With the holidays beckoning just around the corner, Jeff Dyer and his teenage son Seth are set to finish their 2024 racing seasons this Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Wednesday’s show will be the 8th annual Western States Lightning Sprint Car Championship for the California Lightning Sprint Cars at the Bakersfield Speedway. Both Jeff and Seth will be racing in that one. Friday and Saturday, Jeff will compete in the Inland Rigging Ultimate Sprint Car Series portion of the 83rd Turkey Night Grand Prix at the Ventura Raceway.
Jeff Dyer at Perris Auto Speedway. Kenny Lonngren photo.
Wednesday’s race had originally been scheduled for Tuesday night. However, heavy rainstorms on Monday and Tuesday forced the event’s postponement until Wednesday. It will be the final race in the 30th season for the California Lightning Sprint Cars. Jeff, a California Highway Patrol Officer, when he is not racing, sits comfortably in third heading into the finale. Seventeen-year-old Seth is seventh in the CLS championship standings, but he is only 10 points out of sixth.
Jeff’s best finish with the CLS on “The West’s Fastest 1/3 Mile High Banked Clay Oval” in 2024 came on March 16th when he placed second. Seth’s best showing at the “Okie Bowl” came when he finished fourth on May 18th. However, in June the teen led the first nine laps of the main event and seemed to have the field covered until he slowed with a broken engine.
After Wednesday, the team will slap restrictors on the Cal Smith Racing/Dyer Motorsports yellow #39 410 sprint car and head to the prestigious Turkey Knight Grand Prix at Ventura. It will be Jeff’s first appearance in one of the USA’s most famous dirt track races. On Friday night, he will be one of 60 cars trying to race their way into Saturday’s finale. Only the top 42 in points on Friday will race again on Saturday.
The two nights of racing at the track, which is located at the beach on the Ventura County Fairgrounds, will be Jeff’s first time in a full-size sprint car at Ventura in 2024. However, he has been a force on the tiny track this year in lightning sprints. In five starts, he has two runner-up results, two third-place finishes, and he came home ninth once.
Adult general admission tickets at Bakersfield are $25.00. For kids 6-12, general admission tickets are $15.00. For children 5 and under, general admission tickets are free. For seniors 65+ and military (ID required), general admission tickets are $22.00. The track is located at 5001 N. Chester Ext., in Bakersfield (93308). The track website is http://www.bakersfieldspeedway.com/ and the office phone number is (661) 393-3373.
At Ventura, spectator gates will open at 3:00 p.m., with cars on the track at 3:30 on both days. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.venturaraceway.com. Additional information is available at 805-648-7223. The famous track is located on the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 W. Harbor Boulevard in Ventura (93001).
For fans who cannot make it to the track, all three nights will be streamed live on Flo Racing.
Seth wrapped up the GAS Chassis Young Gun portion of his 2024 season at Perris Auto Speedway on November 9th. A clogged fuel line between the tank and the filter forced him to drop out of the race early.
In 2024, the following marketing partners will help keep the Dyers on track. Dependable Machine Inc., Haircuts By Susie, Jobu Racing, LBA Investigations, Straight Time Stirrups, Justice Brothers, Fonseca Racing, Specialty Fasteners, and Blud Racing Lubricants. If you would like to be a part of Dyer Motorsports in 2024, call (760) 550-7237 or send an email to mailto:[email protected].
Dyer Motorsports PR