RED HOT ERIC GRECO LEADS CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR SERIES BACK TO BAKERSFIELD SPEEDWAY APRIL 10 (Upland, CA, April 5, 2021) The hottest Lightning Sprint Car driver in the nation, Palmdale, California’s Eric Greco, will lead the California Lightning Sprint Car Series back to the Bakersfield Speedway this Saturday night, April 10, for round #2 of the 2021 championship schedule. The 18-year-old Crescenta Valley High School student has started two races in 2021 and won both. Eric Greco (center) after winning the Bakersfield main event on March 13th. Second-place finisher James Turnbull is on the right and third-place finisher Dakota Albright is on the left. CLS Photo. Greco launched his 2021 campaign at Bakersfield on March 13th. Starting on the pole for the main event, he survived a hard-fought battle with fellow teen James Turnbull of Indio to take home the winner’s trophy in the season opener. Two weeks later he journeyed north to the Placerville Speedway to battle with the stars of the Bay Cities Racing Association. He again started on the pole and repeated his Bakersfield performance by being the first driver to the checkered flag. Greco’s prowess should not be a surprise to anyone. During the CLS last full season in 2019, he started all 17-main events and placed in the top 10 13-times. In his best 2019 finish, he narrowly missed winning his first ever CLS main event when three-time series champ Jarrett Kramer beat him by inches at Ventura in the second race of the year. At the season opener in Bakersfield, Greco and Turnbull were trailed at the finish by BCRA star Dakota Albright of Waterford, Chino’s Jeremy Queener, and rookie Dave Gasper of Santa Barbara. All five are expected to be back on hand this Saturday. One of the other cars to keep an eye on will be the #21 driven by 57-year-old Bobby Michnowicz. The Oak Hills resident is a five-time CLS champion, and he won the only two series races of the 2020 season at Bakersfield. Other top stars likely to be on hand include Jeffrey Dyer of Yucca Valley, two-time series champion Brent Sexton and his 16-year-old son Grant of Lakeside. All told, more than 20-cars are anticipated to enter Saturday’s race. Heading into the race on the Kern County clay oval, Greco has a slim five-point lead over Turnbull in the championship standings. Albright is third and is only 14-points behind the young point leader. Queener and Citrus Heights veteran Scott Kinney round out the top five. In addition to the CLS, the IMCA Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Mod Lites, and NMRA ¾ Midgets will also be in action on “The West’s Fastest 1/3 Mile High Banked Clay Oval.” Fans who would like to attend the race can find the track at 5001 N. Chester Ext., in Bakersfield (93308). The track website is http://www.bakersfieldspeedway.com/ and the office phone number is (661) 393-3373. The pit gate will open at 2:30 p.m., the general admission gate will open at 4:00 and the first race will hit the track at 6:00. The CLS would like to thank 2021 series sponsors Hoosier Tires, T Shirts By Timeless and TJ Forged Racing Wheels. If you or your company would like to become part of the series, please call Alex Grigoreas at (909) 437-3170. To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/californialightningsprints/ 2021 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings 1. Eric Greco – Palmdale – 137 2. James Turnbull – Indio – 132 3. Dakota Albright – Waterford – 123 4, Jeremy Queener – Chino – 117 5. Scott Kinney – Citrus Heights – 112 6. Dave Gasper ® – Santa Barbara – 107 7. Bruce Douglass – Ventura – 106 8. Jon Robertson – Torrance – 93 9. Hunter Kinney – Citrus Heights – 85 9. Dale Gamer – Anaheim - 85 2021 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule March 13 Bakersfield Speedway – Eric Greco April 10 Bakersfield Speedway April 24 Merced Speedway (Wayne Albright Memorial - Round #1 of the Civil War Series with BCRA – Wingless) May 1 Ventura Raceway May 15 Bakersfield Speedway June 5 Ventura Raceway June 19 Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford) July 3 Santa Maria Speedway July 24 Santa Maria Speedway (Wing Madness #1) August 7 Merced Speedway (Civil War Series #2 with BCRA – Winged) August 14 Bakersfield Speedway August 28 Santa Maria Speedway September 4 Ventura Raceway September 18 Bakersfield Speedway (Civil War #3 with BCRA – Winged) September 19 The Dirt Track At Kern County Raceway Park September 25 Santa Maria Speedway (Wing Madness #2) October 2 Ventura Raceway November 16 Bakersfield Speedway (Civil War #4 with BCRA – Winged and Western States Lightning Sprint Car Championship) November 18 Placerville Speedway Hangtown 100 – (Co sanctioned with BCRA and in companion with the USAC National Midgets) November 19 Placerville Speedway Hangtown 100 – (Co sanctioned with BCRA and in companion with the USAC National Midgets) November 20 Placerville Speedway Hangtown 100 – (Co sanctioned with BCRA and in companion with the USAC National Midgets) The schedule is subject to change due to Covid restrictions. 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. This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@aol.com