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Jeremy Clements
Jeremy Clements
Jeremy Clements
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Jeremy Wayne Clements[1] (born January 16, 1985)[2] is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 51 Chevrolet SS for Jeremy Clements Racing. He is the son of Tony Clements, owner of Clements Racing Engines.

Key Information

Early career

[edit]

A native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Clements began his racing career at the age of eight by driving go-karts.[3] In 1999, he moved on to race four-cylinder cars in both the Modified and Stock Series at Thunder Valley Speedway and Cherokee Speedway. Over the next three seasons, he won 55 feature events and two track championships.

Late Model and ARCA

[edit]

In 2002, Clements moved up to the Late Model division, where he won nine overall races as well as the championship at Cherokee. He also made his ARCA Series debut at Talladega Superspeedway, starting sixth and finishing seventeenth in the No. 3 Chevrolet. He started five ARCA races in 2003, earning three top-tens. Clements was seriously injured on July 24, 2004, at the age of nineteen, while racing at 311 Speedway in North Carolina. While driving his late model, the driveshaft broke and pierced through the vehicle, injuring his right hand. He was immediately taken to Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C., where he underwent a nine-hour orthopedic surgery.[citation needed] In the following year, Clements went through ten surgeries, including sewing his hand to his right side hip for a skin graft, using bone grafts from his hip, and taking tendons from his right foot.[4] He did not race again until the following year.

On July 10, 2005, Clements got back behind the wheel of a racecar for the first time since the accident, testing his late model at Thunder Valley. He made his ARCA return at Chicagoland Speedway in September. In 2006, he ran ten races in the ARCA series in Ken Appling's No. 3 Chevrolet. He earned four top-tens, including three consecutive top-fives. He was also selected by General Motors to participate in a three-track test with Richard Childress Racing. Clements had a career season in 2007, earning eight top-tens in twelve races. On August 11, 2007, at Nashville Superspeedway, he earned his only ARCA win to date after starting second and leading 48 laps. In 2008, Clements ran seven races. He earned five top-tens and narrowly missed repeating his win at Nashville, finishing second.

Xfinity Series

[edit]

2003

[edit]

Clements made his debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (then NASCAR Busch Series) in 2003 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Driving the No. 71 Chevrolet for Young Racing, he started 35th and finished 31st after an early crash.

2007

[edit]

Clements did not return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series again until 2007, when Clements signed with McGill Motorsports to run the last five races of the season in their No. 36 Chevrolet. He only finished two races and had a best finish of 23rd at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

2008

[edit]

In 2008, Clements attempted four races for his family-owned No. 50 team. He qualified for two of them, earning finishes of 22nd and 30th. During these two years, he also spent time practicing and qualifying cars for Joe Gibbs Racing in races that conflicted with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule.

2009

[edit]

For 2009, Clements increased his focus on the Xfinity Series, attempting thirteen races and making twelve. He ran six races in his family-owned No. 50 with a best finish of sixteenth. Shortly before the October race at Kansas Speedway, Clements and sponsor Saxon Group joined forces with JD Motorsports to finish out the season in the No. 0 Chevrolet. In his second race with JD, he finished a then-career best twelfth at Auto Club Speedway.

2010

[edit]

In the offseason, it was announced that Clements would drive at least the first three races of the 2010 season in the No. 0 for JD Motorsports with sponsorship from Boudreaux's Butt Paste. After missing the field at Daytona due to qualifying being rained out, his plans for the rest of the season were up in the air.[5] The No. 0 team was shut down, and JD moved Clements to the No. 04. He attempted the next two races as planned, but failed to qualify for both of them. Clements made his first race of the season in April at Nashville Superspeedway, finishing 22nd. He attempted nineteen more races, qualifying for fifteen of them. Clements earned his first career top-ten at Gateway International Raceway in October, finishing tenth and also leading six laps (the first laps led of his career).

2011

[edit]
Clements racing in 2011

In 2011, Clements competed in all 34 races, finishing fifteenth in points.[6] He had no top-ten finishes, but had three fourteenth-place finishes and ten top-twenty finishes during the season.[7]

2012

[edit]

For 2012, Clements continued in the Xfinity Series with his team. He drove two races for JD Motorsports at Richmond and Indianapolis when Ty Dillon was using his 51. Clements had two top-ten finishes.

2013

[edit]

After finishing 33rd in the first race of the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, Clements was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on February 27, 2013. The sanctioning body stated that the suspension was due to violations of the NASCAR Code of Conduct, as defined in Section 7–5 of the sanctioning body's rulebook, as well as Section 12–1, actions detrimental to stock car racing.[8] Clements, in an interview with ESPN, was later quoted as saying, "When you say 'racial' remark, it wasn't used to describe anybody or anything. So that's all I'm going to say to that. And it really wasn't. I was describing racing, and the word I used was incorrect and I shouldn't have said it. It shouldn't be used at all." The MTV editor who had the conversation with Clements, Marty Beckerman, confirmed that Clements said a phrase that included the "n-word".[9] Clements sat out two races and returned for the rest of the season.[10] His season was highlighted by top-ten finishes at the huge Talladega Superspeedway tri-oval and the series' inaugural race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.[10]

2014

[edit]

After several equipment setbacks in the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series, Clements had a brief moment in the top-five in the Aaron's 312 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 3, 2014, before a crash forced him out with four laps to go. Ryan Blaney, who was in second at the time, ricocheted off the wall into Clements, and sent his car hard into the wall.[11] At the Gardner Denver 200 at Road America, Clements recorded a then career-best sixth place finish.

2015

[edit]

2015 was a decent season for Clements despite a best finish of tenth at Dover and a handful of poor finishes.[12]

2016

[edit]

At Talladega in 2016, Clements led laps under caution and recorded his first Xfinity top-five finish, a fourth.

2017

[edit]
Clements during the 2017 Johnsonville 180.

In 2017, Clements scored a top-ten outing at Iowa, in which he finished seventh. A few races later, he would score his first career win at Road America after he and Matt Tifft got together with two laps to go.[13] Clements' win was the first for an independent Xfinity Series driver and team not affiliated with NASCAR's Cup Series since David Gilliland won at Kentucky in 2006.[14]

2018

In 2018, Clements would finish inside the top twenty in 27 of 33 races, and finished fifteenth in the final standings.

2019

Clements showed similar consistency in 2019 and finished fourteenth in the standings.

2021

The 2021 season would be one of Clements' best. Despite not winning a race, he scored eight top-ten finishes and qualified for the playoffs on points. He finished twelfth in the final standings, tying his best points finish.

2022

[edit]

In 2022, Clements scored his second career win after a firm tenth-place finish at Watkins Glen put him in a good starting place at Daytona. The win at the Daytona night race after overtime, earned him a playoff appearance at first.[15] However, NASCAR issued the team an L2 penalty four days later after the post-race inspection discovered an illegally modified intake manifold. Clements kept the win but was declared ineligible for the playoffs. In addition, crew chief Mark Setzer was fined US$60,000, and the team was docked 75 owner and driver points, plus 10 playoff points should the team qualify for the postseason.[16] Clements' appeal was heard on September 13; panel members Tom DeLoach, Richard Gore and Dixon Johnston found in Clements's favor, rescinding the penalty and revoking the punishments.[17] As a result, he regained his eligibility for the 2022 playoffs.[17] On October 18, Setzer was suspended for one race and fined US$25,000 for an L1 Penalty under Section 14.4.B.E, which deals with the modification of a composite body part following the Las Vegas race. In addition, the No. 51 has been docked 40 driver and owner points.[18] Clements would wind up finishing twelfth in the points standings.

2023

[edit]

2023 was a disappointing season for Clements.[19] He recorded seven top-fifteens, with his best showings being two fourteenth place finishes.[19] He failed to record a single top-ten finish and finished nineteenth in the point standings.[19]

2024

[edit]

Clements' 2024 season would follow a similar trend to the previous season. He scored just one top-ten finish, a sixth-place finish at Atlanta, and finished twentieth in the standings.

2025

[edit]
Clements' No. 51 car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2025

Clements began the 2025 season with a ninth-place finish at Daytona. Clements would be awarded an extra point because he scored the Xfinity Fastest Lap in the race. At Circuit of the Americas, Clements would make his 500th Xfinity Series start, becoming the fourth driver to do so.[citation needed] He ended the season with four top-ten finishes and finished 21st in the standings.

Motorsports career results

[edit]

NASCAR

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

O'Reilly Auto Parts Series

[edit]
NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NOAPSC Pts Ref
2003 Kenneth Appling Racing 71 Chevy DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX TAL NSH CAL RCH GTY NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR
31 		IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM 137th 70 [20]
51 Chevy ATL
DNQ 		PHO CAR HOM
2007 McGill Motorsports 36 Chevy DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT
23 		MEM
40 		TEX
42 		PHO
38 		HOM
27 		87th 301 [21]
2008 Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO MXC TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN
QL† 		MLW NHA DAY 102nd 170 [22]
Jeremy Clements Motorsports 50 Chevy CHI
DNQ 		GTY
22 		IRP CGV GLN MCH
DNQ 		BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM
30
2009 DAY CAL LVS BRI TEX NSH
39 		PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT
27 		DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI
35 		GTY
16 		IRP MCH
25 		BRI CGV ATL
36 		RCH DOV 50th 951 [23]
Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota IOW
QL† 		GLN
JD Motorsports 0 Chevy KAN
32 		CAL
12 		CLT
22 		MEM
29 		TEX
33 		PHO
29 		HOM
DNQ
2010 DAY
DNQ 		34th 1390 [24]
04 CAL
DNQ 		LVS
DNQ 		BRI NSH
22 		PHO TEX
33 		TAL
DNQ 		RCH DAR DOV CLT
16 		NSH
19 		KEN
12 		ROA NHA DAY
37 		CHI
DNQ 		GTY
DNQ 		IRP IOW
20 		GLN MCH
25 		BRI
23 		CGV ATL
DNQ 		RCH
34 		DOV
33 		KAN
32 		CAL CLT
34 		GTY
10 		TEX
19 		PHO HOM
39
2011 Jeremy Clements Racing 51 Chevy DAY
16 		PHO
22 		LVS
27 		BRI
16 		CAL
35 		TEX
21 		TAL
24 		NSH
23 		RCH
23 		DAR
26 		DOV
24 		IOW
14 		CLT
26 		CHI
29 		MCH
26 		ROA
32 		DAY
32 		KEN
31 		NHA
19 		NSH
21 		IRP
18 		IOW
17 		GLN
24 		CGV
39 		BRI
32 		ATL
14 		RCH
14 		CHI
21 		DOV
18 		KAN
23 		CLT
29 		TEX
26 		PHO
24 		HOM
18 		15th 696 [25]
2012 DAY
25 		PHO
22 		LVS
21 		BRI
20 		CAL
20 		TEX
29 		RCH
33 		TAL
29 		DAR
33 		IOW
23 		CLT
18 		DOV
10 		MCH
31 		ROA
25 		KEN
21 		DAY
11 		NHA
17 		CHI
22 		IOW
21 		GLN
19 		CGV
25 		BRI
33 		ATL
15 		CHI
30 		KEN
15 		DOV
27 		CLT
19 		KAN
35 		TEX
16 		PHO
33 		HOM
22 		14th 609 [26]
4 IND
10 		RCH
24
2013 51 DAY
33 		PHO LVS BRI
33 		CAL
21 		TEX
35 		RCH
37 		TAL
9 		DAR
20 		CLT
22 		DOV
19 		IOW
17 		MCH
13 		ROA
23 		KEN
25 		DAY
22 		NHA
23 		CHI
25 		IND
35 		IOW
21 		GLN
20 		MOH
10 		BRI
22 		ATL
23 		RCH
26 		CHI
24 		KEN
20 		DOV
20 		KAN
36 		CLT
20 		TEX
22 		PHO
26 		HOM
30 		16th 638 [27]
2014 DAY
29 		PHO
21 		LVS
32 		BRI
18 		CAL
36 		TEX
18 		DAR
31 		RCH
22 		TAL
23 		IOW
22 		CLT
23 		DOV
20 		MCH
20 		ROA
6 		KEN
30 		DAY
8 		NHA
20 		CHI
13 		IND
26 		IOW
25 		GLN
16 		MOH
22 		BRI
23 		ATL
22 		RCH
21 		CHI
33 		KEN
21 		DOV
18 		KAN
17 		CLT
22 		TEX
21 		PHO
11 		HOM
13 		15th 757 [28]
2015 DAY
14 		ATL
21 		LVS
22 		PHO
16 		CAL
24 		TEX
22 		BRI
13 		RCH
14 		TAL
17 		IOW
15 		CLT
13 		DOV
10 		MCH
31 		CHI
19 		DAY
28 		KEN
26 		NHA
19 		IND
15 		IOW
21 		GLN
11 		MOH
17 		BRI
14 		ROA
28 		DAR
20 		RCH
34 		CHI
20 		KEN
19 		DOV
21 		CLT
20 		KAN
19 		TEX
17 		PHO
30 		HOM
22 		14th 801 [29]
2016 DAY
15 		ATL
17 		LVS
20 		PHO
28 		CAL
21 		TEX
24 		BRI
33 		RCH
22 		TAL
4 		DOV
22 		CLT
20 		POC
31 		MCH
21 		IOW
16 		DAY
16 		KEN
16 		NHA
13 		IND
17 		IOW
17 		GLN
25 		MOH
34 		BRI
6 		ROA
25 		DAR
8 		RCH
17 		CHI
16 		KEN
12 		DOV
22 		CLT
22 		KAN
28 		TEX
18 		PHO
31 		HOM
24 		15th 693 [30]
2017 DAY
35 		ATL
37 		LVS
26 		PHO
19 		CAL
22 		TEX
21 		BRI
17 		RCH
15 		TAL
27 		CLT
17 		DOV
23 		POC
17 		MCH
23 		IOW
7 		DAY
15 		KEN
22 		NHA
21 		IND
31 		IOW
28 		GLN
35 		MOH
37 		BRI
18 		ROA
1 		DAR
21 		RCH
16 		CHI
20 		KEN
22 		DOV
22 		CLT
20 		KAN
25 		TEX
22 		PHO
23 		HOM
23 		12th 2107 [31]
2018 DAY
16 		ATL
27 		LVS
22 		PHO
20 		CAL
15 		TEX
16 		BRI
40 		RCH
8 		TAL
35 		DOV
18 		CLT
35 		POC
15 		MCH
15 		IOW
20 		CHI
17 		DAY
34 		KEN
18 		NHA
18 		IOW
20 		GLN
14 		MOH
17 		BRI
13 		ROA
13 		DAR
16 		IND
14 		LVS
13 		RCH
16 		ROV
18 		DOV
20 		KAN
10 		TEX
14 		PHO
17 		HOM
19 		15th 619 [32]
2019 DAY
36 		ATL
18 		LVS
15 		PHO
13 		CAL
14 		TEX
26 		BRI
13 		RCH
35 		TAL
27 		DOV
18 		CLT
13 		POC
16 		MCH
15 		IOW
12 		CHI
13 		DAY
9 		KEN
13 		NHA
15 		IOW
30 		GLN
11 		MOH
11 		BRI
4 		ROA
8 		DAR
12 		IND
11 		LVS
20 		RCH
16 		ROV
11 		DOV
36 		KAN
6 		TEX
28 		PHO
18 		HOM
16 		14th 699 [33]
2020 DAY
28 		LVS
31 		CAL
9 		PHO
36 		DAR
12 		CLT
32 		BRI
8 		ATL
13 		HOM
12 		HOM
27 		TAL
24 		POC
3 		IRC
13 		KEN
12 		KEN
11 		TEX
11 		KAN
12 		ROA
29 		DRC
6 		DOV
13 		DOV
19 		DAY
20 		DAR
32 		RCH
17 		RCH
17 		BRI
11 		LVS
13 		TAL
20 		ROV
16 		KAN
15 		TEX
27 		MAR
15 		PHO
10 		13th 666 [34]
2021 DAY
22 		DRC
10 		HOM
9 		LVS
17 		PHO
10 		ATL
12 		MAR
14 		TAL
14 		DAR
6 		DOV
12 		COA
23 		CLT
10 		MOH
33 		TEX
14 		NSH
11 		POC
13 		ROA
28 		ATL
8 		NHA
15 		GLN
16 		IRC
14 		MCH
11 		DAY
24 		DAR
8 		RCH
26 		BRI
13 		LVS
39 		TAL
24 		ROV
12 		TEX
29 		KAN
17 		MAR
9 		PHO
18 		12th 2126 [35]
2022 DAY
37 		CAL
17 		LVS
11 		PHO
18 		ATL
37 		COA
24 		RCH
20 		MAR
10 		TAL
23 		DOV
29 		DAR
29 		TEX
16 		CLT
22 		PIR
34 		NSH
22 		ROA
9 		ATL
17 		NHA
4 		POC
32 		IRC
19 		MCH
31 		GLN
10 		DAY
1 		DAR
21 		KAN
21 		BRI
16 		TEX
36 		TAL
20 		ROV
14 		LVS
15 		HOM
26 		MAR
17 		PHO
27 		12th 2069 [36]
2023 DAY
17 		CAL
18 		LVS
25 		PHO
20 		ATL
15 		COA
14 		RCH
36 		MAR
32 		TAL
19 		DOV
19 		DAR
14 		CLT
19 		PIR
22 		SON
17 		NSH
22 		CSC
20 		ATL
15 		NHA
15 		POC
15 		ROA
27 		MCH
26 		IRC
19 		GLN
37 		DAY
26 		DAR
21 		KAN
15 		BRI
24 		TEX
18 		ROV
23 		LVS
30 		HOM
21 		MAR
17 		PHO
20 		19th 533 [37]
2024 DAY
29 		ATL
6 		LVS
25 		PHO
15 		COA
19 		RCH
24 		MAR
22 		TEX
16 		TAL
35 		DOV
14 		DAR
37 		CLT
13 		PIR
30 		SON
23 		IOW
21 		NHA
21 		NSH
22 		CSC
37 		POC
30 		IND
30 		MCH
15 		DAY
27 		DAR
31 		ATL
29 		GLN
18 		BRI
12 		KAN
27 		TAL
36 		ROV
20 		LVS
18 		HOM
16 		MAR
27 		PHO
20 		20th 477 [38]
2025 DAY
9 		ATL
11 		COA
28 		PHO
21 		LVS
24 		HOM
26 		MAR
14 		DAR
21 		BRI
20 		CAR
10 		TAL
26 		TEX
31 		CLT
16 		NSH
18 		MXC
36 		POC
12 		ATL
10 		CSC
31 		SON
30 		DOV
26 		IND
12 		IOW
22 		GLN
15 		DAY
36 		PIR
17 		GTW
15 		BRI
9 		KAN
32 		ROV
27 		LVS
36 		TAL
37 		MAR
34 		PHO
33 		21st 501 [39]
2026 DAY ATL COA PHO LVS DAR MAR CAR BRI KAN TAL TEX GLN DOV CLT NSH POC COR SON CHI ATL IND IOW DAY DAR GTW BRI LVS CLT PHO TAL MAR HOM -* -*
† – Qualified for Kyle Busch

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

ARCA Re/Max Series

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Re/Max Series results
Year Car owner No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ARSC Pts Ref
2002 Ken Appling 3 Chevy DAY ATL NSH SLM KEN CLT KAN POC MCH TOL SBO KEN BLN POC NSH ISF WIN DSF CHI SLM TAL
17 		CLT
DNQ 		74th 420 [40]
2003 DAY
34 		ATL
7 		NSH
35 		SLM TOL KEN CLT
3 		BLN KAN MCH LER POC POC NSH ISF WIN DSF CHI SLM TAL CLT
3 		SBO 36th 750 [41]
2004 Pontiac DAY
DNQ 		70th 380 [42]
Chevy NSH
8 		SLM KEN
29 		TOL CLT
37 		KAN
37 		POC MCH SBO BLN KEN GTW POC LER NSH ISF TOL DSF CHI SLM TAL
2005 DAY NSH SLM KEN TOL LAN MIL POC MCH KAN KEN BLN POC GTW LER NSH MCH ISF TOL DSF CHI
34 		SLM 112th 175 [43]
Pontiac TAL
23
2006 Chevy DAY
13 		NSH
29 		SLM WIN KEN
14 		TOL POC
27 		MCH KAN KEN
3 		BLN POC
2 		GTW
5 		NSH
9 		MCH
38 		ISF MIL TOL DSF CHI
16 		SLM TAL
DNQ 		IOW 31st 1555 [44]
2007 DAY
3 		USA NSH
12 		SLM KAN
35 		WIN KEN
40 		TOL IOW POC
4 		MCH
5 		BLN KEN
7 		POC
3 		NSH
1* 		ISF MIL GTW
36 		DSF CHI
4 		SLM TAL
6 		TOL 23rd 2000 [45]
2008 DAY
DNQ 		SLM IOW KAN CAR
6 		KEN
33 		TOL POC
31 		MCH CAY KEN BLN POC
6 		NSH
2 		ISF DSF CHI
9 		SLM NJE TAL
4 		TOL 31st 1185 [46]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Jeremy Clements

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Jeremy Wayne Clements (born January 16, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 51 Chevrolet for Jeremy Clements Racing, a family-owned team he co-owns with his father, Tony Clements.
Clements hails from Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he began his racing career at age seven in go-karts, securing 47 feature wins before transitioning to Modified and stock four-cylinder cars in 1999, amassing 59 victories and three track championships over the next three years. He entered NASCAR's national series early, becoming one of the youngest drivers to qualify for a Nationwide Series (now Xfinity) event at age 18 in 2003 at Pikes Peak International Raceway.
His Xfinity career highlights include a first victory at Road America in August 2017 on his 256th start, followed by a second win at Daytona International Speedway in August 2022, though the latter was rendered ineligible for playoff points due to a post-race inspection failure involving the intake manifold, resulting in an L2 penalty that docked points and fined the team. Clements has also competed in the ARCA Menards Series, earning his first win there in 2007 at Nashville Superspeedway, and maintains a family legacy in racing through his grandfather Crawford Clements and uncle Louis Clements, both involved in NASCAR.
A notable controversy occurred in February 2013 when Clements was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for violating the code of conduct by using a racial slur during a conversation with an MTV reporter at Daytona International Speedway, an incident confirmed by the outlet and leading to his indefinite ban before reinstatement following expressions of remorse. Operating as an underfunded independent team, Jeremy Clements Racing exemplifies persistence in a competitive field dominated by larger organizations, with Clements finishing as high as 12th in the 2021 Xfinity standings.

Early Life and Background

Family and Upbringing

Jeremy Clements was born on January 16, 1985, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, into a working-class family with deep ties to the local automotive and racing community. His father, Tony Clements, owns Clements Automotive, a business tracing its origins to 1965, and later established Jeremy Clements Racing as a family-operated team, providing foundational mechanical and logistical support for Jeremy's early endeavors. Clements' introduction to motorsports stemmed from familial influences, particularly his grandfather, who initiated his racing involvement at age seven through go-karting, where he amassed 47 feature wins before transitioning to stock cars around age 13. Growing up around the family shop, Clements developed hands-on familiarity with engines and race car preparation from an early age, fostering self-reliant skills amid the resource constraints typical of independent, family-run operations. Tony Clements' role extended beyond business ownership, as he supplied initial racing resources, embedding a culture of perseverance and technical proficiency that shaped Jeremy's formative years.

Introduction to Motorsports

Jeremy Clements initiated his competitive motorsports career in 1999 at age 14, competing in four-cylinder cars on dirt tracks at local venues such as Cherokee Speedway. He exhibited prodigious aptitude by claiming victories in his initial outings and accumulating more than 50 feature wins, including two track championships, over the following three years in these entry-level divisions. This dominance in four-cylinder racing underscored his innate driving skill and competitive drive, distinguishing him among regional talents transitioning from karting backgrounds. These foundational successes propelled Clements toward more formalized stock car competition, where he honed his abilities through consistent track time and progressive equipment upgrades. By dominating qualifying sessions and feature events at short tracks, he built a reputation for precision and adaptability, essential traits for advancing beyond amateur circuits. His rapid progression from local dirt ovals to asphalt venues demonstrated a capacity for quick learning and mechanical affinity, setting the stage for national-level exposure without reliance on extensive sponsorship networks typical of established prospects. In July 2003, Clements, then 18 years old, qualified for the NASCAR Busch Series event at Pikes Peak International Raceway, becoming one of the youngest drivers to secure a starting position in the series at that time. Driving the No. 71 Chevrolet fielded by owner Kenneth Broadway, he started 35th and completed the race in 31st position despite limited resources and experience at the professional tier. This debut qualification highlighted his precocity, as he navigated the demanding high-altitude road course layout ahead of many seasoned entrants, affirming the viability of his self-funded, talent-driven trajectory into elite motorsports.

Pre-NASCAR Racing Career

Late Model Achievements

Clements entered Late Model racing in 2002, transitioning from modified and stock car divisions to compete in super late models primarily at regional tracks in the Carolinas. He secured the track championship that year at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, South Carolina, establishing early dominance on the 0.402-mile asphalt oval. Following a severe injury on July 24, 2004, at 311 Speedway in Madison, North Carolina—where a torque arm failure caused a driveshaft to lacerate his right hand, necessitating eight surgeries and extended rehabilitation—Clements returned to dirt Late Model competition in July 2005. His resilience yielded further successes, including a victory on May 6, 2006, at Cherokee Speedway, marking his first win since the injury. He added another triumph on July 3, 2007, capturing the SAS-East Super Late Model Series-sanctioned Independence Shootout at the same venue. These achievements at short tracks like Cherokee and 311 Speedway demonstrated proficiency in managing high-grip asphalt and dirt surfaces, fostering adaptive driving techniques through repeated exposure to variable track conditions and close-quarters racing. The empirical record of championships and wins in the early to mid-2000s provided foundational experience in racecraft, directly contributing to his progression toward national series.

ARCA Series Involvement

Clements entered the ARCA Re/Max Series in 2002 as a stepping stone toward national stock car competition, debuting at Talladega Superspeedway in the No. 3 Chevrolet fielded by Ken Appling's Broadway Motorsports. From 2006 to 2008, he ran a more structured part-time schedule with Appling, competing in 29 starts that yielded competitive results amid resource constraints. In 2006, across ten races, Clements secured three top-five finishes and one top-ten, showcasing early consistency. The following year, in twelve outings, he elevated his performance with five top-fives, two top-tens, and a third-place finish in the February ARCA 200 at Rockingham Speedway. His ARCA pinnacle came on August 11, 2007, at Nashville Superspeedway, where Clements qualified second, led 48 laps, and claimed victory in a No. 3 entry, his sole win in the series. In 2008's seven starts, he notched two top-fives—including second at Nashville—and three top-tens, further highlighting his adaptability. Despite operating underfunded operations that trailed better-resourced teams in equipment and support, Clements' outcomes reflected raw talent and tenacity, as noted in contemporary reports on his long-shot efforts against established fields. These achievements affirmed his driving prowess, positioning ARCA as a vital developmental platform.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Career

Debut and Sporadic Starts (2003-2006)

Clements made his NASCAR Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) debut on July 26, 2003, at Pikes Peak International Raceway, driving the No. 71 Chevrolet for owner Jerry Young. At 18 years old, he became one of the youngest drivers to qualify for a Busch Series event, starting 35th in the 36-car field. The race ended early for him due to an accident, resulting in a 31st-place finish after completing only a limited number of laps. This single appearance highlighted the significant barriers faced by independent, underfunded teams in the series, where securing consistent sponsorship was essential for participation but often elusive for newcomers without established backing. Clements' effort reflected the empirical challenges of transitioning from lower-tier racing, including mechanical reliability issues and a steep learning curve against more experienced competitors with superior equipment. From 2004 through 2006, Clements recorded no further Busch Series starts, a gap attributable to persistent funding shortages that prevented additional entries despite his prior late model experience. Occasional one-off opportunities proved unavailable, underscoring the financial realities that sidelined many independent drivers during this era, where series expansion and rising costs amplified the need for stable backing. His average finish from the lone 2003 outing stood at 31st, with one DNF, illustrating early mechanical and adaptation struggles typical for low-budget operations.

Full-Time Emergence and Consistency (2007-2016)

Following sporadic appearances prior to 2007, Jeremy Clements increased his participation in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, contesting 5 races in 2007, which marked the beginning of a transition toward more consistent involvement. This uptick continued unevenly, with 2 starts in 2008 and 12 in 2009, before accelerating to 16 races in 2010, reflecting efforts to secure funding and equipment from small operations amid limited resources. By 2011, Clements achieved a full-season commitment with 34 starts, primarily in the No. 51 car, establishing a pattern of sustained racing that persisted through 33 starts each year from 2012 to 2016. Despite operating with underfunded teams prone to mechanical vulnerabilities and competitive disadvantages, Clements demonstrated growing reliability, posting average finishes that improved from 25.5 in 2010 to a career-period low of 19.8 in 2015. Notable performances included a 5th-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2016, his best result of the era, alongside three top-10 finishes that year. Earlier highlights encompassed a 7th at Iowa Speedway in 2014 and multiple 8th-place runs in 2012 and 2013, contributing to 1-3 top-10s annually during peak years, though no poles were secured. Resource constraints manifested in frequent did-not-finishes (DNFs), often due to crashes or equipment failures, with high rates of races attempted after early exits underscoring the causal challenges of low-budget operations—such as inferior parts and limited practice time—compared to factory-backed entries. For instance, in 2010, 11 such races after finishes highlighted inconsistency, yet Clements' persistence yielded point standings in the top 30 by 2015-2016, averaging around 20th, evidencing adaptability within economic realities that favored attrition over dominance. This phase solidified his reputation as a durable underdog, prioritizing seat time over immediate results in an series dominated by superior funding.

Breakthrough Victories and Milestones (2017-2022)

Jeremy Clements achieved his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory on August 27, 2017, in the Johnsonville 180 at Road America, a 1.53-mile road course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Driving the No. 51 Chevrolet for his family-owned team, Clements capitalized on a late-race battle with Matt Tifft, making contact on the penultimate lap that spun both cars but allowed Clements to maintain the lead and pull away to win by 0.146 seconds over Tifft. This triumph marked the end of a 185-race winless streak dating back to his 2004 debut and represented a breakthrough for a self-funded operation competing against larger teams. Following the Road America success, Clements demonstrated improved consistency through the late 2010s, securing multiple top-10 finishes and establishing himself as a reliable mid-pack contender. In 2018, he posted competitive results across the 33-race schedule, including several strong runs that underscored tactical advancements in setup and strategy on diverse track types. By 2022, Clements had reached the 400-start milestone early in the season, reflecting his endurance in the series amid resource constraints. Clements claimed his second career Xfinity victory on August 26, 2022, in the Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway, leveraging draft positioning in a chaotic triple-overtime finish. Starting 28th in the No. 51 car, he navigated a race marred by 10 cautions and stayed on strategy during the final restart, holding off challenges to cross the line first and end a 164-race drought since Road America. NASCAR officials issued an L2 penalty days later due to inspection issues, rendering the win ineligible for playoff points, though the team successfully appealed aspects of the sanction. This Daytona result highlighted Clements' opportunistic racing on superspeedways, where pack dynamics often favor precise drafting over raw equipment superiority.

Recent Competitions and Persistence (2023-2025)

In the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Clements competed in 33 races for Jeremy Clements Racing, achieving no victories, top-five finishes, or top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 21.2 and an average finishing position of 21.8. The following year, 2024, saw similar participation in 33 events, yielding one top-10 result amid zero wins or top-fives, an average start of 23.2, and an average finish of 21.4, culminating in a 20th-place finish in the driver points standings. These outcomes reflect the challenges faced by Clements' family-operated team in competing against better-resourced organizations, yet demonstrate consistent full-season engagement without interruptions. The 2025 season marked Clements' 20th year with at least one Xfinity Series start, beginning with his 500th career start on March 1 at Circuit of the Americas, where he piloted the No. 51 Chevrolet sponsored by Henderson Jet Services. By mid-September, Clements had recorded at least 29 starts, including a ninth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 12 and a 15th-place result at World Wide Technology Raceway on September 6. Approaching the playoffs in October, sponsorship from Spartan Waste and FOX Sports Spartanburg supported his entry at Martinsville Speedway on October 25, underscoring the team's adaptability in securing funding for short tracks amid evolving series dynamics. This persistence highlights the operational tenacity of a small, independent outfit navigating increased competition from manufacturer-backed entities.

Jeremy Clements Racing

Team Founding and Structure

Jeremy Clements Racing was founded in 2010 by driver Jeremy Clements and his father, Tony Clements, as a family-owned operation based in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The team emerged from the Clements family's longstanding involvement in motorsports, with Tony overseeing Clements Automotive and drawing on engine-building expertise inherited from Jeremy's grandfather, Crawford Clements, who constructed the team's original shop in the 1970s. This familial foundation provided initial stability in a competitive environment dominated by larger, corporate-backed organizations, enabling the team to field the No. 51 Chevrolet Camaro full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series without immediate reliance on extensive external funding. The team's structure reflects its small-scale, owner-operated model, emphasizing versatility among a limited staff to handle mechanical, logistical, and operational demands. Tony Clements serves as primary owner, with Jeremy as driver and co-owner, fostering direct oversight that has sustained operations through resource constraints typical of independent entries. Crew chief roles have seen transitions to adapt to performance needs, including a shift to Kase Kallenbach for the 2025 season following the departure of long-term crew chief Mark Setzer. This family-centric approach has been credited with the team's longevity, as personal investment and multi-role flexibility allow persistence amid financial and competitive pressures faced by smaller outfits.

Sponsorships and Operational Realities

Jeremy Clements Racing has relied on a patchwork of regional and niche sponsors to sustain operations in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with Spartan Waste serving as a primary sponsor for select 2025 events, including co-primary status alongside Fox Sports Spartanburg 98.3 at Martinsville Speedway on October 25, 2025. Other recurring partners include Wings Etc., which marked its fourth year of sponsorship for the July 26, 2025, Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and First Pacific Funding, which expanded to multiple races in 2024 after addressing prior funding gaps. These arrangements often involve short-term, race-specific deals rather than season-long commitments, reflecting the team's dependence on local businesses in Spartanburg, South Carolina, for visibility and modest financial support. Inconsistent sponsorship has historically constrained the team to part-time schedules in Clements' early Xfinity years, with full-time competition emerging only through persistent networking and performance milestones that attracted incremental funding, such as First Pacific's entry following competitive results. As a small, independent operation without affiliation to larger Cup Series organizations, Jeremy Clements Racing faces acute economic pressures, including volatile budgets that necessitate cost-cutting measures like limited crew sizes and reused equipment, contrasting sharply with top-tier teams' multimillion-dollar annual sponsorships from national brands. This underfunded model demands mechanical ingenuity, such as adapting off-the-shelf parts for reliability under race conditions, but elevates failure risks, evidenced by the team's 2024 season average finish of 23.1—its worst since 2013—amid mechanical issues and funding shortfalls that limited testing and upgrades. Non-aligned teams like Clements' endure escalating barriers as series costs rise, debunking perceptions of straightforward entry; survival hinges on owner-driver versatility in securing deals and managing operations, often at the expense of consistent top finishes against better-resourced competitors.

Key Achievements and Statistics

Career Wins and Podiums

Jeremy Clements secured his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory on August 27, 2017, in the Johnsonville 180 at Road America. Driving the No. 51 Chevrolet for his family-owned team, Clements demonstrated road course proficiency by battling Matt Tifft closely in the closing laps. Despite spinning on the penultimate lap while attempting to take the lead, he recovered to hold off challengers and claim the win after 45 laps on the 4.048-mile circuit. This triumph marked the inaugural victory for both Clements personally, following 256 starts, and for Jeremy Clements Racing as an independent operation. Clements achieved his second career win on August 26, 2022, in the Wawa 250 at Daytona International Speedway. The race extended into triple overtime amid chaotic restarts, where drafting alliances on the 2.5-mile superspeedway enabled the underfunded No. 51 team to upset higher-resourced competitors. Clements capitalized on the track's pack-style racing dynamics, positioning strategically to avoid multicar incidents and secure the checkered flag after 107 laps. This result underscored the potential for independent drivers to prevail in restrictor-plate events, where mechanical parity amplifies driver and strategy execution. Beyond these victories, Clements' podium finishes remain scarce, with career records indicating just three top-three results across more than 520 starts. His top-five finishes total six, distributed sparingly across seasons, such as during the 2017 breakthrough year and sporadic high placements in 2022. These rarities highlight the operational hurdles for single-car, self-funded teams in a series dominated by manufacturer-backed organizations, where Clements has prioritized consistency over frequent elite finishes.

Overall Records and Milestones

Jeremy Clements has amassed 529 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as of October 2025, placing him among the series' most enduring independent drivers and highlighting his persistence in a competitive field dominated by larger organizations. His career average finish stands at 21.1, with 42 top-10 finishes underscoring consistent mid-pack performance rather than sporadic peaks. Clements' best championship points finish came in 12th place, achieved twice in 2017 and 2021, reflecting strategic improvements in a family-operated team with limited resources. He holds zero pole positions across his starts, emphasizing reliability over qualifying speed. In the ARCA Menards Series, Clements competed in approximately 20 races between 2007 and 2008, securing one victory at Nashville Superspeedway on August 11, 2007, and 21 top-10 finishes overall. These results marked early developmental successes, though his ARCA tenure was brief compared to his Xfinity longevity. Key milestones include qualifying for an Xfinity Series event at age 18 in the 2003 Pikes Peak International Raceway race, positioning him among the youngest drivers to achieve this at the time. Clements reached his 500th Xfinity start on March 1, 2025, at Circuit of the Americas, a feat accomplished by only four drivers in series history and emblematic of his career endurance. Additionally, Jeremy Clements Racing, founded by his father Tony in 2010 and operated as a single-car family team, has sustained full-time Xfinity competition for 15 consecutive seasons through 2025, demonstrating operational resilience amid fluctuating sponsorships.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Results Summary

Jeremy Clements has made 526 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as of the end of the 2025 season, securing 2 wins, 6 top-five finishes, and 42 top-ten finishes while leading a total of 116 laps. His career average starting position stands at 24.2, with an average finishing position of 22.9 across 84,949 laps completed. No pole positions have been recorded in his Xfinity career.
StatisticCareer Total (2003–2025)
Starts526
Wins2
Top 5 Finishes6
Top 10 Finishes42
Poles0
Laps Led116
Avg. Start24.2
Avg. Finish22.9
In 2025, Clements completed 32 starts with 0 wins, 0 top fives, 4 top tens, an average start of 22.3, and an average finish of 23.2, finishing 21st in driver points. The No. 51 team placed 23rd in owner points that year, highlighting occasional discrepancies between driver and owner standings due to points allocation rules. In 2024, the team recorded 33 starts, 0 wins, 0 top fives, 1 top ten, and finished 20th in driver points despite ranking lower in owner standings. Post-2010, following the transition to more consistent full-season participation, DNF rates decreased, contributing to higher completion percentages in later years compared to debut-era sporadic outings.

ARCA Series Results Summary

Jeremy Clements participated in 40 ARCA Menards Series races between 2002 and 2008, primarily as a developmental step from Late Model competition. His best finish was a victory on August 11, 2007, at Nashville Superspeedway, where he qualified second, led 48 laps, and won driving for Ken Appling. Across his ARCA career, Clements secured 13 top-five finishes and 21 top-ten results, while leading a total of 125 laps but earning no pole positions.
StatisticValue
Starts40
Wins1
Top 5s13
Top 10s21
Poles0
Laps Led125
Key participation included one start in 2002, five in 2003 at tracks such as Rockingham Speedway, and a career-high 12 races in 2007, which encompassed short ovals like Five Flags Speedway and intermediate tracks like Kentucky Speedway. These outings, often in underfunded equipment, honed Clements' skills on national-level equipment despite the single victory, laying groundwork for transitions to Late Model championships and eventual NASCAR Xfinity Series entry by emphasizing consistent top-ten performances over outright dominance.

Controversies and Setbacks

2013 Racial Slur Suspension

In February 2013, prior to the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway, Jeremy Clements used a racial slur during an off-the-record conversation with an MTV editor. The remark occurred in the presence of two other individuals as Clements attempted to emphasize a point, though he later acknowledged it as an error in judgment. MTV confirmed the incident after initial reports surfaced, prompting NASCAR's involvement despite the private nature of the exchange. On February 27, 2013, NASCAR imposed an indefinite suspension on Clements for violating the organization's code of conduct through an "intolerable and insensitive remark," requiring him to undergo sensitivity training as part of remediation. The penalty sidelined him for the subsequent two Nationwide Series events, highlighting NASCAR's emphasis on maintaining a professional environment amid growing scrutiny over racial sensitivity in motorsports. Clements publicly admitted the mistake, issued an apology expressing remorse, and committed to learning from the incident without excusing his words. He was reinstated by NASCAR on March 13, 2013, after fulfilling the stipulations, allowing his return at the Bristol Motor Speedway race. The suspension sparked debate over its proportionality, with some observers arguing it overreached for a non-public utterance in a high-pressure setting, potentially amplified by media reporting rather than direct harm to NASCAR's operations or fans. Clements maintained the lapse was isolated, and no subsequent violations of this nature have been documented in his career.

2022 Post-Race Inspection Penalty

On August 27, 2022, Jeremy Clements won the Wawa 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway, marking his first career victory in the series. Following the event, his No. 51 Chevrolet was subjected to post-race inspection at NASCAR's Research and Development Center, where officials identified a violation involving the intake manifold, classified under Sections 14.6.12K and U of the NASCAR Rule Book, rendering the engine non-compliant with technical specifications. This triggered an L2-level penalty on August 30, 2022, docking 75 points from both driver and owner standings, fining crew chief Mark Setzer $60,000, and disqualifying the win from playoff eligibility, though the victory itself was retained. NASCAR justified the sanction as necessary to uphold safety standards and competitive equity, emphasizing that R&D inspections target substantive rule breaches beyond standard garage checks to prevent unauthorized modifications that could confer advantages. Jeremy Clements Racing promptly appealed the penalty, arguing the infraction did not involve intentional circumvention of rules. On September 13, 2022, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld the appeal in full, overturning the deductions, fine, and playoff disqualification, thereby restoring the win's value for postseason contention. Clements attributed the resolution to the team's diligent efforts in fielding compliant equipment, stating post-appeal that his family-owned operation prioritizes safety and legality despite limited resources. The incident underscored vulnerabilities for independent teams like Clements', which often operate with constrained engineering and quality-control capabilities compared to manufacturer-backed organizations, potentially amplifying the risk of inadvertent non-compliance during rigorous post-event scrutiny. While NASCAR maintains uniform enforcement to preserve series integrity, such cases highlight causal factors like resource disparities that can disproportionately burden smaller entrants in maintaining exacting technical adherence.

On-Track Incidents and Crashes

In the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 4, 2020, Jeremy Clements was pushed by Riley Herbst's No. 18 Toyota during the final pit stop, causing Clements' No. 51 Chevrolet to exceed the pit road speed limit and incur a speeding penalty that dropped him from a competitive position. Clements publicly criticized the maneuver as unnecessary aggression, stating it jeopardized both drivers' strategies, though Herbst later apologized via phone call. This incident underscored the fine line between cooperative drafting and risky contact in restricted areas, where mutual positioning errors amplify consequences under NASCAR's strict pit protocols. During the opening laps of the February 19, 2022, Beef. Frank's 300 at Daytona International Speedway, Clements' No. 51 car was collected in a high-impact crash after rookie Drew Dollar's No. 92 Chevrolet lost traction exiting Turn 2, slamming into the outside wall and hooking into Clements, sidelining both vehicles early. Video replays confirmed Dollar's spin initiated from over-rotation under throttle, a common superspeedway hazard exacerbated by drafting packs where minor slides cascade into multi-car involvement. Clements, running mid-pack, bore the brunt as the innocent party in the chain reaction, highlighting how inexperience in restrictor-plate racing can impose disproportionate risks on veterans navigating tight formations. Clements has frequently been entangled in superspeedway wrecks due to the inherent chaos of plate-track pack racing, where aggressive side-by-side drafting leads to inevitable contact; for instance, on August 23, 2024, at Daytona, his spin on Lap 1 collected Austin Hill's No. 21 Chevrolet amid a similar early melee. Such patterns reflect not isolated fault but the causal dynamics of high-speed ovals, where drivers like Clements—operating lower-budget equipment—must defend positions tightly, often voicing post-race ire at perceived recklessness while acknowledging shared accountability in zero-margin environments. Independent analyses of these events emphasize mechanical grip limits and aero-dependent stability as primary factors over driver intent, with Clements' survival in races like the 2022 Daytona "crashfest"—where 18 of 38 starters wrecked—demonstrating adaptive strategy amid recurrent attrition.

2016 Hand Injury and Recovery

In July 2004, during a late-model stock car race at Madison Speedway in North Carolina, a torque arm failure caused the driveshaft to break loose and pierce the cockpit of Jeremy Clements' car, severely mangling his right hand and nearly severing it from his arm. Medical evaluation immediately post-crash revealed extensive damage likened by physicians to an explosion, with initial assessments indicating likely amputation and a prognosis that Clements would never race again due to the loss of function. Clements underwent eight surgeries over the following year to reconstruct the hand, incorporating a skin graft by sewing it to his hip, bone grafts harvested from the same hip, and a tendon graft from his foot, followed by extensive physical therapy to restore grip strength and mobility. Despite the severity, he resumed dirt track racing in July 2005, approximately one year after the incident, without missing subsequent seasons in regional series. The injury imposed no permanent career interruption; Clements progressed to NASCAR's national series, entering the Xfinity Series full-time by 2012 and achieving competitive results thereafter, including his first top-five finish (fourth place) at Talladega Superspeedway in May 2016, where he led laps under caution. This performance, alongside consistent starts in 33 of 33 events that year, evidenced functional recovery sufficient for high-level stock car demands, countering early medical doubts about his viability as a driver.

Personal Life and Legacy

Family Ties and Underdog Narrative

Jeremy Clements shares a tight-knit partnership with his father, Tony Clements, who co-owns Jeremy Clements Racing and manages Clements Automotive, a Spartanburg, South Carolina-based business founded in 1965 by Crawford Clements. This collaboration forms the operational core of the independent team, enabling survival through shared resources and hands-on involvement amid resource constraints typical of family-run outfits. The family's NASCAR heritage traces to Jeremy's grandfather, Crawford Clements, a pioneering engine builder and team owner, and his uncle, Louis Clements, who served as crew chief for Rex White's 1960 championship campaign. No public reports indicate familial discord, positioning the Clements lineage as a stabilizing force that reinforces team cohesion and long-term viability without reliance on external corporate backing. Clements' underdog trajectory stems from early immersion in racing, beginning in go-karts and late models as a child in South Carolina, where the family committed fully despite inconsistent funding and stiff competition from factory-supported programs. This all-in ethos, rooted in bootstrapped operations since the team's 2010 inception, exemplifies causal persistence in motorsports, where familial resolve offsets structural disadvantages like limited engineering depth. As a Spartanburg resident, Clements engages local ties through community events, such as the March 2025 "Jeremy Clements Night" at USC Upstate, which blended NASCAR promotion with regional athletics to bolster hometown engagement. In interviews, he has voiced affinity for charities like Motor Racing Outreach, reflecting modest philanthropic leanings aligned with racing's grassroots network.

Impact on NASCAR's Independent Teams

Jeremy Clements' operation of Clements Racing exemplifies the viability of family-owned teams in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where corporate-backed organizations dominate. His 2017 victory at Road America marked the first win for an independent team without Cup Series affiliations since 2006, demonstrating that limited-resource outfits could compete effectively through strategic preparation and driver skill rather than superior funding. This achievement highlighted persistence as a counter to structural advantages enjoyed by larger entities, with Clements' team relying on a modest Spartanburg, South Carolina shop and self-sourced sponsorships to field competitive entries. Such successes underscore funding disparities inherent to independent operations, where securing consistent sponsorship remains a primary barrier; Xfinity teams often operate on budgets a fraction of those for affiliated programs, limiting access to premium engines and parts. Penalties, such as those for inspection violations, exacerbate these gaps by imposing point deductions and fines that deplete scarce resources, forcing small teams to prioritize recovery over innovation—effects more pronounced without the financial buffers of elite squads. Clements' navigation of these hurdles, including maintaining full-season participation amid economic pressures, reveals the disproportionate toll on independents while affirming that disciplined resource allocation can yield results like top-10 finishes and playoff contention. By October 2025, Clements' endurance—culminating in his 500th Xfinity start earlier that year and a record 383 consecutive starts set in 2024—signals sustained viability for non-elite teams within the series ecosystem. His two career victories, including the 2023 Daytona triumph, provide empirical evidence that independent persistence can disrupt dominance, fostering a niche for family-run programs that prioritize longevity over expansion. This model influences similar operations by validating incremental gains, such as end-of-season bonuses tied to top-20 finishes, as critical for operational health amid ongoing competitive imbalances.

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  33. https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2022/08/26/2022-xfinity-series-daytona-summer-recap/
  34. https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-xs/news/jeremy-clements-wins-appeal-of-daytona-nascar-penalty/10368962/
  35. https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2022/09/13/jeremy-clements-racing-wins-appeal-of-no-51-chevrolet-penalty-from-daytona/
  36. https://jeremyclements51.com/uncategorized/jeremy-clements-to-pilot-the-henderson-jet-services-chevrolet-to-his-500th-career-xfinity-series-start-at-cota/
  37. https://motorsportstats.com/driver/jeremy-clements/summary/series/nascar-xfinity-series
  38. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_xfinityseries/driveryear.php?drv_id=2296&yr_id=2025
  39. https://www.espn.com/racing/driver/raceresults/_/id/4284/jeremy-clements
  40. https://www.facebook.com/JeremyClementsRacing/posts/spartan-waste-and-fox-sports-spartanburg-983-to-fuel-a-frightfully-fast-weekend-/1349297173527927/
  41. https://www.jayski.com/2024/12/12/kase-kallenbach-to-crew-chief-jeremy-clements-in-2025/
  42. https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/never-give-up-persistent-jeremy-clements-reaches-xfinity-mark
  43. https://www.jayski.com/2025/10/22/spartan-waste-fox-sports-spartanburg-co-sponsoring-jeremy-clements-at-martinsville/
  44. https://wingsetc.com/wings-etc-fuels-jeremy-clements-racing-at-pennzoil-250/
  45. https://www.jayski.com/2024/01/19/first-pacific-funding-sponsoring-jeremy-clements-in-multiple-races-during-2024-xfinity-season/
  46. https://thepodiumfinish.net/small-team-success-jeremy-clements-making-waves-in-the-nascar-xfinity-series/
  47. https://frontstretch.com/2024/09/24/jeremy-clements-discusses-2024-xfinity-season-challenges-faced-as-owner-driver/
  48. https://www.driverdb.com/drivers/jeremy-clements
  49. https://www.motorsportstats.com/driver/jeremy-clements/summary/series/nascar-xfinity-series
  50. https://frcs.pro/nascar/cup/drivers/jeremy-clements
  51. https://www.arcaracing.com/2021/04/09/arca-racing-series-all-time-wins-leaders/
  52. https://www.espn.com/racing/driver/stats/_/id/4284/jeremy-clements
  53. https://www.espn.com/racing/standings/_/series/xfinity
  54. https://tobychristie.com/2025-nascar-xfinity-series-owner-point-standings/
  55. https://www.reddit.com/r/NASCAR/comments/1heizbv/do_you_think_jeremy_clements_can_return_to_the/
  56. https://www.racing-reference.info/driver/clemeje01
  57. https://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/nationwide/story/_/id/9002360/jeremy-clements-used-racial-slur-conversation-website-confirms
  58. https://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/nationwide/story/_/id/8998684/jeremy-clements-explains-suspension-using-racial-remark
  59. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/02/27/crash-nationwide-series-jeremy-clements-nascar-daytona/1952413/
  60. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/03/13/nascar-jeremy-clements-reinstated-suspension-racial-remark-nationwide-series-bristol/1984233/
  61. https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2013/03/13/nascar-reinstates-clements/
  62. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2013/02/28/jeremy-clements-nationwide-series-penalty-racial-slur/1955547/
  63. https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/nascar-penalizes-jeremy-clements-for-daytona-infraction
  64. https://racer.com/2022/08/31/clements-appealing-daytona-xfinity-penalty/
  65. https://speedsport.com/nascar/nascar-xfinity-series/penalty-wiped-away-clements-in-playoffs/
  66. https://frontstretch.com/2022/08/30/jeremy-clements-given-l2-penalty-daytona-win-ineligible-for-playoffs/
  67. https://tobychristie.com/nascar/xfinity-series/riley-herbst-called-jeremy-clements-and-apologized-for-causing-speeding-penalty-at-indy/
  68. https://tobychristie.com/nascar/video-drew-dollar-loses-control-exiting-turn-two-slams-into-jeremy-clements-at-daytona/
  69. https://twitter.com/NASCARONFOX/status/1495165759458357249
  70. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTMWSEGXPv8
  71. https://www.autoweek.com/racing/nascar/a41007391/jeremy-clements-wins-nascar-xfinity-daytona-crashfest-avoids-days-of-thunder-wreck/
  72. https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/nascar-america-jeremy-clements-journey-back-to-racing-after-nearly-losing-a-hand
  73. https://wingsetcfranchise.com/2024/05/24/wings-etc-is-all-systems-go-to-sponsor-jeremy-clements-racing-in-nascar-xfinity-series-for-fourth-year/
  74. https://www.bahakelsports.com/nascar-the-family-tradition-with-jerry-clements/
  75. https://frontstretch.com/2010/02/24/how-jeremy-clements-perseveres/
  76. https://theracingexperts.com/jeremy-clements-set-to-become-fourth-driver-to-make-500-nascar-xfinity-starts/
  77. https://upstatespartans.com/news/2025/3/20/general-nascar-meets-hoops-for-jeremy-clements-night-at-the-hodge.aspx
  78. https://www.nbcsports.com/nascar/news/jeremy-clements-xfinity-win-a-rare-one-for-independent-teams
  79. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA1PHZv7OlY
  80. https://www.jayski.com/2024/10/23/jeremy-clements-continues-plugging-along-set-record-for-most-consecutive-xfinity-starts/
  81. https://athlonsports.com/racing/nascar/jeremy-clements-500th-career-start
  82. https://www.harrisonsusa.com/blogs/our-stories/long-time-running-jeremy-clements-on-his-500th-career-start
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