CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR SERIES FIGHT FOR THE TITLE RETURNS TO THE VENTURA RACEWAY THIS SATURDAY (Torrance, CA, September 23, 2024) After a thrilling finish at the Ventura Raceway two weeks ago, the California Lightning Sprint Car Series will return to the same beachside dirt oval this Saturday night, September 28. Saturday’s race will be the next to last for the series at Ventura in 2024. Eric Greco in victory circle after his Ventura win on September 14th. CLS photo. Two weeks ago at the ocean side oval, Palmdale’s Eric Greco passed six-time series champion Bobby Michnowicz of Oak Hills on the last lap for his second win of the 2024 campaign. The victory allowed the Glendale College student to pull within 50 points of Michnowicz in the fight for the title in the club’s historic 30th season. If he can fend off the young driver’s advances, defending champion Michnowicz, who has been racing for over a half-century and is considered the CLS G.O.A.T., will capture his seventh CLS title. If Greco were to pass him and be at the top of the points heap when the season concludes at the Bakersfield Speedway on November 26th, it would be his first championship with the club. While the battle for the title has been heating up, a couple of other wars are going on within the top 10. Third-place Cody Nigh of Camarillo, Torrance veteran “Rockstar” Jon Robertson, and fifth-place Connor Speir of Fillmore are only separated by 27 points. Behind that trio, two teenagers are battling for the sixth spot. Thirteen-year-old Zate Legend of Riverside is sixth and is a mere five points ahead of 17-year-old Seth Dyer of Yucca Valley. Besides Greco and Michnowicz posting wins at Ventura, USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series star AJ Bender of San Diego also has a victory at the famous track in 2024. In the CLS series this year, Michnowicz, who has been winless in the last five races, leads the way with four victories. Greco and Speir have two triumphs each. Aiden Lange of Lakewood, Yucca Valley California Highway Patrol Officer Jeff Dyer, and Northern California’s Hunter Kinney have one win apiece. After this week’s race, the CLS will head north to Doug Lockwood’s Merced Speedway on October 5th. The Merced race will be the Albright Memorial, which will also be the last round of the Civil War Series that annually matches the CLS vs the drivers of the Bay Cities Racing Association. Speir, Greco, and Michnowicz are the top three in Civil War points heading into the finale. Joining the CLS this Saturday on the “Best Little Dirt Track In America” will be the VRA Sprint Cars, Senior Sprints, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Compacts, and motorcycled. 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 an adult accompanies them. 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. The CLS would like to thank the following companies for being partners in the 2024 season. Extreme Mufflers, RacingJunk.com and Hoosier Tire. 2024 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Points 1. Bobby Michnowicz, Oak Hills, CA … 1368 2. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA … 1318 3. Cody Nigh, Camarillo, CA … 1135 4. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA … 1114 5. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA … 1108 6. Zate Legend, Riverside, CA … 1086 7. Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA … 1081 8. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA … 1037 9. Clay Byers, Castaic, CA … 658 10. Pat Kelley, Chino, CA … 622 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 … 116 Speir, Connor … 33 Greco, Eric … 29 Dyer, Jeff … 25 Kinney, Hunter … 25 Dyer, Seth … 17 Lange, Aiden … 16 Bender, AJ … 15 Dyer, Seth … 9 Nigh, Cody … 4 Dennett, Greg … 1 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 AJ Bender May 18 Bakersfield Speedway CLS Bobby Michnowicz June 8 Ventura Raceway CLS Bobby Michnowicz June 15 Bakersfield Speedway CLS Eric Greco July 6 Santa Maria Speedway CLS Jeff Dyer July 27 Santa Maria Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War #1 Connor Speir September 13 Bakersfield Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War #2 Hunter Kinney September 14 Ventura Raceway CLS Eric Greco September 28 Ventura Raceway CLS October 5 Merced Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War #3 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.