(Lakeside, CA, November 13, 2023) At the start of the 2023 racing season, then-18-year-old driver Grant Sexton stated his intentions to compete for the USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series Rookie of the Year award. Last Saturday night at Perris Auto Speedway, the personable teen saw his dreams come true when he closed the season on top of the rookie point heap. In addition, he ended up eighth in the USAC/CRA season-long championship standings.
Sexton, who lives in Lakeside, California, has been sitting on top of the Rookie of the Year chase since early in the season. While last week’s race was the final of the year for USAC/CRA, it was a mere formality for the Rookie of the Year chase as Sexton had already bagged the title. In fact, he had sewed it up several races ago and was eight positions and 345 points in front of the next highest-ranking rookie at the end of the night.
While he had things sewed up before he got to the track, 19-year-old Sexton pulled no punches on the night. He began by qualifying 15th in the 29-car field with a time of 17.031. He did earn some unwanted extra laps when he placed fifth in his heat. That was one position shy of the transfer spot and forced him to run the 12-lap B main.
The B main featured 10 cars. Only the top six would transfer into the 30-lap A main. Sexton had no issues and easily transferred by placing second in the 12 lapper. In the final 30-lap USAC/CRA main event of the year, Sexton drove a smooth race and stayed out of the chaos that seemed to plague the field all race long. He started 14th and raced forward to finish 8th. It was his fifth USAC/CRA top 10 finish of 2023.
In addition to Grant racing, Dad Brent also contested the POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car portion of the program. The defending series champion started third in the main event but by the time he exited turn two on lap one, he was in the lead.
Sexton was putting a hurting on the field and at one point, had a full straightaway lead. However, his prowess at the head of the pack all came to a halt in turn four on lap nine when his wheel center splines stripped out and knocked him out of the race with a sixth-place finish.
If you are looking for a top-of-the-line lightning sprint car with the best of everything, Brent has one car left. If interested, use his contact information in this release.
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:sextonfire@cox.net 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.
Sexton Gatlin Racing 2023 Results
Brent Sexton
3-10-23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning 4th A Main
3-10-23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning 2nd A Main
4-1-23 Mohave Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning 1st A Main
4-15-23 Perris Auto Speedway POWRi Southwest Lightning 1st A Main
5-27-23 Perris Auto Speedway POWRi Southwest Lightning 2nd A Main
6-3-23 Bakersfield Speedway California Lightning Sprints 6th A Main
6-10-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 7th A Main
6-10-23 Perris Auto Speedway PAS Senior Sprint Cars 2nd A Main
7-8-23 Barona Speedway POWRi Southwest Lightning 2nd A Main
7-15-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 18th A Main
8-10-23 Devils Lake Raceway Minn-Kota Summer Nationals 6th A Main
8-11-23 River Cities Raceway Minn-Kota Summer Nationals 11th B Main
8-12-23 Greenbush Race Park Minn-Kota Summer Nationals 2nd A Main
8-14-23 Buffalo River Speedway Minn-Kota Summer Nationals Rained Out
8-19-23 Perris Auto Speedway POWRi Southwest Lightning Rained Out
9-23-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 17th A Main
10-14-23 Mohave Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints 6th A Main
10-20-23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints 1st A Main
10-21-23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints 3rd A Main
11-11-23 Perris Auto Speedway POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprints 6th A Main
Dalton Sexton
3-10-23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning 14th A Main
4-1-23 Mohave Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning DNS
4-15-23 Perris Auto Speedway POWRi Southwest Lightning 3rd A Main
8-22-23 Perris Auto Speedway POWRi Southwest Lightning Rained Out
Grant Sexton
1-27-23 Cocopah Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 16th A Main
1-28-23 Cocopah Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars DNS
3-18-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 19th A Main
4-1-23 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 13th B Main
4-15-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 12th A Main
4-22-23 Kings Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 7th A Main
4-29-23 Kern County Raceway Park USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 12th A Main
5-6-23 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 6th A Main
5-20-23 Thunderbowl Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 14th A Main
5-27-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 9th A Main
6-10-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 15th A Main
6-17-23 Ventura Raceway USAC West Coast Sprints 21st A Main
6-24-23 Bakersfield Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 5th A Main
7-15-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 16th A Main
8-10-23 Devils Lake Raceway Minn-Kota Summer Nationals 6th A Main
8-11-23 River Cities Raceway Minn-Kota Summer Nationals 10th A Main
8-12-23 Greenbush Race Park Minn-Kota Summer Nationals 19th A Main
8-14-23 Buffalo River Speedway Minn-Kota Summer Nationals Rained Out
8-19-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars Rained Out
9-23-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 13th A Main
10-14-23 Mohave Valley Raceway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 20th A Main
10-20-23 Imperial Valley Raceway So Cal Open Comp Sprint Cars 5th A Main
11-3-23 Cocopah Speedway ASCS Sprint Cars 7th A Main
11-3-23 Cocopah Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 22nd A Main
11-4-23 Cocopah Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 15th A Main
11-11-23 Perris Auto Speedway USAC/CRA Sprint Cars 8th A Main
AJ Bender
3-10-23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning 1st A Main
3-10-23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning 7th A Main
4-1-23 Mohave Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning DNS
Robby Brockman
3-10-23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning 13th A Main
3-10-23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning 5th A Main
4-1-23 Mohave Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning 8th A Main
Darren Brown
7-8-23 Barona Speedway POWRi Southwest Lightning 1st A Main
Braden Chiaramonte
3-10-23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Southwest Lightning 1st A Main
6-3-23 Bakersfield Speedway California Lightning Sprints 16th A Main
Geoff Dale
5-27-23 Perris Auto Speedway POWRi Southwest 4th A Main
