ERIC GRECO KICKS OFF CALIFORNIA LIGHTNING SPRINT CAR SEASON WITH A WIN AT BAKERSFIELD
(Torrance, CA, April 14, 2025) Veteran racer Eric Greco kicked off the 2025 season for the California Lightning Sprint Car Series Presented by Motor City Buick/GMC by posting a win on the Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway last Saturday night. The triumph propelled Greco into a 14-point lead in the championship standings with 15 races to go in the CLS 31st campaign.
Greco, who finished second in the 2024 CLS championship point standings and who tied for the series lead with four main event victories, started the night off by setting fast time with a lap of 15.361. Ventura’s Bruce Douglass, who was the Perris Auto Speedway Senior Sprint Car Series champion in 2012 and 2014 and who was driving the ex-Connor Speir #57, stopped Dick Hindman’s clock with the second fastest lap at 15.867. California Highway Patrol Officer Jeff Dyer of Yucca Valley sped to the third quickest lap at 16.045. Camarillo’s Cody Nigh, with a 16.093, and Leland Day of Bakersfield, who recorded a 16.100, rounded out the top five.
The only blemish on Greco’s night came in the Competition Suspension Heat #1 when seven-time CLS champion Bobby Michnowicz of Oak Hills steered the Mike Schweitzer #41 to the win in the eight-lapper. Greco and Clay Byers of Castaic placed second and third. Lakewood’s Aiden Lange, who missed qualifying, came from the back to win the Extreme Muffler second heat in front of El Cajon’s Brayden Collie and Nigh.
When the main event rolled onto the newly configured oval, Michnowicz was on the pole. His nephew, Nigh, was alongside on the front row. The second row featured Bakersfield’s Leland Day and CLS debutant 16-year-old Drake Cardey of Riverside. The third row was comprised of Riverside resident Zate Legend and Greco.
Wily veteran Michnowicz was the first to turn one to start the 20-lap race. Nigh was close behind in second. Greco, flexing his muscle and showing that he meant business, was into third as the pack left turn two on the first go around. One lap later, Greco shot past Nigh for second and set his sights on the veteran leader.
Greco, in the Sidewaze Designs/Janssen’s/RC Fuel Injection/Hinkle Performance/Quick Change Energy Drink/Triple X/Kawasaki ZX10 #8G, closed on Michnowicz, with whom he ended up tied for the most wins last year. The veteran held him at bay. That is, he held him at bay until Greco pushed his familiar blue and white racecar into the lead when the race reached the quarter mark.
Once out front, the Palmdale racer would hold the lead the rest of the way, with the exception of one brief moment late in the race. Things nearly changed on the seventh circuit. One lap after clawing his way by Michnowicz for second, Nigh hit the bottom in turn one, and Michnowicz went high, and they nearly pulled even with Greco. However, the bespectacled leader thwarted their efforts and began moving away from the challengers.
Lange, who started seventh, slid into third when he went inside of Michnowicz in turn two on lap eight. Unfortunately, the driver who won the 2024 season opener, bobbled off turn two, and Michnowicz returned the favor. Lange reversed that back on lap 10. But the crowd-pleasing battle for third was not done as Michnowicz raced back around Lange on lap 12. As they continued to fight for third, they were also closing in on second-place Nigh.
Greco had built a good-sized lead and was having no issues with the lappers. Meanwhile, Michnowicz, who has been racing since the 1970s, showed his skill when he simultaneously passed a lap car and Nigh at the same time to reclaim second. Even though he was up to second, he was over three seconds behind the leader when the first yellow of the race flew on lap 16 when Cardey, who was up to fifth, stopped on the back straight due to a broken fuel pump wire.
The restart had Greco in the lead, Michnowicz second, and Nigh third. Lange and Day rounded out the top five. Things came to a screeching halt when Collie tumbled on the front chute. The driver was okay, but the car was not, and he was done for the night.
Once the race restarted, Lange drove inside Michnowicz for third, but the yellow quickly came out again. It was due to Nigh’s evening coming to an end after a great run when he rolled to a stop on the front chute while still in second.
The race looked like it was over before the final restart with three laps to go. However, Greco made things exciting by making his only error of the race when he went wide going into turn one on the restart. Lange alertly pounced on the opportunity at hand and powered his #13 into the lead, but Greco was not going to give up. He quickly crossed back under Lange, exiting two, and reclaimed the top spot.
Douglass saved his best for last when he went from fifth to third. At the same time, it was obvious that Michnowicz was having an issue. The bleeder valve on his right rear went bad, and he was down to two pounds of pressure in the tire. Day took fourth from him before the checkered flag.
At the finish, it was Los Angeles Dodgers fan Greco for the win with room to spare. Going back to the end of 2024, that was his fourth win in the last five CLS races. Lange placed second with Douglass third, Day fourth, and Michnowicz fifth.
Ageless Douglass, who went from 10th on the start to finish third, was the Eibach Spring Forward and Speedmart Hard Charger.
Greco exited the season opener with a 14-point lead over Lange in the championship point standings. Douglass currently sits third and is followed in the top five by Day and Michnowicz.
The CLS returns to the Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway for round #2 of the 2025 season on May 3rd. The track is located at 13500 Raceway Boulevard in Bakersfield, California. Spectator gates will open at 4:00 p.m. with racing at 6:00. For more information, including ticket prices, please visit the track website at https://www.bakersfieldspeedway.com/ or call the track office at 661-835-1264.
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.
Bakersfield Speedway Race #1 Results
Qualifying: 1. Eric Greco, 15.361; 2. Bruce Douglass, 15.867; 3. Jeff Dyer, 16.045; 4. Cody Nigh, 16.093; 5. Leland Day, 16.100; 6. Drake Cardey, 16.134; 7. Bobby Michnowicz 16.171; 8. Zate legend, 16.397; 9. Clay Byers, 16.401; Brayden Collie, 16.845; 11. Pat Kelley, 16.621. 12. Tatum Manu, 2:21:883
No Time: Aiden Lange, No Time, Jon Robertson.
Heat 1 – 8 Laps: 1.Michnowicz, 2. Greco, 3. Byers, 4. Day, 5. Dyer
Heat 2 – 8 Laps: 1. Lange, 2. Collie, 3. Nigh, 4. Legend, 5. Cardey, 6. Douglass
Main Event 20 Laps (With Distance Behind and Starting Positions)
1. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA … (6th)
2. Aiden Lange, Lakewood, CA … +1.877 (7th)
3. Bruce Douglass, Ventura, CA … +2.112 (10th)
4. Leland Day, Bakersfield, CA … +3.101 (3rd)
5. Bobby Michnowicz, Oak Hills, CA … +3.575 (1st)
6. Zate Legend, Riverside, CA … +4.582 (5th)
7. Clay Byers, Castaic, CA … +5,427 (8th)
8. Pet Kelley, Chino, CA … + 1 Lap (11th)
9. Cody Nigh, Camarillo, CA … +3 Laps (2nd)
10. Drake Cardey, Riverside, CA … + 6 Laps (4th)
11. Brayden Collie, El Cajon, CA … + 6 Laps (9th)
DNS Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA
DNS Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA
DNS Tatum Manu, Pasadena, CA
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