Motor City Buick/GMC And American Racer Tire Return To The California Lightning Sprint Car Series For The Second Straight Year Torrance, CA — February 10, 2026 — The California Lightning Sprint Car Series is pleased to announce that Motor City Buick/GMC and American Racer Tire will both return as sponsors of the club for the second consecutive year. The CLS will launch its 32nd season of competition on March 6th and 7th when it joins forces in a co-sanctioned event with the So Cal Lightning Sprints during the California Mid-Winter Fair at Imperial Valley Raceway. Motor City Buick/GMC, located in Bakersfield, will once again serve as the presenting sponsor for all 16 races currently on the CLS schedule. Those events will take place at eight different venues across the state, stretching from the Imperial Valley Raceway near the Mexican border to the Merced Speedway, nearly 480 miles to the north in California’s Central Valley. “It is a huge thing for the club,” CLS President Jon Robertson said when asked about Motor City’s involvement. “We put our best foot forward last year to get them exposure. Trying to show them we really appreciate their support. They liked what they saw and are back again this year. We will do everything we can to promote them again because they are a major sponsor.” “They are a great supporter of a lot of things. Especially in Central Valley Motorsports. You go to any racetrack, and you see their banners. Having them as the title sponsor for our series is a huge deal for us. They are a super sponsor to work with, and I hope it goes on for many years to come.” Also returning for a second year is American Racer Tires. The company is continuing its partnership with the club as the preferred tire supplier for the series. “American Racer is back on as a partnership with the club,” Robertson happily related. “They are our preferred tire supplier for the series. They do all sorts of promotional stuff to get the club exposure. They are really good guys. Larry Collins in particular, has been a fantastic helper and a great advisor to keep getting the word about the club out there and in front of everybody. That helps us get memberships, cars, and build the fan base. They have been great.” “I would say a majority of the folks in the club are running American Racer Tires,” Robertson went on. “We have had really good luck with these tires. They have been a godsend as far as the tire wars go. Price-wise, nobody can beat them, and quality-wise, they are as good as the other brands. You can see them in a lot of different associations.” Last Saturday, Collins and his wife Leisa made the long trip from their Central Valley home to Cerritos, California, for the annual CLS banquet. In addition to supporting the club at the event, they also delivered tires to racers who had placed advance orders. “I cannot say enough good things about Motor City and American Racer,” Robertson concluded. “They are both top notch and they have both been really supportive of our club. I hope we can continue it for many years.” Additional exciting news for the club includes the expansion of the co-sanctioned California Lightning Sprints/So Cal Lightning Series Clash, which has doubled in size from three to six races. New additions to the Clash are the two September events alongside the World of Outlaws at Bakersfield Speedway and the Ventura Raceway. Also, a November 21st date at Barona Speedway has been added — marking the CLS’s first appearance at the San Diego County track since 2019. In addition to the 16 dates currently on the schedule, another two may be added. For updates and complete series information, follow the California Lightning Sprint Car Series on Facebook or visit the official website at racecls.com. The CLS would like to thank the following companies for being partners in the 2026 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, 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, please contact Jon Robertson via email at jon.robertson@sbcglobal.net or by calling (310) 367-9050. 2026 Motor City Buick/GMC California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule March 6 CLS/SCLS Clash #1 Imperial Valley Raceway March 7 CLS/SCLS Clash #2 Imperial Valley Raceway March 21 CLS Ventura Raceway April 4 CLS & 305 Sprint Cars Santa Maria Speedway April 18 CLS Bakersfield Speedway/Kern May 30 CLS Ventura Raceway June 13 CLS Ventura Raceway June 27 CLS vs BCRA Civil War Race Merced Speedway July 4 CLS & USAC/CRA Sprint Cars Santa Maria Speedway August 29 CLS/SCLS Clash Race #3 Perris Auto Speedway September 19 CLS vs BCRA Civil War Race Merced Speedway September 25 CLS with World of Outlaws Sprint Cars CLS/SCLS Clash #4 Bakersfield Speedway September 26 CLS with World of Outlaws Sprint Cars CLS/SCLS Clash #5 Ventura Raceway October 17 CLS Ventura Raceway October 24 CLS Ventura Raceway November 21 CLS/SCLS Clash Race #6 Barona Speedway 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, 2025 Aiden Lange Special Thanks to Wendy Michnowicz and Ed Haney Video. This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com