Sexton/Gatlin Racing
[email protected]
[email protected]
(619) 454-6945
For Immediate Release
BRENT SEXTON SECOND AT BCRA SEASON OPENER AT PLACERVILLE!
(Lakeside, CA, April 5, 2018) Two-time California Lightning Sprint Car Series champion Brent Sexton finished second last Saturday night when the Bay Cities Racing Association opened it's 2018 season at the Placerville Speedway. In addition, Sexton’s teenage sons, Grant and Dalton, finished 13th and 17th, respectively in their first race at the Northern California track.
After making the more than 500-mile trek from their home in Lakeside, California to the bad little bullring in Placerville, the trio got their 2018 season off to a flying start in the eight-lap preliminary heat races. Grant, 13, was the first to test the track and came home fourth after starting sixth in the second heat. The third heat featured father Brent on the outside of the front row and 15-year-old Dalton on the inside of the back row. Brent got the jump on the start and led every inch of the way for the win. Dalton was fourth most of the way, but he stole third when he avoided a flipping car coming down for the checkered flag.
When main event time rolled around, Brent found himself starting on the outside of the third row. Being rookies, Grant and Dalton had to start near the back of the pack for the 20-lap race with Grant coming from 14th and Dalton from 16th.
Early on, Brent had his hands full. Contact with the back of another car while running sixth, pushed him up the racetrack, but he quickly recovered. On the restart, another car clobbered the wall and nearly collected Brent who was going by on the inside. Soon after the restart for that incident, he advanced two spots to second in less than one lap before the yellow flag annoyingly halted the action once again.
It was becoming clear that due to the number of yellows, that officials may have to cut laps from the race as there was still another class to run and a curfew to deal with. This time when the green came out, Brent became embroiled in a crowd-pleasing battle for the lead that raged on for four laps. Brent ran the bottom in his fluorescent orange #44 and could pull even with the leader but was not able to get by. After finally getting in some consecutive laps, another yellow came out and slowed the action. It left officials with no choice but to cut the main event from 20 to 10 laps.
The official’s decision meant there would only be two laps to go in the race. When the green flew, Brent again poked his nose to the inside, but it was not to be. The leader opened up an advantage that he carried to the checkered leaving Brent to settle for a hard fought second. It also left him with some frustration wondering what may or may not have happened if the laps had not been cut.
For the kid's first race at the Northern California track, Grant ended up 13th in the main and Dalton was 17th. They got what they needed on the night and that was laps.
While the team has a week off before the California Lightning Sprint Series opener at Ventura on the 14th, they will not be resting on their laurels. On Friday, they will be at the Barona Raceway testing and getting in more valuable practice laps.
Sexton/Gatlin Racing would like to thank the following companies for making the 2018 season possible. Sexton Fire Protection, Scotty and Jimmy Keys, BK Wings, Victory Graphics, Henchcraft, Sam Coe Performance and Swift Powdercoat. If you or your company would like to be a part of the Sexton/Gatlin team for the 2018 campaign, please call (619) 454-6945 or E-mail [email protected]
SEXTON/GATLIN 2018 RACING SCHEDULE
March 31 – Placerville Speedway – BCRA – Brent 2nd - Grant 14th - Dalton 17th
April 14 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National
April 21 – Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National
May 5 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National
May 19th – Barona Speedway – Jim Squire Memorial
May 26 – Perris Auto Speedway – USAC National – Salute to Indy
June 16 – Bakersfield Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA
July 7 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National
July 19 – Deming Speedway (Everson, WA) – 35th Annual Clay Cup
July 20 – Deming Speedway (Everson, WA) – 35th Annual Clay Cup
July 21 – Deming Speedway (Everson, WA) – 35th Annual Clay Cup
August 1 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National – Ventura County Fair
August 18 – Perris Auto Speedway – USAC National – California Racer’s Hall of Fame Night
September 8 – Bakersfield Speedway – USAC National
September 21 – Placerville Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA
September 22 – Placerville Speedway – Civil War vs BCRA
October 6 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National
October 27 – Ventura Raceway – USAC National
November 17- Bakersfield Speedway USAC National with USAC National and Western Midgets
December – River City Expo Center – Tulsa, Oklahoma
This release produced by Scott Daloisio. Contact (909)
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