Jeremy Clements

Jeremy Wayne Clements (born January 16, 1985) 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.

Clements holds the record for the most starts by a driver in O'Reilly Auto Parts Series history.

Racing career Early career A native of Spartanburg, South Carolina, Clements began his racing career at the age of eight by driving go-karts. 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.

Dirt Late Models and ARCA In 2002, Clements moved up to the Limited Late Model division, where he won nine overall races as well as the track championship at Cherokee Speedway. 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, almost completely severing 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. 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. 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.

O'Reilly Auto Parts Series 2003 Clements made his debut in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts 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 Clements did not return to the NASCAR Busch 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 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 For 2009, Clements increased his focus on the Nationwide 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 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. 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

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

2012 For 2012, Clements continued in the Nationwide 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

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. 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". Clements sat out two races and returned for the rest of the season. 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. At the Gardner Denver 200 at Road America, Clements recorded a then career-best sixth place finish.

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

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

2017

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. 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.

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 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. 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 60,000, and the team was docked 75 owner and driver points, plus 10 playoff points should the team qualify for the postseason. 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. As a result, he regained his eligibility for the 2022 playoffs. Clements finished twelfth in the points standings.

2023 2023 was a disappointing season for Clements. He recorded seven top-fifteens, with his best showings being two fourteenth place finishes.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (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 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 Pts Ref 2003 Kenneth Appling Racing 71 Chevy DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX TAL NSH CAL RCH GTW NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR31 IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM 137th 70 51 Chevy ATLDNQ 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 GTW IRP CGV GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT23 MEM40 TEX42 PHO38 HOM27 87th 301 2008 Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO MXC TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KENQL† MLW NHA DAY 102nd 170 Jeremy Clements Motorsports 50 Chevy CHIDNQ GTW22 IRP CGV GLN MCHDNQ BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM30 2009 DAY CAL LVS BRI TEX NSH39 PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT27 DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI35 GTW16 IRP MCH25 BRI CGV ATL36 RCH DOV 50th 951 Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota IOWQL† GLN JD Motorsports 0 Chevy KAN32 CAL12 CLT22 MEM29 TEX33 PHO29 HOMDNQ 2010 DAYDNQ 34th 1390 04 CALDNQ LVSDNQ BRI NSH22 PHO TEX33 TALDNQ RCH DAR DOV CLT16 NSH19 KEN12 ROA NHA DAY37 CHIDNQ GTWDNQ IRP IOW20 GLN MCH25 BRI23 CGV ATLDNQ RCH34 DOV33 KAN32 CAL CLT34 GTW10 TEX19 PHO HOM39 2011 Jeremy Clements Racing 51 Chevy DAY16 PHO22 LVS27 BRI16 CAL35 TEX21 TAL24 NSH23 RCH23 DAR26 DOV24 IOW14 CLT26 CHI29 MCH26 ROA32 DAY32 KEN31 NHA19 NSH21 IRP18 IOW17 GLN24 CGV39 BRI32 ATL14 RCH14 CHI21 DOV18 KAN23 CLT29 TEX26 PHO24 HOM18 15th 696 2012 DAY25 PHO22 LVS21 BRI20 CAL20 TEX29 RCH33 TAL29 DAR33 IOW23 CLT18 DOV10 MCH31 ROA25 KEN21 DAY11 NHA17 CHI22 IOW21 GLN19 CGV25 BRI33 ATL15 CHI30 KEN15 DOV27 CLT19 KAN35 TEX16 PHO33 HOM22 14th 609 4 IND10 RCH24 2013 51 DAY33 PHO LVS BRI33 CAL21 TEX35 RCH37 TAL9 DAR20 CLT22 DOV19 IOW17 MCH13 ROA23 KEN25 DAY22 NHA23 CHI25 IND35 IOW21 GLN20 MOH10 BRI22 ATL23 RCH26 CHI24 KEN20 DOV20 KAN36 CLT20 TEX22 PHO26 HOM30 16th 638 2014 DAY29 PHO21 LVS32 BRI18 CAL36 TEX18 DAR31 RCH22 TAL23 IOW22 CLT23 DOV20 MCH20 ROA6 KEN30 DAY8 NHA20 CHI13 IND26 IOW25 GLN16 MOH22 BRI23 ATL22 RCH21 CHI33 KEN21 DOV18 KAN17 CLT22 TEX21 PHO11 HOM13 15th 757 2015 DAY14 ATL21 LVS22 PHO16 CAL24 TEX22 BRI13 RCH14 TAL17 IOW15 CLT13 DOV10 MCH31 CHI19 DAY28 KEN26 NHA19 IND15 IOW21 GLN11 MOH17 BRI14 ROA28 DAR20 RCH34 CHI20 KEN19 DOV21 CLT20 KAN19 TEX17 PHO30 HOM22 14th 801 2016 DAY15 ATL17 LVS20 PHO28 CAL21 TEX24 BRI33 RCH22 TAL4 DOV22 CLT20 POC31 MCH21 IOW16 DAY16 KEN16 NHA13 IND17 IOW17 GLN25 MOH34 BRI6 ROA25 DAR8 RCH17 CHI16 KEN12 DOV22 CLT22 KAN28 TEX18 PHO31 HOM24 15th 693 2017 DAY35 ATL37 LVS26 PHO19 CAL22 TEX21 BRI17 RCH15 TAL27 CLT17 DOV23 POC17 MCH23 IOW7 DAY15 KEN22 NHA21 IND31 IOW28 GLN35 MOH37 BRI18 ROA1 DAR21 RCH16 CHI20 KEN22 DOV22 CLT20 KAN25 TEX22 PHO23 HOM23 12th 2107 2018 DAY16 ATL27 LVS22 PHO20 CAL15 TEX16 BRI40 RCH8 TAL35 DOV18 CLT35 POC15 MCH15 IOW20 CHI17 DAY34 KEN18 NHA18 IOW20 GLN14 MOH17 BRI13 ROA13 DAR16 IND14 LVS13 RCH16 ROV18 DOV20 KAN10 TEX14 PHO17 HOM19 15th 619 2019 DAY36 ATL18 LVS15 PHO13 CAL14 TEX26 BRI13 RCH35 TAL27 DOV18 CLT13 POC16 MCH15 IOW12 CHI13 DAY9 KEN13 NHA15 IOW30 GLN11 MOH11 BRI4 ROA8 DAR12 IND11 LVS20 RCH16 ROV11 DOV36 KAN6 TEX28 PHO18 HOM16 14th 699 2020 DAY28 LVS31 CAL9 PHO36 DAR12 CLT32 BRI8 ATL13 HOM12 HOM27 TAL24 POC3 IRC13 KEN12 KEN11 TEX11 KAN12 ROA29 DRC6 DOV13 DOV19 DAY20 DAR32 RCH17 RCH17 BRI11 LVS13 TAL20 ROV16 KAN15 TEX27 MAR15 PHO10 13th 666 2021 DAY22 DRC10 HOM9 LVS17 PHO10 ATL12 MAR14 TAL14 DAR6 DOV12 COA23 CLT10 MOH33 TEX14 NSH11 POC13 ROA28 ATL8 NHA15 GLN16 IRC14 MCH11 DAY24 DAR8 RCH26 BRI13 LVS39 TAL24 ROV12 TEX29 KAN17 MAR9 PHO18 12th 2126 2022 DAY37 CAL17 LVS11 PHO18 ATL37 COA24 RCH20 MAR10 TAL23 DOV29 DAR29 TEX16 CLT22 PIR34 NSH22 ROA9 ATL17 NHA4 POC32 IRC19 MCH31 GLN10 DAY1 DAR21 KAN21 BRI16 TEX36 TAL20 ROV14 LVS15 HOM26 MAR17 PHO27 12th 2069 2023 DAY17 CAL18 LVS25 PHO20 ATL15 COA14 RCH36 MAR32 TAL19 DOV19 DAR14 CLT19 PIR22 SON17 NSH22 CSC20 ATL15 NHA15 POC15 ROA27 MCH26 IRC19 GLN37 DAY26 DAR21 KAN15 BRI24 TEX18 ROV23 LVS30 HOM21 MAR17 PHO20 19th 533 2024 DAY29 ATL6 LVS25 PHO15 COA19 RCH24 MAR22 TEX16 TAL35 DOV14 DAR37 CLT13 PIR30 SON23 IOW21 NHA21 NSH22 CSC37 POC30 IND30 MCH15 DAY27 DAR31 ATL29 GLN18 BRI12 KAN27 TAL36 ROV20 LVS18 HOM16 MAR27 PHO20 20th 477 2025 DAY9 ATL11 COA28 PHO21 LVS24 HOM26 MAR14 DAR21 BRI20 CAR10 TAL26 TEX31 CLT16 NSH18 MXC36 POC12 ATL10 CSC31 SON30 DOV26 IND12 IOW22 GLN15 DAY36 PIR17 GTW15 BRI9 KAN32 ROV27 LVS36 TAL37 MAR34 PHO33 21st 501 2026 DAY32 ATL29 COA32 PHO11 LVS24 DAR19 MAR37 CAR25 BRI15 KAN15 TAL5 TEX10 GLN33 DOV15 CLT30 NSH18 POC16 COR15 SON20 CHI35 ATL10 IND37 IOW30 DAY33 DAR GTW BRI LVS CLT PHO TAL MAR HOM -* -* † – Qualified for Kyle Busch

Season still in progress Ineligible for series points

ARCA Re/Max Series (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 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 TAL17 CLTDNQ 74th 420 2003 DAY34 ATL7 NSH35 SLM TOL KEN CLT3 BLN KAN MCH LER POC POC NSH ISF WIN DSF CHI SLM TAL CLT3 SBO 36th 750 2004 Pontiac DAYDNQ 70th 380 Chevy NSH8 SLM KEN29 TOL CLT37 KAN37 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 CHI34 SLM 112th 175 Pontiac TAL23 2006 Chevy DAY13 NSH29 SLM WIN KEN14 TOL POC27 MCH KAN KEN3 BLN POC2 GTW5 NSH9 MCH38 ISF MIL TOL DSF CHI16 SLM TALDNQ IOW 31st 1555 2007 DAY3 USA NSH12 SLM KAN35 WIN KEN40 TOL IOW POC4 MCH5 BLN KEN7 POC3 NSH1* ISF MIL GTW36 DSF CHI4 SLM TAL6 TOL 23rd 2000 2008 DAYDNQ SLM IOW KAN CAR6 KEN33 TOL POC31 MCH CAY KEN BLN POC6 NSH2 ISF DSF CHI9 SLM NJE TAL4 TOL 31st 1185