Jeremy Clements Bio
Jeremy Wayne Clements, born on January 16, 1985, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, 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 Camaro SS for his family-owned team, Jeremy Clements Racing. Known for his durability and longevity, Clements holds the all-time record for most starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Across his career he has recorded two series wins, 44 top-ten finishes, and has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most resilient independent competitors.
Early Life and Background
Jeremy Wayne Clements was born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he developed a passion for racing at a very young age. He is the son of Tony Clements, a respected engine builder and the owner of Clements Racing Engines, which gave Jeremy a direct link to the mechanical side of motorsports. Growing up around engines and race shops helped shape his understanding of cars and racing from an early age.
Clements began his racing career at the age of eight, competing in go-karts. By 1999, he had progressed to four-cylinder cars, racing in both the Modified and Stock Series at Thunder Valley Speedway and Cherokee Speedway. Over the next three seasons, he proved himself as a rising talent by winning 55 feature events and capturing two track championships. In 2002, he moved up to the Late Model division, where he won nine races and earned the championship at Cherokee Speedway, signaling his readiness for higher levels of stock car competition.
Path to NASCAR
Clements’ path toward NASCAR began with his ARCA Series debut in 2002 at Talladega Superspeedway, where he started sixth and finished seventeenth in the No. 3 Chevrolet. He continued running selected ARCA events over the next several years while building experience. In 2007, he enjoyed a breakout ARCA season, earning eight top-ten finishes in twelve races and capturing his first ARCA victory at Nashville Superspeedway after leading 48 laps. This success helped open the door to opportunities in the NASCAR Busch Series, the predecessor of today’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
His early NASCAR career was marked by perseverance through injuries and team changes. After a serious crash in 2004 at 311 Speedway in North Carolina that required multiple surgeries and a long recovery, Clements returned to racing in 2005 and steadily rebuilt his career. A three-track test with Richard Childress Racing, selected by General Motors, further sharpened his skills and gave him valuable seat time in higher-level equipment, preparing him for a full-time commitment to NASCAR’s national series.
Jeremy Clements Career
Early Career (2002-2008)
Clements’ early professional years were split between the ARCA Menards Series and part-time NASCAR Busch Series opportunities. In the ARCA Series, he steadily improved, scoring his first and only ARCA victory at Nashville Superspeedway in 2007 after starting second and leading 48 laps. Across his ARCA career, he made 21 top-ten finishes in limited starts, establishing himself as a consistent short-track and superspeedway competitor. In 2008, he came close to repeating his Nashville win, finishing second in the same event.
On the national NASCAR stage, Clements made his Busch Series debut in 2003 at Pikes Peak International Raceway, driving the No. 71 Chevrolet for Young Racing. After limited seat time between 2003 and 2008, running small schedules for McGill Motorsports and his family-owned No. 50 team, he focused more seriously on the series beginning in 2009. During this developmental period, he also gained valuable experience practicing and qualifying cars for Joe Gibbs Racing when schedules permitted, learning from one of NASCAR’s top organizations.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Breakthrough (2009-2017)
Clements increased his commitment to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2009, attempting thirteen races and making twelve. He later joined JD Motorsports, where he recorded a career-best twelfth-place finish at Auto Club Speedway. In 2010, he earned his first career top-ten in the series with a tenth-place run at Gateway International Raceway, where he also led his first laps. The 2011 season marked his first full-time campaign, completing all 34 races and finishing fifteenth in points, a sign of growing consistency for the underdog team.
The breakthrough arrived in 2017, when Clements scored his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the Johnsonville 180 at Road America. The win came after a dramatic last-lap contact with Matt Tifft, and it was historically significant: it marked the first win for an independent Xfinity Series team not affiliated with a NASCAR Cup Series operation since David Gilliland won at Kentucky in 2006. The victory cemented Clements’ place in the series and brought national attention to his small, family-run operation.
Jeremy Clements Racing Era (2017-Present)
Following his 2017 breakthrough, Clements continued to build Jeremy Clements Racing into a model independent team. In 2021, he turned in one of his best seasons without a win, scoring eight top-ten finishes and qualifying for the playoffs on points while finishing twelfth in the standings. The following year, in 2022, he captured his second career victory at the Wawa 250 at Daytona after an overtime finish. The win initially came with controversy, as NASCAR issued an L2 penalty for an illegally modified intake manifold, but Clements successfully appealed the decision, regaining his playoff eligibility.
In recent seasons, Clements has remained a steady presence in the series. The 2023 and 2024 campaigns were more difficult, with limited top-ten results, but his trademark consistency kept him competitive. By 2025, he had made his 500th Xfinity Series start at Circuit of the Americas, becoming just the fourth driver to reach that milestone. In 2026, he set the all-time series record for most starts, reaching 548 appearances at San Diego. His enduring presence has made him a respected veteran and the face of independent racing in the series.
Driving Style and Strengths
Clements is widely regarded as a tough, resourceful racer who excels at superspeedways and road courses. His best results have come at tracks like Road America, Daytona, and Talladega, where patience and positioning are key. Operating a single-car team, he relies heavily on strategy, consistency, and clean execution rather than raw equipment, and his long-standing partnership with crew chief Mark Setzer has been central to his team’s ability to compete against larger organizations.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Clements’ most memorable moments are his first Xfinity Series win at Road America in 2017, his dramatic overtime victory at Daytona in 2022, and his record-setting 500th and 548th career series starts. He has also produced strong runs at Talladega, Mid-Ohio, and Atlanta, and his playoff appearance in 2021 and 2022 underscored his ability to compete at a high level despite limited resources.
Jeremy Clements Career Wins
Across his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series career, Jeremy Clements has recorded two wins, 44 top-ten finishes, and no pole positions. Both victories came at demanding venues, Road America and Daytona, and each represented milestone moments for independent teams in the series.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Highlights
Clements’ first series win came in 2017 at Road America in the Johnsonville 180, a breakthrough result for his family-owned No. 51 team. His second and most recent win arrived in 2022 at the Wawa 250 at Daytona, a hard-fought overtime finish that sent him to the playoffs. He has finished twelfth in the final standings three times, in 2017, 2021, and 2022, matching his best career points result.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, Clements recorded one ARCA Menards Series victory at Nashville Superspeedway in 2007. He also won a Late Model track championship at Cherokee Speedway in 2002 and captured two track titles at Thunder Valley Speedway during his early stock car years, totaling 55 feature wins across his developmental period.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 2 | 44 | 0 | ARCA Menards Series | 1 | 21 | 0 |
Jeremy Clements Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Jeremy Clements is the son of Tony Clements, a respected engine builder and the owner of Clements Racing Engines. Tony’s expertise and shop have long supported Jeremy’s racing efforts, giving the family operation a strong technical foundation. This direct family connection to engine building and race preparation has been a defining element of Jeremy Clements Racing since its founding.
Personal Life
Born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Clements continues to be closely tied to his hometown and his family’s racing business. Standing 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing around 150 pounds, he has built his career around resilience, hard work, and the support of his family-run team. His long career in stock car racing reflects both his personal dedication and the deep family roots that have fueled his journey in the sport.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season saw Jeremy Clements continue his role as a steady veteran of the field. He opened the year with a ninth-place finish at Daytona and was awarded an extra point for posting the Xfinity Fastest Lap of the race. He added three more top-ten finishes across the schedule, capping another durable campaign. One of the defining moments of the year came at Circuit of the Americas, where Clements made his 500th series start, joining an elite group of just four drivers to reach that milestone.
Clements closed the 2025 season with four top-ten finishes and a 21st-place result in the final standings. While wins remained elusive, his ability to consistently qualify and finish races reinforced his reputation as the most reliable independent in the garage. Operating with limited resources, his year was a testament to preparation, consistency, and the continued growth of Jeremy Clements Racing.
