CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR SERIES INVADES TWO BAKERSFIELD TRACKS THIS WEEKEND (Upland, CA, September 16, 2021) The California Lightning Sprint Car Series will get busy in “California’s Country Music Capital,” the city of Bakersfield, this Saturday and Sunday, September 18th and 19th. On Saturday, it will be round #3 of the “Civil War Series” matching the CLS vs the Bay Cities Racing Association at the Bakersfield Speedway. Twenty-four hours later, the club will make the trek across town for its first ever appearance on the Dirt Track at the Kern County Raceway. Thanks to Mike Schweitzer, the winner of Saturday's "Civil War Series" race will win this trophy. Saturday’s race at the track the locals affectionately refer to as the “Okie Bowl,” will be the 10th race of the year for the CLS. Heading into it, Indio’s James Turnbull has a 70-point lead over Palmdale’s Eric Greco in the championship standings. While Turnbull leads the points, Greco and San Diego’s A.J. Bender are tied for the lead in main event wins with three each. Greco opened the CLS 2021 season when he bested the field at Bakersfield on March 13th. His other two wins came at the now shuttered Santa Maria Raceway on July 3rd and at the series' last race at the Ventura Raceway on August 28th. Bender, who drives for Bakersfield car owner Mike Schweitzer, scored his first of back-to-back wins when he won at Bakersfield on May 15th. He followed that up by winning the next race on the schedule three weeks later at Ventura. His last victory came at Santa Maria on July 24th. In addition to his duties in CLS, Bender will be one busy driver this weekend as he will also be competing in the companion USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series both nights. Chasing Turnbull and Greco in the championship standings is youngster and leading rookie Dave Gasper. The Santa Barbara based driver is only 25-points behind Greco. Yucca Valley’s Jeff Dyer and Dominic Del Monte of Gardena round out the top five in points. While Gasper is third in the CLS standings, he leads the way in the “Civil War Series” by 46-markers over Turnbull. Greco and Del Monte are ranked third and fourth. The first BCRA driver in the standings is former Speedway Motorcycle racer Brandon Leedy of Placerville, who is fifth. The first two events in the four race series were held at Northern California’s Merced Speedway. Gasper and Turnbull took those races. The winner of Saturday’s race will receive a gorgeous, working mechanical oil well trophy designed by Mike Schweitzer. Sunday night will be what those involved with the CLS hope is the first of many races at the beautiful 1/3-mile clay oval at the Kern County Raceway Park. In addition to the CLS, the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series, Bay Cities Racing Association Midgets, and the Mod Lites will also be on the program. Spectator gates will open at 4:00 p.m. with racing at 6:00. The track is located at 13500 Raceway Boulevard, Interstate 5 at Enos Lane in Bakersfield (93311). The website is https://www.kernraceway.com/ As well as the CLS, the USAC West Coast Sprint Car Series, Hobby Stocks, American Stocks and Mod Lites will also be racing at the Bakersfield Speedway on Saturday. 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. Spectator gates will open at 4:00 and the first race will hit the track at 6:00. After this weekend’s races, the CLS will take one week off before returning to action at the Ventura Raceway on October 9th. The CLS would like to thank 2021 series sponsors Hoosier Tires, T Shirts By Timeless, TJ Forged Racing Wheels, and Walker Performance Filtration. 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. James Turnbull – Indio, CA – 1045 2. Eric Greco - Palmdale, CA – 975 3. Dave Gasper ® – Santa Barbara, CA – 950 4. Jeff Dyer – Yucca Valley, CA – 789 5. Dominic Del Monte - Gardena, CA – 770 6. A.J. Bender – San Diego, CA – 750 7. Bobby Michnowicz -Oak Hills, CA – 694 8. Jon Robertson - Torrance, CA – 622 9. Aiden Lange - Lakewood, CA – 598 10. Pat Kelley - Chino, CA - 551 CLS/BCRA Civil War Series Point Standings 1. Dave Gasper – CLS – 259 2. James Turnbull – CLS – 213 3. Eric Greco – CLS – 212 4. Dominic Del Monte – 204 5. Brandon Leedy - BCRA – 202 6. Hunter Kinney – BCRA – 195 7. Josef Ferolito - BCRA – 157 8. Aiden Lange – CLS – 152 9. Danika Jo Parker – BCRA – 151 10. Bobby Michnowicz – CLS - 133 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) – James Turnbull May 15 Bakersfield Speedway – A.J. Bender June 5 Ventura Raceway – A.J. Bender June 19 Keller Auto Speedway (Hanford) – Postponed due to heat. July 3 Santa Maria Speedway – Eric Greco July 24 Santa Maria Speedway (Wing Madness #1) Santa Maria – A.J. Bender August 7 Merced Speedway (Civil War Series #2 with BCRA – Winged) – Dave Gasper August 28 Ventura Raceway – Eric Greco September 18 Bakersfield Speedway (Civil War #3 with BCRA – Winged) September 19 The Dirt Track At Kern County Raceway Park October 2 Ventura Raceway October 30 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@gmail.com