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SEXTON GATLIN RACING HEADS NORTH FOR TWO RACES THIS WEEKEND

2025-03-27 18:30

(Lakeside, CA, March 24, 2025) Lakeside, California's Sexton Gatlin Racing will wrap up a busy month of March with a trek to Ocean Speedway in Watsonville on the 28th and the Merced Speedway on the 29th for races in the Ultimate Sprint Car Series. The trek north will take SGR 454 miles from its San Diego County base for the Friday portion of the weekend doubleheader. On Saturday, the team will head 100 miles south from Watsonville to Merced for Saturday's race on the Doug Lockwood-promoted track.

SGR had last weekend off after competing in the Avanti Windows and Doors USAC/CRA Series during the California Mid-Winter Fair at the Imperial Valley Fairgrounds on the 14th and 15th of the month. The two nights of racing at the track located just north of the USA-Mexico border brought a mixed bag of results for the longtime Southern California team.

The Friday portion of the show at the track, which old-time fans still refer to as El Centro, started off well for the team when 20-year-old Grant clicked off the seventh fastest time in the 28-car field. Even though he was less than a half second slower, Brent timed in 19th best.

Brent's night ended on the first lap of the third heat race when he was battling for the lead. Starting on the outside of the front row, contact with the car on the inside sent him into a series of nasty flips as he came off turn two. He climbed out of the car unscathed, but the tumble ended up finishing his car for the night.

"I am not sure after watching the replay," Sexton answered when asked what triggered the flip. " After I watched the replay, someone may have caught the inside berm and caught my left rear, but I do not know. It is hard to say, really. We could have been ready, but with just two classes there, time was short. I just figured why push it with a two-day show. Let's focus on getting it fixed right and be ready for the next night. It really was not damaged too badly for as hard as I flipped. Front axle, bent the torque tube, and rear bumper."

Grant ended up sixth in the heat. That sent him to the B main, where he needed to finish sixth or better to continue to the A. He did so comfortably by finishing third. That put the young driver in the 30-lap finale. However, car issues plagued him, and he finished 19th.

With the flip in his past, the Saturday portion of the show saw Brent turn in his best USAC qualifying effort to date. His 13.389 was the 11th fastest lap of the 26 cars on hand. He followed that by competing in the toughest heat race of the weekend. The veteran racer fought hard and managed to hold the final transfer spot until the last lap when he slipped back to sixth. That outcome placed him on the front row of the B main, and getting more used to the 410 each night, he brought it home third to earn a ticket to his first USAC/CRA main event of the year.

In the main, the wily veteran started 11th. After some see-sawing forward and backward in the race, he ended up 14th. While he wanted more, he was happy with the night, and he loves life as a 410 sprint car driver.

"It was my best qualifying to date with USAC." Sexton proudly stated. "I am kind of setting some goals for this year, like qualifying better with USAC, because that is everything. Finish a little better than last year. Last year, I was usually 18th to 24th. This year, I want to get near the top 10. I would like to have finished closer to the top 10 at Imperial, but I will take the 14th place."

"I do actually," Sexton continued when asked if he felt this year is like a rejuvenation of his career. "I am having a lot of fun. Especially with this 410. It is all a learning curve, jumping up to a 410. I am enjoying it."

San Diego's AJ Bender, who has driven SGR cars and won in the past in lightning competition, jumped into Grant's car on Saturday to see what it was like to wheel a Triple X. However, the driver who finished fourth in USAC/CRA points in 2024, was feeling the car out for the first time, and he exited the A main early.

"I am looking forward to this weekend," Sexton offered about racing at Ocean and Merced. "We have run Merced with the lightning sprint, but I have never been to Ocean before. We will have to figure out gearing and all of that stuff. Hopefully, we will come out of the box strong."

To see SGR in action this weekend, the Ocean Speedway is located at 2601 E. Lake in Watsonville, California. For times and ticket information, call the track office at 831-688-7223. On Saturday at the Merced Speedway, gates will open at 5:00 p.m., and racing will begin at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for those 17 and older are $25.00. Juniors, aged 11-16, get in for $10.00. Tickets for kids 6-10 are $5.00. Children 5 and under are free. The track is located at 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Merced. The track website is http://www.mercedspeedway.net/ and the office phone number is 209-600-8382.

The final SGR racer on the weekend at Imperial was eager teen Braydin Collie of El Cajon, California. Racing on a track where he recorded a second-place finish in 2024, things did not go quite as well on the weekend with the SoCal Lightning Sprint Cars. On Friday, he looked impressive in winning his heat race, but he flipped on the back stretch during lap three of the main event and finished 11th. Twenty-four hours later, the talented teen placed 11th again when the center splines on the right rear stripped out.

Big news from Sexton Gatling Racing is the fact that they are going to be a CSI certified shock dealer for the West Coast. The team bought Mel Murphy's shock dyno and crew member David Bezio flew out to Indy on Monday to study with CSI in Indiana.

"We will be open right away (when Bezio gets back)," Sexton commented. "I have the dyno and we have been doing our own shocks. David is there taking the course so we can be a certified dealer. We are excited about that."

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, Valley Lubricant Services, Sexton Fire Protection, BK Wings, and 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 2025 Results

3/8/25 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 13th A Main

3/14/25 Imperial Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars DNS

3/15/25 Imperial Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 14th A Main

Grant Sexton 2025 Results

2/15/25 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 20th A Main

3/8/25 Ventura Raceway USCS Sprint Cars 8th A Main

3/14/25 Imperial Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 19th A Main

AJ Bender 2025 SGR Results

3/15/25 Imperial Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 23rd A Main

Braydin Collie 2025 SGR Results

3/14/25 Imperial Valley Raceway SoCal Lightning Sprints 11th A Main

3/15/25 Imperial Valley Raceway SoCal Lightning Sprints 11th A Main

This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. Contact (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com