PLACENTIA, California — The California Lightning Sprint Car Series will begin its 18th consecutive season of racing this Saturday, March 12th, at the Sokola Shootout at Perris Auto Speedway. Spectator gates will open at 5:00 PM and the first race will be at 7:00. The USAC/CRA Sprint Cars will join the CLS in the open wheel twin-bill.
The 2011 CLS schedule is comprised of 18 races at five different tracks. Eight of the races will be at the series home track, Perris Auto Speedway. The Bakersfield Speedway will host the CLS four times. Santa Maria Speedway and the Ventura Raceway, both regular stops for the series, will each host two races. New to the series is Victorville Raceway Park which will host two races. Perris is a half-mile oval while Bakersfield, Santa Maria and Victorville are all 1/3 of a mile. Ventura is the smallest track on the circuit at 1/5 of a mile. The full schedule is listed below.
Spring Valley, California's Jarrett Kramer will open defense of his 2010 championship on Saturday at The PAS. Kramer, 28, is attempting to become only the second driver to win the CLS title in consecutive years. The last driver to do it is current USAC/CRA Sprint Car star Greg Bragg, who won three straight CLS championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002. A former BMX National Champion, Kramer has captured another of the major CLS awards in the past. In 2004, he was name series Rookie of the Year.
The Lightning Sprint portion of the Sokola Shootout will consist of heat races, B main (if needed) and a 20-lap A main event. The race honors former CRA & USAC official and car owner Gary Sokola and his son Mark, who was raced Sprint Cars.
The California Lightning Sprint Car Series would like to thank the following sponsors for their support in the 2011 season: Performance by Rosson Racing, DK Machine and Fabrication , Sander Engineering, Elliott's Powder Coating, Circle Track Performance, Hoosier Tires and the Christian Stover Foundation. If you or your company would like to become part of the California Lightning Series for the 2011 season, please call Dan Hillberg at: (714) 719-0295
2011 California Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 12 - Perris Auto Speedway
March 26 - Bakersfield Speedway
April 2nd - Perris Auto Speedway
April 16th - Ventura Raceway
April 30th - Bakersfield Speedway
May 14th - Santa Maria Speedway
May 28th - Perris Auto Speedway
May 29th - Victorville Raceway Park (T)
July 2nd - Perris Auto Speedway
July 23rd - Bakersfield Speedway
July 30th - Perris Auto Speedway
August 20th - Perris Auto Speedway
August 27th - Santa Maria Speedway
September 24th - Bakersfield Speedway
October 15th - Ventura Raceway
October 29th - Victorville Raceway Park (T)
November 4th - Perris Auto Speedway
November 5th - Perris Auto 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 Ganson
2007 Shane Rosson
2008 Brent Sexton
2009 Stuart Hielcshier Sr.
2010 Jarrett Kramer
