(Torrance, CA, April 30, 2019) The POWRi Lucas Oil California Lightning Sprint Car Series will be headed to the Ventura Raceway this Saturday night, May 4th, for a crowd-pleasing open wheel program that will also include the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, VRA Senior Sprints and the Focus/WMR Midgets. Spectator gates will open at 3:00 P.M. on Saturday and the first race will take the green flag at 5:30.
Saturday’s show at the picturesque track that sits just a few hundred feet from the breaking waves of the Pacific Ocean, will be the fifth of 2019 for the CLS. The first four races have produced three different winners. Doug Nunes is the only driver with two wins on the year having taken the checkered flag at the season opener at Bakersfield and the April 6th race at Barona. Current point leader and two-time series champ Jarrett Kramer of Spring Valley and 5-time champ Bobby Michnowicz have won the other two main events. Kramer’s victory came in a thriller at the first race at Ventura on March 23rd when he edged Palmdale teenager Eric Greco to the line in a photo finish. Michnowicz’s triumph came two weeks ago when he won a grueling battle over Nunes and Kramer at Bakersfield.
Going into Saturday’s race, Kramer has a 26-point lead in the season-long POWRi Lucas Oil CLS standings. In the first four races of the year, the recently turned 37-year-old has one win, two-second place finishes and one fourth. Lomita’s Michnowicz currently occupies the runner-up spot and has yet to finish out of the top five this year. In addition to his win at Bakersfield, he has a couple of fourth-place finishes and one fifth. Nunes is third and is 28 points behind Michnowicz. As well as his two wins, he has a second-place finish. The only blemish on the Kingsburg driver’s record came at Ventura when an early race tangle sent him to the sidelines with a 19th place finish. Sixteen-year-old Greco and Camarillo’s Cody Nigh round out the top five in the championship standings. Both have yet to finish out of the top 10 this year. Greco’s best finish was the previously mentioned second at Ventura. Nigh’s best effort was one spot behind Greco in the same race.
Fans who would like to attend Saturday’s race in Ventura can find the track on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 W. Harbor Boulevard (93001). The track website is http://venturaraceway.com/ and the office phone number is (805) 648-RACE.
After Saturday, the cars and stars of the CLS get one week off before heading to the Barona Speedway for the second time in 2019 on May 18th.
The POWRi Lucas Oil California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank the following sponsors for helping make the 2019 season possible: Lucas Oil, All Coast Construction, Christian Stover Foundation, Circle Track Performance, Cold Fire West, Fast Undercar, Hoosier Tire, Keizer Wheels, Outlaw Wings, Racing Optics, Rod End Supply, Speed Partz, Super Shocks, T Shirts by Timeless and Woodland Auto Display.
If you or your company would like to become part of the series for its 26th season in 2019, please call Bobby Michnowicz at (310) 320-5569.
To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/californialightningsprints/
2019 POWRi Lucas Oil California Lightning Sprint Cars Series Point Standings
- Jarrett Kramer – Spring Valley, CA – 526
- Bobby Michnowicz – Lomita, CA - 500
- Doug Nunes - Kingsburg, CA - 472
- Eric Greco - Palmdale, CA - 458
- Cody Nigh - Camarillo, CA - 436
- A.J. Bender – San Diego, CA – 397
- Aiden Lange - Lakewood, CA – 392
- Jeff Dyer – Bermuda Dunes, CA – 365
- Dalton Sexton - Lakeside, CA - 340
- Dominic Del Monte – Gardena, CA – 326
2019 POWRi Lucas Oil California Lightning Sprint Car Series:
March 16 Bakersfield Speedway – Doug Nunes
March 23 Ventura Raceway – Jarrett Kramer
April 6 Barona Speedway – Doug Nunes
April 20 Bakersfield Speedway – Bobby Michnowicz
May 4 Ventura Raceway
May 18 Barona Speedway
June 1 Ventura Raceway
June 15 Bakersfield Speedway
July 6 Ventura Raceway
July 27 Santa Maria Raceway
August 10 Barona Speedway
August 24 Ventura Raceway
September 7 Ventura Raceway
September 21 Bakersfield Speedway
October 5 Ventura Raceway
October 26 Ventura Raceway
November 17 Bakersfield Speedway
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
Photo courtesy of Pit Princess.