Fourteen cars showed up for the long-awaited return of the 30-year-old series to one of its old stomping grounds.  The first order of business for the CLS was qualifying. As has been a custom of late, six times series champion Bobby Michnowicz of Oak Hills laid down the best lap of the night in time trials with a 14.091. Dyer, who makes his home in Yucca Valley, was second fastest with a time of 14.314. Third-year CLS driver Conner Speir of Fillmore timed in third quickest when he stopped the clocks at 14.370. Castaic’s Clay Byers and “Rockstar” John Robertson of Torrance were fourth and fifth with laps of 14.640 and 14.661, respectively.

Michnowicz, who is not only a six-time champion but also the all-time main event victory leader in the series, continued his rampage when he defeated Speir and Seth Dyer, Jeff’s 17-year-old son, in the first eight-lap heat race.  Seconds later, Palmdale’s Eric Greco, who won his first race of the year on June 15th at the Bakersfield Speedway, was first to the checkers in the second heat.  Jeff Dyer and Robertson trailed him in second and third. 

Robertson was on the pole with Jeff Dyer on the outside of row one for the 25-lap main event on the 1/3-mile banked clay oval.  Seth Dyer, who came into the night fourth in points, and Speir made up the youthful second row. Michnowicz started on the inside of row three and had Byers to his right.  Benker started inside row four.  Outside of him was July 3, 2021, Santa Maria winner Greco. 

As soon as the green flag waved to start the race, Dyer took off like he was leading a police chase. Robertson and Speir were his early pursuers.  Speir got by Robertson for second and Seth Dyer did likewise on lap two.  Positions in the top five continued to change when Michnowicz got past young Dyer for third on lap five. Seconds later, Robertson pulled his white number 42 to the infield as he exited turn four.

While his pursuers were going at it behind him, Dyer was clearly faster than any car in the field. By the end of the seventh circuit, he was a full straight away in front. For the second race in a row, disaster struck Seth Dyer, who came into the night fourth in the championship point standings, when he dropped out on lap eight.  Fortunately for him, things were not as bad as the last race when he dropped out with a blown engine. This time it was a broken injector wire.

The first of two yellows in the main event saw the field bunch up behind Dyer for the restart. Speir was second, Michnowicz sat third, with Greco fourth.  Byers, who had two 10th-place and two 11th-place finishes in his four starts this season, was fifth.  Once the green flag waved it was the same story as early on.   Dyer powered away from the pack, but some in the grandstands thought he may have been in peril when Michnowicz relieved Speir of second on the first lap after the restart.

While Dyer was in a class of his own on the night, funny things were happening behind him. Speir, driving his beautiful #57, repassed Michnowicz for second place on lap 14. However, the young driver's tenure in the runner-up spot did not last for long, as one lap later, he turned into the infield while leaving a trail of smoke behind.

Speir’s misfortune brought out a yellow flag.  That necessitated a restart and allowed Michnowicz to pull close to the race-long leader again.  Like early on and like everybody else in the race, he had nothing for Dyer who simply motored away one more time.  Despite that, there was still some intrigue to be had.  Zate Legend, who will not turn 13 until later this month and who is 48 years younger than Michnowicz, was coming like a runaway freight train after starting ninth.  He not only challenged the CLS G.O.A.T., but he passed him for second as well.

When the checkered finished the race, Dyer, in his Machine Inc./Haircuts By Susie/Jobu Racing/LBA Investigations/Straight Time Stirrups/Justice Brothers/Fonseca Racing/Specialty Fasteners/Blud Racing Lubricants/Diablo Chassis/Crutchfield Engine #4, was once again a full straight in front of the pack as he posted his first win of 2024.  Surprising Legend came home second for his best-ever CLS finish.  Michnowicz placed third, with Greco fourth.  Like Legend, Byers had his best CLS finish when he crossed under the checkers in fifth. 

To add some icing on his cake, Legend was also the race “Hard Charger.”

“We have had our struggles this year,” Dyer told the large enthusiastic crowd after his win.  “We have been super-fast.  It is the first year we have had where we keep blowing engines.  We haven’t changed anything.  It held together tonight.  The track was technical and heavy.  I have always had a little trouble freeing my cars up to run the top.  They do not really run too good in the heavy stuff.  It was kind of slick down below and that is what it stayed at.  When you are leading, you never move from what you are doing until they try to pass you.  I knew that if I was fast enough they were going to have to wind them up.”

The race also saw some shuffling in the championship point standings. With second-place Cody Nigh not in attendance, Michnowicz increased his lead to 104 points.  Greco jumped into the runner-up spot, with Nigh slipping to third.  Legend, who began racing lightnings in 2023, moved up to fourth, with Jeff Dyer advancing to fifth.  Going into the next series race, round #2 of the Civil War Series vs the Bay City Racing Association at Santa Maria on July 27th, fourth through eighth in the standings are only separated by 49 points.

The CLS would like to thank the following companies for being partners in the 2024 season.  Extreme Mufflers, RacingJunk.com and Hoosier Tire.

July 6th Santa Maria Speedway Results

Qualifying: 1. Bobby Michnowicz, 14.091; 2. Jeff Dyer, 14.314; 3. Connor Speir, 14.370; 4. Clay Byers, CA, 14.640; 5. Jon Robertson, 14.661; 6. Seth Dyer, 14.682; 7. Peter Benker, 14.742; 8. Tatum Manu, 14.835; 9. Eric Greco, 14.848; 10. Zate Legend, 14.977; 11. Cody Benker, 15.057; 12. Kelly Weitzel, 15.335; 13. Roland Smith, 16.601; 14. Brayden Collie, 17.601

Heat #1(8-Laps): 1. Michnowicz, 2. Speir, 3. Seth Dyer, 4. Byers, 5. Legend, 6. Cody Benker, 7. Smith

Heat #2 (8-Laps): 1. Greco, 2. Jeff Dyer, 3. Robertson, 4. Peter Benker, 5. Manu 6. Weitzel, 6. Collie

Main Event (25-Laps with Starting Positions)

1. Jeff Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA (2nd)

2. Zate Legend, Riverside, CA (9th)

3. Bobby Michnowicz, Oak Hills, CA (5th)

4. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA (8th)

5. Clay Byers, Castaic, CA (6th)

6. Braydin Collie, Lakeside, CA (13th)

7. Kelly Weitzel, El Cajon, CA (11th)

8. Cody Benker, Alpine, CA (10th)

9. Roland Smith, (12th)

10. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA (4th)

11. Peter Benker, Alpine, CA (7th)

12. Seth Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA (3rd)

13. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA (1st)

DNS Tatum Manu

Hard Charger: Zate Legend – 9th to 2nd

California Lightning Sprint Car Series Points

1. Bobby Michnowicz, Oak Hills, CA … 1018

2. Eric Greco, Palmdale, CA … 904

3. Cody Nigh, Camarillo, CA … 893

4. Zate Legend, Riverside, CA … 819

5. Jed Dyer, Yucca Valley, CA … 789

6. Zate Legend, Riverside, CA … 780

7. Jon Robertson, Torrance, CA … 775

8. Connor Speir, Fillmore, CA … 770

9. Broedy Graham, Bakersfield, CA … 470

10. Clay Byers, Bakersfield, CA … 424

2024 CLS Lap Leaders

Michnowicz, Bobby … 92

Dyer, Jeff … 25

Speir, Connor … 20

Dyer, Jeff … 17

Lange, Aiden … 16

Greco, Eric … 16

Bender, AJ … 15

Dyer, Seth … 9

Nigh, Cody … 4

Dennett, Greg … 1