Grant and Brent Sexton Return to Action in Perris Season Finale This Saturday - Speedway Digest

After a weekend off from its late-season grueling schedule, Sexton Gatlin Racing drivers Brent and Grant Sexton return to the dirt track wars at Perris Auto Speedway this Saturday. Grant will be finishing up his award-winning rookie season in the USAC/CRA Series and Brent will be trying to snare points in his pursuit of a second straight POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car championship. Spectator gates at the premiere dirt track in the west will open at 5:00 p.m. with racing at 7:00.

Grant, who at 19 is the youngest driver on the Sexton Gatlin roster, will put the bow on his USAC/CRA Rookie of the Year award season on Saturday. Last week at Cocopah, the teen raced in both the USAC/CRA portion of the show on Friday and Saturday and the ASCS 360 part of the affair on Friday.

In Friday’s USAC/CRA side of the Western World Championships, Sexton finished sixth in his heat and earned a transfer spot into the A main by placing seventh in the B. The 2021 POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car champion then started 20^th in the 30-lap A main. Unfortunately, the abrasive, tire-eating surface was taking its toll. One of the victims was Sexton who dropped out halfway through and finished 22^nd.

Preceding the USAC/CRA main event, Grant also drove in the ASCS 360 portion of the doubleheader program. The teen did a great job on that side of the show. He started third in his heat race and when the pole sitter took the number two starter wide coming to the green flag, Sexton alertly dove to the inside and flew by both. From then on he was never headed and led every lap for the victory.

In the 25-lap ASCS main event, the teenage racer started fourth and ended up in seventh.

A few minutes later he ran the USAC/CRA main. At that point, seeing track conditions and the way they were devouring tires, the SGR team made the decision to park the 360 for the second night and save it for the Turkey Night Grand Prix on Thanksgiving weekend at the Ventura Raceway.

On the second night in the USAC/CRA show, Sexton finished fifth in his heat and third in the B main. That sent him to the A-main. With better track conditions, he began the 30-lapper in 21^st and advanced six spots to place 15^th.

Heading into this week’s USAC/CRA finale at Perris, Sexton has the Rookie of the Year award locked up. He is also locked into the eighth-place spot in the championship standings. While Grant’s award and positions are locked in with USAC/CRA, things are different for his father Brent. The defending SWLS champion goes into Saturday’s competition 49 points out of first. In addition to Saturday, the SWLS has a race left on Tuesday, November 14^th at the Bakersfield Speedway. If Brent can garner enough points between the two races and take the title, it will give him four lightning sprint championships. This year and last season with the SWLS. The first two were in the California Lightning Sprint Car Series in 1999 and 2008.

All active military members with proper ID will get into Saturday night’s race at Perris for just $5.00. In addition, they will receive one free pass for an accompanying guest.

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.

Perris Auto Speedway is located on the Lake Perris Fairgrounds at 18700 Lake Perris Drive in the City of Perris. The track website is http://www.perrisautospeedway.com/ and the office phone number is (951) 940-0134.

If you or your company are interested in becoming a partner with Sexton Gatlin Racing in 2023, please call (619) 454-6945 or E-mail mailto:[email protected] or mail to.

Sexton Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2022 season possible. Keys Brothers, East County Electric Works, Maxima Oil, Automated Interiors, Sexton Fire Protection, BK Wings, Troy Dirt, Victory Graphix, and Swift Powdercoat.

SGR PR