(Lakeside, CA, October 3, 2022) Star teenage racer Grant Sexton of Lakeside sewed up the perfect season for Sexton Gatlin Racing in the POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series at the Barona Speedway when he won the 20-lap main event last Saturday night. The victory gave SGR wins in all six of the SWLS races on the San Diego quarter mile this year.
Not only did the 18-year-old secure the season-long sweep for the team, but he also scored the sweep on the night as he won his heat race from the pole to start the show. For the main event, Grant’s older brother Dalton was starting in third. Grant was coming from sixth place, but missing from the action was their father, Brent. The point leader coming into the night, Brent’s engine laid down in hot laps knocking him out of the show.
The original start of the main was halted due to a big flip near the back of the field coming down for the green flag. On the restart, Grant used the outside line to race into second place coming off turn two on the first circuit. One lap later he commandeered the lead on the exact same spot on the racetrack. Once out front, the teen wowed the crowd with extreme speed that saw him pull away from the field. By the end of the fourth lap, he had a half-straight advantage over the second-place car.
Grant got into the lapped traffic at the start of the eighth go-around. The first yellow flag of the race waved on lap 10 and his commanding lead disappeared faster than cheap gas in California. For the restart, Grant was at the head of the pack and Dalton was in 6th. As soon as the green flag waved, the result at the front was exactly the same. Grant simply ran away from the field.
The race stayed green until lap 13 when another yellow flag slowed the action. This time for the restart, Dalton had moved up one spot and was running 5th. For Grant, the only thing that changed was the fact that instead of leading by a half straightaway, he increased his lead and won by nearly a half-track. Dalton, who had become embroiled in a great three-car battle for third, ended up fourth.
The official main event winner’s totals for the SGR domination of the series at Barona in 2022 shows Grant with three wins. Dalton captured two of the races and Brent took home one first-place trophy.
Brent’s engine woes, combined with Dalton’s fourth-place finish, sees the teen as the new leader in the championship standings. With only three races left in the 2022 SWLS season, he has a 48-point lead over Brent. Grant, who has missed some races this year, is sixth.
SGR has little time to rest on its laurels as this week it is off to the Mohave Valley Raceway which is just across the state line in Arizona. Brent and Dalton will be competing in lightning sprints while Grant will be racing in the USAC/CRA Series. As this piece went to press, the squad was still looking for a driver for its third lightning sprint.
Spectator gates at the racy 1/3 mile banked Mohave Valley Raceway will open at 5:30 on Saturday and racing will start at 7:00. The track is located minutes from the California/Arizona state line at 2750 E. Laguna Road, Mohave Valley, Arizona. The website is https://www.mohavevalleyraceway.com/ and the office phone number is (928) 346-3000. The track is a cash-only facility with no ATM on site.
Sexton/Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2022 season possible. Sexton Fire Protection, BK Wings, Johnny Motorhead, Troy Dirt, Victory Graphix, Swift Powdercoat, Maxima Oil, Automated Interior, and an extra special thanks to Scotty and Jimmy Keys. If you or your business wants to partner up with one of the most visible Lightning Sprint teams on the West Coast, please call (619) 454-6945.
Sexton Gatlin Racing 2022 Schedule
2022 Lucas Oil POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series Schedule
March 5 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Wingless – Dalton 1st – Brent 7th – Grant 15th
March 6 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Wingless – Brent 1st – Dalton 3rd – Grant 4th
March 25 Bakersfield Speedway CLS Winged – Grant 1st – Brent 8th – Dalton 17th
April 16 Ventura Raceway VRA Sprints Wingless – Grant 1st
April 23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Wingless – Bezio 3rd – Brent 4th – Dalton 5th
April 30 Barona Speedway POWRi Winged – Grant 1st – Brent 4th – Dalton 5th
May 14 Barona Speedway POWRi Wingless – Dalton 1st – Bezio 2nd – Brent 3rd
May 28 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Grant DNS
June 11 Barona Speedway POWRi Winged – Grant 1st – Brent 2nd – Dalton 11th
June 25 Barona Speedway POWRi Winged – Dalton 1st – Brent 2nd – Grant 3rd
July 9 Barona Speedway POWRi Wingless – Brent 1st – Grant 2nd – Dalton 6th
August 6 Santa Maria Raceway CLS Winged – Brent 1st – Dalton 15th
August 6th Santa Maria Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars – Grant 11th B Main
August 11 River Cities Raceway Minkota Nationals Winged – Dalton 8th – Brent 13th – Grant 25th
August 12 River Cities Raceway Minkota Nationals Winged – Brent 1st – Grant 9th – Dalton 11th
August 13 Greenbush Race Park Minkota Nationals Winged – Grant 6th – Brent 11th – Dalton 13th
August 14 Minkota Nationals Minkota Nationals Winged – Grant 1st – Dalton 15th – Brent DNS
Sept. 17 Perris Auto Speedway (with USAC/CRA) POWRi Winged – Chiaramonte 1st – Brent 4th – Dalton 18th
October 1 Barona Speedway POWRi Winged – Grant 1st – Dalton 4th – Brent DNS
October 8 Mojave Valley Raceway POWRi/CLS Winged
October 13 Lemoore Raceway (California Cup) Open Winged
October 14 Lemoore Raceway (California Cup) Open Winged
October 15 Lemoore Raceway (California Cup) Open Winged
October 23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Wingless
October 24 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Wingless
Nov. 15 Bakersfield Speedway BCRA/CLS Winged
Nov. 17 Placerville Speedway BCRA/CLS Wingless
Nov. 18 Placerville Speedway BCRA/CLS Wingless
Nov. 19 Placerville Speedway BCRA/CLS Wingless
