After a weekend competing in the historic Avanti Windows and Doors 57th Annual Western World Championships at Arizona’s Mojave Valley Raceway, Sexton Gatlin Racing drivers Brent Sexton and his 20-year-old son Grant will return to California to race in the Turkey Night Grand Prix at the Ventura Raceway on Thanksgiving weekend. That will be the last race for the family-owned racing team in 2024.
Great weather and a stacked field of drivers from nine different states showed up for the West’s biggest traditional sprint car race of 2024. Forty-five cars took part in two-lap qualifying on Friday night. Grant was 15th out of the 45. Brent, 52, turned in a lap of 15.595. That ended up being frustrating as only the fastest 36 cars made the heat races. The time was 37th fastest. The 36th car’s lap was 15.493. That put Brent in the C main. However, attrition in the heats saw the C main canceled. Thus, cars slated to start in the C were moved up to the back of the B main.
Brake issues intervened Grant’s run in the 12-lap B. The brake mount on the rear end bent and broke. That left the 2021 POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car champion with a 24th-place finish and seemingly out of the A-main.
Brent finished 18th in the B and owned the last provisional to enter the A main. However, Grant was next in line for a provisional for the 30-lapper. So, Brent stepped aside and gave up his spot for his son.
Starting 25th in the 26-car field, young Grant quickly drove forward to the 21st spot. Unfortunately, on a lap six yellow, he rolled into the work area with the same brake issue. The crew sent him on his way, and he restarted in the back.
His return to the race was short-lived. One lap after the green flew, Grant pulled off the track with the same brake issue and was done for the night with a 26th-place finish.
Saturday night started better for family patriarch Brent. He qualified one spot better in 6th, which guaranteed him a spot in a heat race. For Grant, he qualified 27th. The heat races were not kind for the Lakeside, California-based team as Brent finished seventh in his, and Grant was ninth in his 10-lapper. That sent both of them to the B main.
Both SGR drivers moved forward in the B main. Brent, 52, started 15th and steered his pretty #44 to a 10th-place finish. That meant his night was done. On the other hand, Grant was the show. Starting ninth, he was quickly up to fifth early in the race. He had to pass one more car to transfer to the A main. However, coming off turn four on the fifth circuit, he slid off the top of the corner. He kept his foot planted and did not stop. But he slipped five spots back to ninth.
The youthful Grant did not give up after his off-road excursion in turn four. Instead, he challenged the top of the track and rim rode past four cars. That still left him one spot shy of the transfer. On the final go-around, he secured the last transfer to the 30-lap finale.
Grant started the main in 21st. Unfortunately, his race only lasted 11 laps. The same brake issue reared its ugly head again, and he was forced out of the race with a disappointing 23rd-place result.
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, 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:[email protected] or mailto:[email protected].
SGR PR
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