Jeremy Clements Scores Big Finish for Small Team
Jeremy Clements drove his No. 51 Chevrolet to a career best sixth place finish Saturday afternoon in the Nationwide Series race at Road America. For a team that is underfunded and often overlooked, it was a reminder of what the Nationwide Series was designed to be; a learning ground to showcase the talent of drivers hoping to make it to the premier Sprint Cup level.
Clements’ determination to succeed in the face of what sometimes seems like insurmountable odds has made him a fan favorite. The engines in his cars are not the most current and the team often has to cut corners when it comes to new tires, parts and equipment. Some might call him an underdog but for many he is “The Fan’s Man.”
On days like Saturday, it’s all worth it.
Clements expressed his joy and appreciation on his twitter page, saying, “So excited for our small team for our 6th place @roadamerica! What an awesome finish at a super fun track! Appreciate all the support.”
After practice and qualifying, he was confident that he had a competitive car.
“I knew we had a good car,” he told me. “We were 14th in practice and qualified 13th so I knew we had a car capable of a top-10 and that was my plan going into the race.”
The race was not without its challenges. His pit crew was understaffed, he had a couple of inexperienced spotters and then there was the rain.
“I’ve never driven in the rain in this type of car before,” he said. “Plus, our defogger wasn’t working right and it was hard to see.”
Clements also had to overcome an on-track incident with the No. 6 car of Trevor Bayne which cost him valuable track position. He was able to drive through the field and regain most of the positions but feels that it may have cost him a top-five. Despite the obstacles, they found the perfect balance between car, driver, strategy and luck.
“On these road courses, the driver can make up a lot of positions and we had a good car, good strategy and we just put it all together.”
The sixth place finish was his sixth top-10 in 148 Nationwide Series starts and his first top-10 this season. Clements is currently 15th in the series point standings.
He’s encouraged by last weekend’s performance but is looking forward to the remainder of the season, hoping to add more top-10 finishes to his resume.
“I believe in momentum. It was a big morale boost for everyone but,” he explained, “the next track we go to is very different. We’re always aiming for top-ten finishes so every week we keep plugging away.”
This week the team travels to Kentucky for the John R. Elliott HERO Campaign 300 presented by Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over race where they will attempt to take advantage of that momentum and make this season one to remember.
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Sonoma
Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.
1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson, winner of three of the last four races, posted a seventh at Sonoma, his 11th top 10 of the year. He is second in the points standings, 20 behind Jeff Gordon.
“I didn’t win,” Johnson said, “but my rivals are nervous nonetheless. Anytime you say ‘Jimmie Johnson’ and ‘seventh’ in the same sentence, people are intimidated, or should I say ‘inJimmiedated.”
2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Two weeks after winning at Michigan, Earnhardt posted a third-place finish in the Toyota/SaveMart 350, as Hendrick Motorsports placed all four drivers in the top seven.
“I have to apologize for wrecking Matt Kenseth,” Earnhardt said. “I’m pretty sure Matt will accept an apology. Why? Because he’s used to ‘taking’ it.”
3. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished second to Carl Edwards at Sonoma, as Hendrick Motorsports five-race winning streak ended. Gordon leads the Sprint Cup points standings with a 20-point cushion on Jimmie Johnson.
“’I let Edwards get away,’” Gordon said. “That’s my Jack Roush impression, not my take on the final lap at Sonoma.
“You may have noticed our new sponsor, Panasonic, on the No. 24 car. For once, a driver can say he’s got an ‘electronic issue’ and it’s not a bad thing. Joe Gibbs may put Japanese in the car; Hendrick puts it on it.”
4. Carl Edwards: Edwards took the lead with 25 laps to go at Sonoma and held off Jeff Gordon to claim his first road course victory.
“Roush Fenway was shut out at Michigan,” Edwards said. “Who would have thought we’d turn things around on a road course? But you can always count on Jack Roush to have something up his sleeve, except new contracts.”
5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski struggled in the Toyota SavMart 350, fighting handling issues all day on his way to a 22nd. He is fifth in the points standings, 68 out of first.
“It was a tough day for the No. 2 Alliance Truck Parts Ford,” Keselowski said. “Sadly, though, we needed car parts, not truck parts.
“The car’s handling was a nightmare. Nothing we tried worked. One of my pit crewmen made so many wedge adjustments, he developed a wrist injury. Aerodynamically, he’s fine, but he will need some carpal tunnel testing.”
6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth was wrecked on lap 74 when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. jumped a curb and rammed the back of Kenseth’s No. 20 Home Depot Toyota. Kenseth is currently fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 65 out of first.
“When you’re surrounded by a pile of useless tires,” Kenseth said, “you know you’re in trouble, or Hoosier is your tire manufacturer.
“We’re losing Home Depot as a sponsor at season’s end. I guess that makes them the ‘Away Depot.’”
7. Joey Logano: Logano finished 16th at Sonoma on a tough day for Penske Motorsports, as teammate Brad Keselowski managed only a 22nd. Logano is now seventh in the points standings, 97 behind Jeff Gordon.
“Our boss won’t be happy,” Logano said. “Ask him his opinion of our performance, and he certainly won’t ‘Roger’ that.
“They say Sonoma is wine country, but they also drink beer in this road course haven. I think they make it from ‘wheel hops.’”
8. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 20th at Sonoma after the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Chevy was collected when Clint Bowyer suffered a flat tire and stopped in the middle of the track.
“I’m not surprised,” Harvick said. “From what I hear, ’parking’ is an issue at all NASCAR races.”
9. Paul Menard: Menard finished fifth at Sonoma, posting his third top-five result of the year.
“In the absence of Kevin Harvick,” Menard said, “I’ve taken over as a leader for Richard Childress Racing. And we haven’t missed a beat. That’s because we get ‘beat’ every week.”
10. Ryan Newman: Newman finished 11th at Sonoma as Richard Childress Racing teammate Paul Menard took fifth. Newman is eighth in the points standings, 107 out of first.
“Our highest finish this year is a seventh,” Newman said, “which we’ve accomplished three times. I’m not sure if we can win with this car. We lack the speed of the Hendrick engines. It says ‘Caterpillar’ on my car; it also says ‘Caterpillar’ on the speedometer.”
