 10-point advantage over Lange into Saturday’s race. Camarillo’s Cody Nigh ranks third and is only 13 points behind Michnowicz. Palmdale’s Eric Greco and Speir are fourth and fifth. Sixth through ninth in the standings, which features “Rockstar” Jon Robertson of Torrance, Riverside’s Zate Legend, and Seth and Jeff Dyer from Yucca Valley, is only separated by 13 points. In addition to this week’s race, the CLS will also be at Ventura on June 8th, September 14th, September 28th, and October 26th. Joining the CLS this Saturday on the “Best Little Dirt Track In America” will be the WMR Midgets, VRA Dwarf Cars, IMCA Spor Compacts, VRA Hobby Stocks, and VRA Junior Classes. Adult tickets are $18.00. For seniors 65 and over, it is $15.00. Military and Students with id also get in for $15.00. Kids 12 and under are free when they are accompanied by an adult. The track is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 W. Harbor Boulevard (93001). The website is http://venturaraceway.com/ and the office phone number is (805) 648-RACE. After Saturday’s show in Ventura, the CLS will return to the Bakersfield Speedway for the third time this year on May 18th. The CLS would like to thank the following companies for being partners in the 2024 season. Extreme Mufflers, RacingJunk.com and Hoosier Tire. California Lightning Sprint Car Series Points 1. Bobby Michnowicz, Oak Hills, CA … 392 2. Aiden Lange, Lakewood, CA … 382 3. Cody Nigh, Camarillo, CA … 379 4. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA … 322 5. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA … 294 6. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA … 279 7. Zate Legend, Riverside, CA … 276 8. Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA … 272 9. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA … 266 10. Pat Kelley, Chino, CA … 211 2024 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule March 1 Imperial Valley Raceway Mid-Winter Fair Aiden Lange March 2 Imperial Valley Raceway Mid-Winter Fair Connor Speir March 9 Bakersfield Speedway CLS Bobby Michnowicz April 13 Merced Speedway CSL vs BCRA Civil War #1 Rained Out April 20 Bakersfield Speedway CLS Bobby Michnowicz May 4 Ventura Raceway CLS May 18 Bakersfield Speedway CLS June 8 Ventura Raceway CLS June 15 Bakersfield Speedway CLS July 5 Santa Maria Speedway CLS July 6 Santa Maria Speedway CLS July 27 Santa Maria Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War #2 September 13 Bakersfield Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War #3 September 14 Ventura Raceway CLS September 28 Ventura Raceway CLS October 5 Merced Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War #4 Albright Memorial October 26 Ventura Raceway CLS November 15 Placerville Speedway Hangtown 100 – No Points November 16 Placerville Speedway Hangtown 100 – No Points November 26 Bakersfield Speedway CLS To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/  and follow on the club’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/californialightningsprints. 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, 2023 Bobby Michnowicz This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com