10.14.23 California Lightning Sprints Results
JEFF DYER WINS FIRST RACE BACK AFTER SURGERY AT MOHAVE VALLEY RACEWAY
(Torrance, CA, October 18, 2023) After four races on the sidelines, Jeff Dyer made a triumphant return to racing when he easily outdistanced the field to win the California Lightning Sprint Car Series/POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints “Best of the West” 20-lap main event at Arizona’s Mohave Valley Raceway last Saturday night. The race was the California Highway Patrol officer’s first since suffering a severed Achilles tendon in August.
For the second time in 2023, Palmdale’s Eric Greco turned in the fastest qualifying time with a lap of 14.262 on the racy 1/3 mile banked oval. Five-time series champion and current CLS point leader Bobby Michnowicz of Oak Hills turned in the second-quickest lap on the track that is located minutes from the Colorado River. His time was 14.404. The third fastest time in qualifying went to Lakewood’s Aiden Lange at 14.502.
Lange, who has seven top-five finishes in 10 starts this season including a win at Jim Naylor’s Ventura Raceway, captured Racing Junk Heat #1 ahead of 2022 CLS Rookie of the Year Connor Speir of Fillmore and Glendale Community College freshman Greco. It was Lange’s third heat race win of the year. Wily veteran Michnowicz scored his series-leading fifth heat race triumph when he schooled the field in Extreme Muffler Heat #2. Dyer and SWLS star Brent Sexton of Lakeside placed second and third.
When the 20-lap main rolled out of the pit area and onto the “Grand Canyon State” track, Speir was on the pole with Dyer joining him on the front row. Sexton and Greco manned row two. Following them in row three were Michnowicz and Lange.
At the drop of the green, Dyer, who traded in his walking boot for two braces on his injured leg when he got into the car, got anything but a good start. Speir got the initial lead and was chased into turn one by Greco, and Sexton. Dyer was pushed to the outside but that paid off as he rocketed off turn two and into the lead. When the first lap ended, it was Dyer, Speir, Greco, defending SWLS champion Sexton and Michnowicz.
Going into the second lap, Speir stayed close to leader Dyer and pulled alongside of him in the first corner. However, he hung his left front over the inside berm in turn two. That slowed his pace and kicked up a dust storm that flew in the faces of the remainder of the field. That tiny error allowed Dyer to pull away and he was unchallenged for the remainder of the race. Sexton emerged from Speir’s dust cloud one spot closer to the front as he had passed Greco. Behind the lead duo at the end of the second circuit, Sexton, Greco, and Michnowicz were third through fifth.
Being the last race on a night that also featured the USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, meant passing was going to be at a premium in the main event. Somebody forgot to tell Lange that. He went from sixth to fourth passing both Sexton and Michnowicz, who have a combined eight lightning sprint championships, going into turn three on the third lap.
With Dyer about a half straight ahead of second place Lange, the fans were scanning the field for action. Michnowicz gave them a pass when he drove by Sexton. Greco broke into the top five when he passed Sexton on the fifth go-around. With the exception of the leaders getting into some lapped cars, that was the last pass among the top five in the race.
By the midway point, the streaking Dyer had pushed his Dependable Machine Inc./Haircuts By Susie/Jobu Racing/LBA Investigations/Dyer Motorsports #4 to a full straightaway lead. He hit the lappers on lap 12. Speir closed the leader’s advantage to about a half straight late in the going, but that is as close as he would get. Dyer coasted across the line for his second win of the year and the lion’s share of the Channel Islands Floorcoverings purse. Speir notched his best finish of the year when he came home second. Lange, Greco, and Michnowicz were third through fifth.
Going from sixth to third in the main earned Lange the Advanced Racing Suspension Hard Charger Award.
Heading into the next CLS race at Ventura on October 28th, Michnowicz leads Greco by 95-points in the championship standings. Lange and “Rockstar” Jon Robertson of Torrance are tied for third. Speir is fifth.
With only the November 14th Bakersfield race left in the Best of the West Series, Michnowicz leads Greco by 70 points. Dyer is third. Sexton and Speir are fourth and fifth.
The following companies are marketing partners with the CLS in 2023. Hoosier Tires West, T-Shirts By Timeless, Extreme Mufflers, RacingJunk.com, Advanced Racing Suspension, King Racing Products, BR Motorsports, EZ Up, RC Fuel Injection, and Triple X. If you or your company would like to be a marketing partner with the CLS in 2024, please contact Jon Robertson using the contact information at the top of this release.
To keep up with the CLS online, please visit the website at http://racecls.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/californialightningsprints.
October 14th CLS vs SWLS Best of the West Series Results from the Mohave Valley Raceway
Qualifying: 1. Eric Greco, 14.262; 2. Bobby Michnowicz, 14.404; 3. Aiden Lange, 14.502; 4. Jeff Dyer, 14.758; 5. Connor Speir, 15.084; 6. Brent Sexton, 15.090; 7. Jon Robertson, 15.141; 8. Seth Dyer, 15.212; 9. Zate Legend, 15.847; 10. Pat Kelley, 15.822
Racing Junk Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. Lange; 2. Speir; 3. Greco; 4. Robertson; 5. Legend
Extreme Muffler Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Michnowicz; 2.Jeff Dyer, 3. Brent Sexton, 4. Seth Dyer; 5. Pat Kelley
Mohave Valley Raceway 25 Lap Main Event (with starting positions and distance behind)
1. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, (2nd)
2. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA, (1st) … -2.613
3. Aiden Lange, Lakewood, CA, (6th) … -4.632
4. Bobby Michnowicz, Oak Hills, CA, (5th) … -5.186
5. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA, (4th) … -8.115
6. Brent Sexton, Lakeside, CA, (3rd) … -8.796
7. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA, (7th) … -15.265
8. Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, (8th) … -1 Lap
9. Zate Legend, Riverside, CA, (9th) … -1 Lap
10. Pat Kelley, Chino, CA, (10th), … -1 Lap
CLS September 23rd Contingency Awards
Racing Junk Heat Race #1 – Aiden Lange
Extreme Muffler Heat Race #2 $50.00 Certificate – Bobby Michnowicz
BR Motorsports Main Event 2nd Place Finisher $25.00 Certificate – Connor Speir
King Motorsports Main Event 5th Place Finisher $25.00 Certificate – Eric Greco
Advanced Racing Suspension Hard Charger $50.00 Certificate – Aiden Lange
2023 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Point Standings
1. Bobby Michnowicz, Lomita, CA … 1756
2. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA … 1661
3. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA … 1255
3. Aiden Lange, Lakewood, CA … 125595-poinmt
5. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA … 1226
6. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA … 1134
7. Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA …984
8. Cody Nigh, Camarillo, CA … 838
9. Pat Kelley, Chino, CA … 835
10. AJ Bender, San Diego, CA … 746
CLS vs BCRA Civil War Final Standings
1. Greg Dennett, BCRA … 504
2. Eric Greco, CLS … 485
3. Bobby Michnowicz, CLS … 447
4. Dakota Albright, BCRA … 441
5. Aiden Lange, CLS … 430
6. Chris Crowder, BCRA … 343
7. Connor Speir, CLS … 327
7. Jon Robertson, CLS … 272
9. Leland Day, CLS … 245
10. Seth Dyer, CLS … 243
2023 CLS vs SWLS Best of the West Standings
1. Bobby Michnowicz, Lomita, CA, CLS … 791
1. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA, CLS … 721
3. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, CLS … 671
4. Brent Sexton, Lakeside, CA. SWLS … 598
5. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA, CLS … 577
5. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA, CLS … 548
7. Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA, CLS … 533
8. Pat Kelley, Chino, CA, CLS … 485
9. Aiden Lange, Lakewood, CA, CLS … 366
10. Cody Griggs, Lakeside, CA, SWLS … 299
2023 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 10 Imperial Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #1 AJ Bender
March 11 Imperial Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #2 Braden Chiaramonte
March 18 Bakersfield Speedway CLS With USAC Western Midgets Rained Out
April 1 Mohave Valley Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #3 Brent Sexton
April 8 Bakersfield Speedway CLS AJ Bender
May 13 Ventura Raceway CLS With USAC 360 Sprint Cars Bobby Michnowicz
May 20 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #4 Bobby Michnowicz
June 3 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series Round” #1 Jeff Dyer
June 17 Ventura Raceway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #5 Bobby Michnowicz
July 8 Ventura Raceway CLS Bobby Michnowicz
August 19 Ocean Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series Round” #2 Chris Crowder
September 9 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series” Round #3 Chris Crowder
September 23 Ventura Raceway CLS Aiden Lange
September 30 Merced Speedway CLS/BCRA “Civil War Series” Round #4, Eric Greco
October 14 Mohave Valley Speedway CLS/SWLS “Best of the West” Round #6 Jeff Dyer
October 28 Ventura Raceway CLS
November 14 Bakersfield Speedway CLS/SWLS Best of The West Round #7
November 16 Placerville Speedway “Hangtown 100” No Points Non Wing
November 17 Placerville Speedway “Hangtown 100” No Points Non Wing
November 18 Placerville Speedway “Hangtown 100” No Points Non Wing
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
This press release was produced by Scott Daloisio Sports (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com