SEXTON GATLIN RACING READY FOR PERRIS AFTER ROUGH NIGHT AT SANTA MARIA
2024-07-13 14:25
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(Lakeside, CA, July 11, 2024) After getting hit by what seemed like everything but the track ambulance at Santa Maria, Sexton Gatlin Racing drivers Brent Sexton and his son Grant have dusted themselves off, repaired their damaged cars, and are ready for Saturday's Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car race at Perris Auto Speedway. Gates at the famous Riverside County half-mile oval will open at 5:00 p.m., and the first exciting race will take the green flag at 7:00.
The Sexton Gatlin Racing rig made the nearly 300-mile trip north to Santa Maria with three cars inside. One each for Brent and Grant to race in the USAC/CRA Series and a lightning sprint for Lakeside, California flat track motorcycle racer Braydin Collie to use in the companion California Lightning Sprint Car Series race.
Brent and Grant were matched up against 24 other top-of-the-line USAC/CRA cars. 2023 Rookie of the Year Grant recorded the best lap of the duo when he shot around the banked 1/3 mile oval in 14.140. That was good enough for the 14th best time of the night. Brent, a 52-year-old who is running for Rookie of the Year this season, stopped the clocks at 14.907 in his ex-Rico Abreu 360. That placed him 19th fastest of the 26.
The top five finishers in each 10-lap heat went straight to the 30-lap main event. Drivers finishing sixth on back would have to run the B main. Brent steered the #44 to a seventh-place finish in his heat, meaning he would have extra work in front of him to try and get to the main. Grant, who will turn 20 on Tuesday, fared better when he finished fifth and booked his ticket for the 30-lapper.
Brent, who was born in Tennessee, had his work cut out for him in the B main. The three-time lightning sprint car champion was lined up against nine other drivers. The first seven finishers would make it into the A main. In baseball vernacular, the drivers finishing eighth through 10th would hit the showers. The veteran performed well and finished third. That allowed him to join Grant in the A main.
Unfortunately, things unraveled in a hurry in the A for both drivers. Grant started 14th, and Brent began in 18th. The chaos started at the beginning of the A main when a car got sideways at the start, leaving Brent nowhere to go. The veteran tipped over. The result was the left rear rim was bent into the bleeder valve. Initially, the crew could not get the wheel nut off until they used a jack to split the wheel apart. Amazingly, they finally got the job done and changed the left rear shock as well, and he was ready for the restart.
Coming off his series-best sixth-place finish at Perris a couple of weeks earlier, Grant got caught up in someone else's mess on lap two and flipped. The car suffered costly damage, including a broken Jacob's ladder, exhaust, shocks, and right rear wheel. His #22 was too damaged to continue, and he ended his race with a very frustrating 20th-place finish.
With Grant out, SGR fans focused on Brent, who raced for the duration of the 30-lap event and finished 15th.
Coming into Saturday's sixth series race of 2024 at Perris, Grant is tied for 14th in the championship standings. One spot and six points behind his youngest offspring is Brent.
Collie made his lightning sprint car debut in the fast Sexton Gatlin Racing #44, normally steered by Brent. To say it was an impressive debut is a vast understatement. Being his first time in a lightning sprint, it was no surprise that the flat tracker qualified last in the 14-car field. After all, he had never raced a lightning sprint prior. He also placed last in his heat. However, in the main event, he nearly captured the "Hard Charger" award, going from the 13th starting spot to finish sixth.
Adult tickets for Saturday's race are $30.00. Seniors 65 and over get in for $25.00. For kids 6-12, it is only $5.00, and children 5 and under are free. The fairgrounds charge $10.00 for parking. Advance tickets are available at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/pas/7/event/1366778 or by calling 1-800-595-4849. For fans who do not wish to purchase tickets in advance, there will be plenty available for everyone at the ticket window on Saturday night. Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in the City of Perris. The track website is https://santamariaspeedway.net/.
Sexton Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2024 season possible. East County Electric Works, Keys Brothers, BR Motorsports, Maxima Oil, Automated Interiors, Sexton Fire Protection, BK Wings, Troy Dirt.
If you or your company are interested in becoming a marketing partner with Sexton Gatlin Racing in 2024, please call (619) 454-6945 or E-mail mailto:sextonfire@cox.net or mailto:sextonfire@gmail.com.
Brent Sexton 2024 Results
2/24/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 15th A Main
3/1/24 Imperial Valley Raceway SoCal Lightning Sprints 4th A Main
3/2/24 Imperial Valley Raceway SoCal Lightning Sprints 2nd A Main
3/8/24 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprint Cars 12th A Main
3/9/24 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprint Cars 16th A Main
3/16/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 13th A Main
3/23/24 Cocopah Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 14th A Main
4/6/24 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 17th A Main
4/20/24 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 25th A Main
4/20/24 Bakersfield Speedway California Lightning Sprints 6th A Main
4/27/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 16th A Main
5/18/24 Bakersfield Speedway California Lightning Sprints 6th A Main
5/25/24 Barona Speedway SoCal Lightning Sprints 1st A Main
6/1/24 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 10th A Main
6/8/24 Barona Speedway SoCal Lightning Sprints 5th A Main
6/22/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 13th A Main
7/6/24 Santa Maria Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 15th A Main
Grant Sexton 2024 Results
2/24/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 18th A Main
3/8/24 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprint Cars 9th A Main
3/9/24 Imperial Valley Raceway Imperial Valley 360/410 Sprint Cars 5th A Main
3/16/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 21st A Main
3/23/24 Cocopah Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 16th A Main
4/6/24 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 11th A Main
4/20/24 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 16th A Main
4/27/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 19th A Main
5/11/24 Barona Speedway So Cal Lightning Sprints 3rd A Main
5/18/24 Bakersfield Speedway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 5th A Main
6/1/24 Ventura Raceway Ultimate Sprint Car Series 3rd A Main
6/22/24 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 6th A Main
7/6/24 Santa Maria Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 20th A Main
Braydin Collie 2024 Results
7/6/24 Santa Maria Speedway California Lightning Sprints 6th A Main
This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. Contact (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com