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RAIN POSTPONES VENTURA CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT MAIN - BAKERSFIELD RACE THIS FRIDAY
(Torrance, CA, March 21, 2022) Mother Nature was the big winner at the Ventura Raceway last Saturday night when she delivered a knockout punch to the racing program including the 28th season-opening main event for the California Lightning Sprint Car Series. The CLS will now switch its focus to this Friday night when it joins the World of Outlaw Sprint Cars at the Bakersfield Speedway.

While Saturday’s program was not a complete washout, the potential for rain hung over the track like the “Sword of Damocles” and it struck before the CLS could run its main event. Prior to the remainder of the show getting postponed, the CLS did get in its qualifying and heat races. Club and Ventura officials are discussing plans to make up the main on one of the six dates the touring series still has at the track in 2022.

Before the heavens opened up on the 1/5-mile oval, Palmdale’s Eric Greco out-qualified the field with a time of 12.102. Defending CLS champion David Gasper of Santa Barbara was second quick with a lap of 12.258 and Lakewood’s Aiden Lange rounded out the youthful sweep of time trials when he stopped the clocks in 12.315.
Yucca Valley’s Jeff Dyer, who turned 39 the day after the race, and Gardena teen Dominic Del Monte captured the two heat races before the rain intervened and sent everyone home early.


Gardena's Dominic Del Monte captured one of the heat races before rain stopped the show at Ventura. CLS Photo.

The CLS gets right back to work this Friday, March 25th, when it joins the World of Outlaws on “The West’s Fastest 1/3 Mile High Banked Clay Oval,” the Bakersfield Speedway. It will be the first of six appearances for the CLS at the track in 2022. The show is expected to draw a massive crowd as it will be the only appearance the Outlaws will make at the 77-year-old racing facility this season.

Last year the CLS made five appearances at the track the locals affectionately refer to as the "Okie Bowl.” San Diego’s A.J. Bender won two of them. Bobby Michnowicz of Oak Hills, his son Kevin of Carson, and Greco won the other three. All four are expected to be on hand on Friday along with all the other CLS regulars. In addition, POWRi Southwest Lightning Series stars Brent Sexton and his sons Dalton & Grant of Lakeside and Braden Chiaramonte of El Cajon have all stated their intentions to take on the CLS on the Kern County oval.

The Bakersfield pit gate will open at 2:00 p.m. on Friday with the spectator gates opening at 5:00. Racing will start at 7:00. 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. Advance tickets for Friday are on sale now at https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars.

The following companies have become marketing partners with the CLS in 2022. They have offered up more than $13,000.00 in contingencies that will be awarded on top of the regular racing purses and they will be paid out throughout the year. T-Shirts By Timeless, Hoosier Tires West, Extreme Mufflers, Saldana Racing Products, Rod End Supply, Speed Mart, Cold Fire West, West Evens Motorsports, RC Fuel Injection, Jake Swanson Shock Technology, Advanced Racing Suspensions, CSI Shocks, Eibach Springs, Triple X Race Components, King Racing Products, Hyper Racing Products, Rebel Gears, Vahlco Wheels, Wilwood Disk Brakes, Fuel Safe Systems, MPI, Circle Track Performance, E-Z UP, Hepfner Racing, and Hoosier Speed.

If you or your company would like to become a partner of the longtime racing organization, contact Jon Robertson via email at mailto:jon.robertson@sbcglobal.net or by calling (310) 367-9050.

2022 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule

March 19 Ventura Raceway Winged Postponed

March 25 Bakersfield Speedway Winged - With World of Outlaws

April 2 Merced Speedway Non-Wing – Albright Class – Civil War #1

April 16 Bakersfield Speedway Winged

April 30 Ventura Raceway Winged

May 14 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – With USAC/CRA

May 21 Ventura Raceway Winged

June 11 Bakersfield Speedway Winged

June 25 Ventura Raceway Winged

July 9 Ventura Raceway Winged

July 23 Ventura Raceway Winged

August 26 Silver Dollar Speedway Winged – Civil War #2

August 27 Placerville Speedway Winged – Civil War #3

September 10 Lemoore Raceway Winged

September 24 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – Civil War #4

October 8 Mohave Valley Raceway Winged – With SWLS

October 29 Ventura Raceway Winged

November 15 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – With USAC Midgets - Civil War #5

November 17 Placerville Speedway Non-Wing – With USAC Midgets - No Points

November 18 Placerville Speedway Non-Wing – With USAC Midgets - No Points

November 19 Placerville Speedway Non-Wing – With USAC Midgets - No Points

To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/ or on Facebook at 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

This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com