CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CARS AT BAKERSFIELD SATURDAY (Torrance, CA, April 11, 2022) The California Lightning Sprint Car Series will return to “The West’s Fastest 1/3 Mile High Bank Clay Oval,” the Bakersfield Speedway, for round #3 of the 2022 championship season this Saturday night, April 16th. Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. with racing at 6:00. Point leader Eric Greco before the season opener at Ventura. Three weeks ago the 28-year-old series dazzled the near-capacity crowd on its first appearance on the Kern County oval in 2022. In storybook fashion, the CLS put a bow on its perfect night of action when Grant Sexton edged Cody Nigh in a thrilling photo finish in the 25-lap main event. In addition to the exciting finish, the Jimmy Irwin yellow flag only came out two times all night during the well-run CLS portion of the show. On the power of third-place finishes in the series’ first two races at Bakersfield and Merced, Palmdale, California’s Eric Greco leads the championship standings. He comes into Bakersfield 10-points ahead of Camarillo’s Nigh. First-year CLS competitor Will Browne of Glendora is third. As well as his third-place finish, the impressive rookie when from 16th to fourth to capture the Speed Mart and Advance Racing Suspensions Hard Charger awards at Merced. 2022 CLS champion David Gasper of Santa Barbara, who missed the March 25th Bakersfield main due to engine issues, is currently fourth with Chino’s Pat Kelley fifth. Browne is also the leader in the 2022 Rookie of the Year award chase. Two weeks ago when the CLS raced at Merced at the Wayne Albright Memorial/Civil War Series opener, Gasper dominated the show. The 16-year-old out-qualified the field, won his heat, and then the 25-lap main event. BCRA star Dakota Albright was second. Greco and Browne placed third and fourth respectively. After this Saturday’s race at Bakersfield, the CLS will be off until heading to Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway on April 30th. That night the club will contest two main events. In addition to the regularly scheduled feature, the rained-out main event from March 19th will also take place. The USAC Western States Midgets, Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks, and Mod Lites will be joining the CLS at Bakersfield. On Saturday, the pit gate will open at 2:00 p.m., spectator gates at 4:00, and racing will start at 6:00. Adult tickets are $20.00. Kids 6-12 get in for $5.00 and children 5 and under are free. Fans who would like to attend the show 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 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. CLS Contingency Awards For Bakersfield Heat Race #1 – Extreme Muffler $50.00 Product Certificate Heat Race #2 – CSI Shocks - $50.00 Product Certificate 1st Place Main Event - Eibach Springs $100.00 Product Certificate 2nd Place Main Event - Vahlco Wheels $50.00 Product Certificate 3rd Place Main Event - Jake Swanson Shock Technology $50 Product Certificate 10th Place Main Event – King Racing Products $25.00 Product Certificate Fast Qualifier - West Evans Motorsports $25.00 Product Certificate Hard Charger - Speed Mart $25.00 Product Certificate Hard Charger - Advanced Racing Suspension Product Certificate Hard Luck Award – Speed Mart $25.00 Product Certificate California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings 1. Eric Greco – 286 2. Cody Nigh – 276 3. Will Brown ® - 230 4. David Gasper - 204 5. Pat Kelley – 186 6. Grant Sexton – 137 7. Bobby Michnowicz – 136 8. Dakota Albright – 126 9. Braden Chiaramonte – 114 10. Aiden Lange – 110 CLS vs BCRA “Civil War Series” Points 1. David Gasper – CLS - 142 2. Dakota Albright – BCRA – 126 3. Eric Greco – CLS – 126 4. Will Browne – CLA 116 5. Harlee Aguilera – BCRA – 109 6. Cody Nigh – CLS – 104 7. Greg Dennett – BCRA – 100 8. Hunter Kinney – BCRA – 92 9. Matt Land – BCRA – 89 10. Tim Kinser - 83 2022 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule March 19 Ventura Raceway Winged Postponed March 25 Bakersfield Speedway Winged – Grant Sexton April 2 Merced Speedway Non-Wing – Albright – Civil War #1 – David Gasper 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