(Lakeside, CA, March 10, 2022) Sexton Gatlin Racing kicked off the 2022 Lucas Oil POWRi Southwest Lightning Sprint Car Series season in spectacular fashion by winning both races at the Imperial Valley Raceway during the California Mid-Winter Fair and Fiesta last weekend. Not only did Dalton Sexton and his father Brent split the main event victories, but the youngest member of the three-driver team, Grant Sexton, was the fast qualifier on both days. In addition, Dalton won the first heat race of the weekend on Saturday night.
Seventeen cars showed up for Saturday’s wingless season opener on the ¼ mile oval and when qualifying was done on day one, Grant’s 13.860 was best of the field. Dalton timed in second quickest with a 14.040 and Brent was seventh fastest with a lap of 14.248.
The three SGR drivers comprised half of the field in the first heat race of the weekend. Dalton won the race with Brent second, but it did not bode well for Grant. While running in third behind his brother and father, Grant caught his dad’s left rear tire and flipped several times. The teen was uninjured, but the same could not be said for his car and he was done for the heat race. Once the race resumed, Dalton went on for the win with Brent second.
Coming from the outside of the front row, Brent had the best starting spot of the SGR trio for the main event. Dalton was outside row three with Grant on the outside of the fourth row. Due to the damage to his car from the flip, Grant, the defending series champion, pushed off for points only and pulled off the track soon after the race started.
Brent leaped into the lead as soon as the green flag signaled the start of the race. Simultaneously Dalton began to pick cars off and march towards the front of the pack. He eventually found his way to second and was only trailing his father, who also happens to be his car owner. Family ties or not, when Brent went wide in turn four on the ninth lap, Dalton took immediate advantage of the opportunity he was presented with and blew by his dad for the lead. By the time Brent got back to the low line, he had faded to fourth.
Once Dalton raced by his dad for the top spot, he drove a perfect race. He had to! 2021 SWLS Rookie of the Year Braden Chiaramonte dogged him all the way to the checkered flag. For Dalton, it was his second straight win at Imperial dating back to the second ever SWLS race in 2020. Brent, after a spin, came back to finish seventh and Grant got credit for 15th.
Unlike Saturday, the Sunday portion of the show started in the early afternoon. Running under the sun and with higher temperatures, the track was far different than what the drivers had on Saturday night. After a lot of work repairing his car from the night before, Grant’s lap of 14.369 again topped the qualifying charts. Dalton was third quickest when he stopped the clocks at 14.754. That was one spot better than his Saturday qualifying result. Brent also improved one position to sixth with a 14.789.
Sunday’s heats produced a pair of second-place finishes by Grant and Brent. Dalton, still basking in the glow of his win 17 hours earlier, place third in his heat.
Track conditions under the sun were more than tough on tires and Sunday’s main event was shortened from 25 to 20-laps. This time Brent was on the pole with Grant alongside. Dalton was coming
from fifth. Grant took the lead heading into turn one on the first circuit, but his time on top was short-lived. Coming off the fourth corner he went wide and with no grip on the outside, his father went
by for the lead. From that point on, it was the “Brent Sexton Show.” Due to the extreme daytime conditions, the only line was on the bottom, and it was slick. It was not the first rodeo for the wily
veteran and he kept his car glued to the low groove and led every lap giving SGR a sweep of the weekend’s main events. Dalton came home in third with Grant on his tail in fourth.
Dalton’s two top-three finishes on the weekend saw him leave Imperial Valley with an eight-point lead in the SWLS championship standings. After his Sunday win, Brent is fourth and is only 20-markers out of the top spot. Defending champ Grant is sixth and is only 47-points behind his favorite brother.
This week’s SWLS race at Arizona’s Mohave Valley Raceway was canceled due to damage & mechanical ills suffered by many of the cars at Imperial along with the high cost of gasoline and diesel (the companion Western States Dwarf Car Nationals race will still happen). Next on the schedule for SGR is an appearance in the California Lightning Sprint Car Series with the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars at the Bakersfield Speedway on Friday, March 25th. However, due to the Mohave cancellation, SGR was contemplating heading to Ventura for the CLS season opener on March 19th. A decision will be made on that prospect within the next couple of days.
To keep up with all the exploits of the Sexton/Gatlin Racing Team, be sure to visit the team’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sexton-Gatlin-Racing-1173560279445564/
Sexton/Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2022 season possible. Sexton Fire Protection, BK Wings, Troy Dirt, Victory Graphix, Swift Powdercoat, Maxima Oil, Infiniti Shocks and an extra special thanks to Scotty and Jimmy Keys.
Plans are already underway for another busy season in 2022. 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. You can also E-mail mailto:sextonfire@cox.net or mailto:sextonfire@gmail.com.
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 – Dalton 15th
March 6 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Wingless – Brent 1st – Dalton 3rd – Grant 4th
March 10 Mojave Valley Raceway (Practice) POWRi Winged
March 11 Mohave Valley Raceway POWRi Winged
March 12 Mohave Valley Raceway POWRi Winged
March 25 Bakersfield Speedway CLS Winged
April 23 Imperial Valley Raceway POWRi Wingless
April 30 Barona Speedway POWRi Winged
May 14 Barona Speedway POWRi Wingless
May 28 Central Missouri Speedway (National) POWRi Winged
May 29 Central Missouri Speedway (Nationals) POWRi Winged
June 8 Barona Speedway POWRi Winged
June 25 Barona Speedway POWRi Winged
July 9 Barona Speedway POWRi Wingless
July 14 Deming Speedway (Clay Cup) Open Winged
July 15 Deming Speedway (Clay Cup) Open Winged
July 16 Deming Speedway (Clay Cup) Open Winged
August 11 Minkota Nationals POWRi Winged
August 12 Minkota Nationals POWRi Winged
August 13 Minkota Nationals POWRi Winged
August 14 Minkota Nationals POWRi Winged
Sept. 14 Perris Auto Speedway (with USAC/CRA) POWRi Winged
October 1 Barona Speedway POWRi Winged
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
Nov. 15 Bakersfield Speedway BCRA/CLS Winged
Nov. 17 Petaluma Speedway BCRA/CLS Wingless
Nov. 18 Petaluma Speedway BCRA/CLS Wingless
Nov. 19 Petaluma Speedway BCRA/CLS Wingless
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