The California Lightning Sprint Car Series Opens Its 32^nd Season At Imperial Valley

Torrance, CA — March 3, 2026 — The California Lightning Sprint Car Series, presented by Motor City Buick/GMC will kick off its historic 32^nd season this Friday and Saturday, March 6^th and 7^th, at the Imperial Valley Raceway.  The CLS will co-sanction the race with the SoCal Lightning Sprints in the first two rounds of the six-race Clash Series.

Heading the list of entries on the CLS side of the ledger for the first races of the new campaign is Lakewood’s Aiden Lange.  The 23-year-old is the defending CLS champion.  He also led the series with four wins on the way to the title in his 10^th year with the series in 2025. 

Among the expected CLS combatants this weekend will be seven-time  Champion, Bobby Michnowicz of Oak Hills, California Highway Patrol Officer Jeff Dyer of Yucca Valley, three-time lightning sprint champion Brent Sexton of Lakeside and his two sons, Grant and Dalton, “Rockstar” Jon Robertson of Torrance, Leland Day of Bakersfield, and Camarillo’s Cody Nigh.

Dyer and Michnowicz tied for second in the series with three wins each last year.

In addition to the CLS veterans, last year's top two rookies, Drake Cardey, and Braydin Collie, will both be in action this week.  Riverside’s Cardey, who finished second in points and won the Rookie of the Year Award, will be in the Savage Racing #3F owned by Brian Fonseca.  Collie, who lives in El Cajon and who finished fifth in points in 2025, will be in his familiar Sexton Gatlin Racing #44.

The CLS last raced at Imperial on March 1 and 2 in 2024.  CLS youngsters swept the two races. Lange copped the win in the Friday opener.  Twenty-four hours later, Connor Speir made it a clean sweep for the CLS when he drove to victory on night two.

The CLS racers will tangle with a bevy of drivers from the third year SCLS.  Alpine’s Peter Benker, a former CLS Rookie of the Year, won his first SCLS title in 2025.  He will be joined by his teenage son, Cody Benker, who finished second in the standings.  They will be joined by the Dumas brothers, Ryan, Parker, and Deejay, Warner Springs regular “Shugah” Shane Sexton, last season’s Rookie of the Year, Tyler Warner of Alpine, Kelly Weitzel, and Brent Horn, both of El Cajon, and San Diego’s Landon Dalton and Chase Wilson.

In addition to the Lightning Sprints, Dwarf Cars, and Arizona Mini Late Models will also be in action.  Both nights will be complete shows for the lightnings with qualifying, heats, and 20-lap mains.  Racing will begin at 6:15 p.m. each night. Admission is free with a ticket to the California Mid-Winter Fair. For more information or to purchase advance fair tickets, visit www.ivfairgrounds.com/p/tickets--deals. For fans who cannot attend in person, both nights will be streamed live on speeduniontv.com.

Imperial Valley Raceway is located on the Imperial Valley Fairgrounds at 200 E. 2nd Street, Imperial, California 92251.

After this week’s races, the CLS will return to action when it visits its home track, the Ventura Raceway, for the first time in 2026 on March 21^st.

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.