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ROUND ONE OF THE CIVIL WAR SERIES FOR THE CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CARS IS SATURDAY AT MERCED
(Upland, CA, April 21, 2021)
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series heads north this Saturday night, April 24, for the first round of the Civil War Series at the Merced Speedway. The race will be the Wayne Albright Memorial and it will be co-sanctioned by the Bay Cities Racing Association. Racing will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Palmdale, California’s Eric Greco heads the CLS contingent headed to the dirt track that is 125-miles south of San Francisco. The 18-year-old high school student won the season opening race on the Bakersfield Speedway on March 13th. Two weeks later on the same track, he finished second to five-time CLS champion Bobby Michnowicz of Lomita. Going into Saturday’s race, Greco has a 38-point lead over fellow teen James Turnbull of Indio in the championship standings. Chino’s Jeremy Queener, impressive rookie Dave Gasper of Santa Barbara and Wyatt Boczanowski round out the top five. All are expected to be at Merced for the third CLS race of 2021.

In addition to the top five, other CLS regulars expected to make the trek are Michnowicz, Camarillo’s Cody Nigh, Dominic Del Monte of Gardena, Yucca Valley’s Jeff Dyer, Aiden Lange of Lakewood, “Rockstar” Jon Robertson of Torrance, Anaheim’s Dale Gamer, and Chino’s Pat Kelley.

The first two CLS races of 2021 were winged affairs. Saturday’s event will be the only time this year that the stars and cars of the Southern California based organization will race without wings.

In addition to Lightning Sprints, the BCRA Midgets, Hobby Stocks and Western RaceSaver 305 Sprint Cars will also be in action.

For fans who would like to attend Saturday’s race, gates will open at 5:00 p.m. with racing at 7:00. The track is located at 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Merced (95341). The phone number is (209) 600-8382 and the website is http://www.mercedspeedway.net/.

The next race on the CLS schedule after Saturday’s Merced event was slated to be at the Ventura Raceway on May 1st. However, that date has been postponed as the track has yet to open due to county mandates regarding COVID. Thus, the next race on the CLS schedule will be May 15th at the Bakersfield Speedway.

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 – 268
2. James Turnbull – Indio – 230
3. Jeremy Queener – Chino – 205
4. Dave Gasper – Santa Barbara – 169
5. Wyatt Boczanowski – 161
6. Bobby Michnowicz – Oak Hills – 157
7. Scott Kinney – Citrus Heights – 153
8. Trevor Ballou - 149
9. Dale Gamer - Anaheim – 149
10. Jon Robertson – Torrance - 145

2021 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule

March 13 Bakersfield Speedway – Eric Greco

April 10 Bakersfield Speedway – Bobby Michnowicz

April 24 Merced Speedway (Wayne Albright Memorial - Round #1 of the Civil War Series with BCRA – Wingless)

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