Saturday’s California Lightning Sprint Car Race Moved from Bakersfield to Ventura Torrance, CA – April 30, 2025 — In a whirlwind of last-minute changes, the California Lightning Sprint Car Series presented by Motor City Buick/GMC, has announced that this Saturday’s race originally scheduled for the Bakersfield Speedway will now take place at the Ventura Raceway due to unforeseen circumstances and the threat of inclement weather. “The first thing you want to do is let all of the guys know what is going on,” CLS President “Rockstar” Jon Robertson said of the chaotic day. “So, I spent the time texting and emailing the entire universe saying the show was canceled in Bakersfield.” Shortly after notifying teams of the Bakersfield cancellation, CLS officials received a timely call from the Ventura Raceway, offering to include the Lightning Sprints in its Saturday night program. The quick pivot saved the event, and all CLS teams originally planning to compete in Bakersfield enthusiastically committed to making the 120-mile journey west to the scenic beachside track located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds. “Ventura Raceway heard of our plight,” Robertson happily confirmed. “They were gracious, stepped up and said they would be glad to have us on their program this weekend. So, we made a bunch of calls around to make sure we had an agreement from all the guys. Everybody from the club agreed. It is kind of a switch of a bunch of miles from Bakersfield to the beach, but it is a great opportunity. We do not lose a race. We are racing in a smaller track so we will have to change the setups on all of our cars. It should be a pretty good night.” This event will be the first of six scheduled appearances by the CLS at Ventura in 2025. The original season debut at the historic quarter-mile bullring was slated for May 31, but the calendar now kicks off four weeks earlier with this exciting replacement event. With Ventura stepping in at the last minute, the CLS schedule is still at 16 races. That may change to 17 if the CLS and Bakersfield can agree on adding a makeup race on the newly revamped clay oval. “I have talked to Scott (Bakersfield promoter Scott Schweitzer) already,” Robertson stated. “We are going to see if there are any dates where we can get the planets to all align and try to come up with a makeup show that will work for everybody. We have only run there one time and we got a taste of a good track. Everybody is excited about going back there.” The California Lightning Sprints will join a packed lineup on Saturday night, which includes VRA Dwarf Cars, IMCA Modifieds, VRA Hobby Stocks, IMCA Sport Compacts, and VRA Junior Classes. Spectator gates at the track known as “The Best Little Dirt Track in America” will open at 3:00 p.m. and racing will commence at 5:30. Adult tickets for Saturday’s show are $18.00. Seniors 60 and over, military with id and students with id all get in for $18.00. Kids 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. The track is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 W. Harbor Boulevard (93001). The website is http://venturaraceway.com/ and the office phone number is (805) 648-RACE. Ventura Raceway is located at: 10 W. Harbor Boulevard, Ventura, CA 93001 Website: www.venturaraceway.com Phone: (805) 648-RACE. For more updates and series information, follow the California Lightning Sprint Car Series on social media and visit the official website at racecls.com. The CLS would like to thank the following companies for being partners in the 2025 season. Motor City Buick/GMC, American Racer Tires, T Shirts By Timeless, Advanced Racing Suspension, BR Motorsports, Competition Suspension Incorporated, Diablo Fabrication and Design, Eibach Springs, Extreme Mufflers, EZ UP, Hoosier Tires, The Joie of Seating, King Racing Products, Outlaw Wings, RacingJunk.com, RC Fuel Injection, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, SpeedMart, and Triple X Race Components. If you would like to join the CLS and be a marketing partner in 2025, please contact Jon Robertson via email at jon.robertson@sbcglobal.net or by calling (310) 367-9050. California Lightning Series Points 1. Eric Greco … 140 2. Aiden Lange … 126 3. Bruce Douglass … 124 4. Leland Day … 118 5. Bobby Michnowicz … 114 6. Zate Legend … 104 7. Leland Byers … 99 8. Cody Nigh … 95 9. David Cardey … 86 10. Pat Kelley … 85 2025 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule April 12 Bakersfield Speedway Eric Greco May 3 Ventura Raceway May 17 Merced Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War May 31 Ventura Raceway June 7 Bakersfield Speedway With the Ultimate Sprint Car Series June 21 Ventura Raceway July 5 Santa Maria Speedway With USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series on Flo July 26 Santa Maria Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War With NARC Sprint Car Series on Flo August 22 Plaza Park Raceway August 23 Lemoore Jet Bowl Raceway August 30 Ventura Raceway September 12 Bakersfield Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War With World of Outlaws on Dirt Vision September 13 Merced Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War Albright Memorial October 4 Ventura Raceway October 25 Ventura Raceway November 25 Bakersfield Speedway Western Lightning Sprint Car Championship with USAC National Midgets on Flo To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/ and follow on the club’s Facebook page 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, 2022 David Gasper, 2023 Bobby Michnowicz, 2024 Bobby Michnowicz Special Thanks to Wendy Michnowicz This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com