CLS - California Lightning Sprints

• dirt track racing organizations

The California Lightning Sprints are the premier winged Lightning Sprints series in the country. 2024 marks the Southern California based club's 30th season of operation. Lightning sprints are 1000cc super-bike powered full midget chassis that are one of the most exciting experiences in short track racing. The relatively small dirt and clay oval tracks (1/4 - 1/3 mile) and high speeds (in excess of 100 mph) make for easy-to-view, action-packed, high-intensity racing for everyone. Drivers must possess extraordinary reflexes, coordination, and setup skills in order to excel in these cars. Whether as a gateway series to full sized sprint cars or as a destination for the local racer who wants to hone their keen senses and competitive skills, Lightning Sprints are the biggest bang for your buck and have something for everyone. We provide a series that is professionally run, administrated and highly competitive.

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CLS - California Lightning Sprints Dirt Track Racing Schedule

Schedules are known to change without warning, double check with race track before heading out.

CLS - California Lightning Sprints Dirt Track Racing News

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  SANTA MARIA HOSTS USAC/CRA SPRINT CARS THIS SATURDAY

  The battle for the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC/CRA Sprint Car championship will resume this Saturday, July 5th, at Santa Maria Speedway. Now under new ownership, the popular Central Coast oval will have an action packed card that will also feature the winged California 305 Regional Sprint Cars, California Lightning Sprints, and Dwarf Cars.

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  Brent Sexton Has Dream Trip to Indiana

  Lakeside, CA - June 19, 2025 — Brent Sexton of Lakeside, California, lived out a lifelong dream earlier this month when he traveled to Indiana to compete in the Sprint Car portion of Indiana Midget Week. The three-time Lightning Sprint Car champion was geared up to compete six nights in a row. However, Mother Nature had other plans, and the veteran racer was only able to race three times due to rain. Sexton and the traveling Sexton Gatlin Racing crew kicked off their Indiana campaign at Circle City Raceway, just minutes from the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on June 3rd. There, Sexton faced the toughest field of competitors in his sprint car career. Still, the seasoned driver wasn't fazed in the slightest. After qualifying seventh in his group, he lined up in the same spot for his heat race. Early on, he ran near the back but quickly found speed on the low line, advancing to fifth and nearly grabbing the final transfer spot before running out of laps. In the 17-car, 12-lap B Main, Sexton started fourth—thanks to his heat race performance—and held his ground, using the bottom groove to move up to third and secure a coveted transfer into the A Main. For a driver who only began racing full-sized sprint cars two years ago, transferring into the main event against such a stacked field was a significant achievement. Starting 19th in the feature due to his qualifying time, Sexton again relied on the low line and charged forward to finish 14th. Only two other drivers passed more cars than the Tennessee native in the 25-lap main event. Twenty-four hours later, Sexton and the beautiful #42 car made the short trip to Paragon Speedway. Buoyed by his strong showing at Circle City, he was ready to take on another unfamiliar track. Qualifying didn't go in his favor, however, as he timed in ninth in his group and started deep in his heat. He managed to pass one car, placing him in a tough spot for the 22-car B Main. Starting 16th, Sexton again went to work on the bottom, advancing five positions to finish 11th. Unfortunately, time ran out, and he didn't make the A Main. On the bright side, only four drivers improved their positions more in the B. The following night at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, racing was canceled due to rain. Unfortunately, the wet weather lingered, washing out the next two nights of competition at Bloomington and Tri-State Speedway. Fortunately, the rain vacated the area by Sunday night, and Sexton was able to compete at the legendary Kokomo Speedway—a track he had looked forward to racing on the most. He qualified seventh in his group of 10 and finished eighth in both his heat race and the B Main. Though he didn't make the A, just getting the chance to compete at Kokomo was another highlight of the trip. Aside from the rain and some motorhome issues on the return trip, the week was a memorable one for the entire Sexton Gatlin Racing team. While most of the team was in Indiana, SGR teammate Braydin Collie had a stellar outing with the California Lightning Sprint Cars at Bakersfield Speedway on June 7th. After qualifying seventh, the El Cajon, California teenager won his eight-lap heat race. Starting sixth in the feature, he charged to the front and even led momentarily in a thrilling mid-race battle. He eventually finished third—his best result of the year. Sexton Gatlin Racing has a big announcement on the horizon. Details will be revealed in the next week to 10 days. For more updates, follow Sexton Gatlin Racing on social media and stay tuned for their results throughout the 2025 season. Sexton Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2024 season possible. East County Electric Works, Keys Brothers, Geoff Dale, 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 3/28/25 Ocean Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 5th A Main 3/29/25 Merced Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 12th A Main 4/12/25 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 12th A Main 5/17/25 Santa Maria Speedway Ultimate Sprint Cars 21st A Main 6/3/25 Circle City Speedway (Indianapolis) 410 Sprint Cars 14th A Main 6/4/25 Paragon Speedway (Indiana) 410 Sprint Cars 11th B Main 6/5/25 Lincoln Park Speedway (Indiana) 410 Sprint Cars Rained Out 6/6/25 Bloomington Speedway (Indiana) 410 Sprint Cars Rained Out 6/7/25 Tri State Speedway (Indiana) 410 Sprint Cars Rained Out 6/8/25 Kokomo Speedway (Indiana) 410 Sprint Cars 8th B Main Grant Sexton 2025 Results 2/22/25 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 4/12/25 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 17th A Main 5/17/15 Santa Maria Speedway USCS Sprint Cars DNS 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 4/12/25 Bakersfield Speedway California Lightning Sprints 11th A Main 5/17/25 Merced Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War 9th A Main 6/7/25 Bakersfield Speedway California Lightning Sprints 3rd A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. Contact (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com

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  Sexton Gatlin Racing Makes Indiana Debut This Week

  Lakeside, CA - June 1, 2025 — For the first time in their careers, Brent Sexton and his son Grant will be racing in Indiana this week. The Lakeside, California-based Sexton Gatlin Racing (SGR) team is set to compete in six consecutive nights of sprint car action as part of Indiana Midget Week. The series kicks off at the cozy confines of Circle City Raceway in Indianapolis. Brent, 52, and Grant, 20, are well-known names in lightning sprint car circles. Brent is a three-time lightning sprint champion, earning California Lightning Sprint Car Series titles in 1999 and 2008, and capturing the POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series championship in 2022. The latter came a year after Grant claimed the same title in 2021. In 2023, the father-son duo began shifting their focus to the high-powered 410 sprint cars in the USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series. That year, Grant, then 19, earned Rookie of the Year honors, while Brent finished third in the same category in 2024. Over the past two years, SGR has adopted a "pick and choose" approach to their race schedule, and 2025 has followed suit. Brent has competed in seven events so far—five with the Ultimate Sprint Car Series (USCS) and two with USAC/CRA. His best finish to date is a fifth-place showing at Ocean Speedway with USCS on March 28. Grant has made five starts this season—three in USCS and two in USAC/CRA. His top result came at Ventura Raceway on March 8, where he finished eighth in a USCS event. "A good buddy of mine, Mark Deskovick, moved out there (Indiana) from Ramona," Sexton answered when asked why they are headed to Indiana. "He always said we should come out to visit and see what it is all about. It has been a bucket list thing, and now we are in a position to do it." "I would love to make A mains more than anything," Sexton continued. "Being a first timer, just seeing the tracks we have always dreamed about is a big deal. I am looking forward to seeing all of them. We begin at Circle City and finish at Kokomo. I cannot wait." In preparation for Indiana Midget Week, the Sextons consulted with Anaheim native and Indiana transplant Jake Swanson. Swanson shared that post-race car prep typically happens late at night due to the intense Midwest humidity. Taking his advice, the SGR team plans to service their cars in hotel parking lots after races, ensuring they rest during the day and stay cool before hitting the track each evening. Fans unable to attend Indiana Midget Week in person can catch all the action live with a Flo Racing subscription. For more details, visit FloRacing.com. June 3: Circle City Raceway (Indianapolis) June 4: Paragon Speedway (Paragon) June 5: Lincoln Park Speedway (Putnamville) June 6: Bloomington Speedway (Bloomington) June 7: Tri-State Speedway (Haubstadt) June 8: Kokomo Speedway (Kokomo) For more updates, follow Sexton Gatlin Racing on social media and stay tuned for their results throughout the 2025 season. Sexton Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2024 season possible. East County Electric Works, Keys Brothers, Geoff Dale, 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 3/28/25 Ocean Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 5th A Main 3/29/25 Merced Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 12th A Main 4/12/25 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 12th A Main 5/17/25 Santa Maria Speedway Ultimate Sprint Cars 21st A Main Grant Sexton 2025 Results 2/22/25 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 4/12/25 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 17th A Main 5/17/15 Santa Maria Speedway USCS Sprint Cars DNS 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 4/12/25 Bakersfield Speedway California Lightning Sprints 11th A Main 5/17/25 Merced Speedway CLS vs BCRA Civil War 9th A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. Contact (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com

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  Sexton Gatlin Racing Returns to Placerville Speedway This Weekend

  Lakeside, CA, May 1, 2025 — This Friday and Saturday, May 2nd and 3rd, Sexton Gatlin Racing (SGR) will make its highly anticipated return to Placerville Speedway as drivers Brent Sexton and his son Grant compete in the Ultimate Sprint Car Series (USCS) at the iconic Northern California venue. This marks the Lakeside, California-based team's first appearance at Placerville since a dominant showing in 2022. SGR's last outing at the red clay oval was as part of the show at the three-night Hangtown 100 in November 2022, which was co-sanctioned by the California Lightning Sprint Car Series and Bay Cities Racing Association. The team swept all three main events that weekend: San Diego's AJ Bender took victories on the first two nights, with Grant Sexton finishing second and sixth. On the final night, it was 17-year-old Grant's turn to shine, claiming the win with Bender right behind in second. Brent, a three-time lightning sprint car series champion, also made all three main events in 2022, finishing fifth, 12th, and 15th. His oldest son, Dalton, qualified for all three mains as well, earning finishes of 10th, 12th, and 15th. This Friday, Brent returns to the seat for one night only before heading off for his annual vacation in Cabo San Lucas. He enters the weekend ranked fourth in USCS points, just four digits out of third. In four starts this season, Brent's best finish was a fifth-place showing at Ocean Speedway on March 28. Grant, now 20, will be racing both nights. Thus far, he has made two USCS starts in 2025. He earned an eighth-place finish at Ventura Raceway on March 8 and was poised for a top-five finish at Bakersfield on April 12 before contact with another car knocked him out of contention, resulting in a 17th-place finish. He currently sits 20th in the championship standings. Placerville Speedway Details: Opened in 1965, Placerville Speedway is located on the El Dorado County Fairgrounds (100 Placerville Drive, Placerville, CA). Gates open at 4:00 p.m. with on-track action beginning at 5:15 p.m. both nights. Tickets: Friday, May 2: Purchase Here Saturday, May 3: Purchase Here Tickets will also be available at the gate for walk-up customers each night. For more information, visit PlacervilleSpeedway.com or call (530) 344-7592. 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 3/28/25 Ocean Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 5th A Main 3/29/25 Merced Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 12th A Main 4/12/25 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 12th A Main Grant Sexton 2025 Results 2/22/25 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 4/12/25 Bakersfield Speedway USCS Sprint Cars 17th 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 4/12/25 Bakersfield Speedway California Lightning Sprints 11th A Main This release was produced by Scott Daloisio. Contact (909) 226-7768 mailto:sdaloisiosports@gmail.com

CLS - California Lightning Sprints Dirt Tracks

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  Bakersfield Speedway at Kern Raceway Race TrackBakersfield, California, USA
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  Lemoore Jet Bowl Race TrackLemoore, California, USA
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  Merced Speedway Race TrackMerced, California, USA
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  Plaza Park Raceway Race TrackVisalia, California, USA
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  Santa Maria Raceway Race TrackNipomo, California, USA
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  Ventura Raceway Race TrackVentura, California, USA