LAS VEGAS, Nev.: NASCAR Xfinity Series mainstay driver Jeremy Clements has always been considered an underdog and his participation in the Series playoffs beginning with Saturday afternoon’s Alsco Uniforms 302 at Las Vegas (Nev.) Motor Speedway isn’t expected to change that classification.
However, Clements and his family-owned Jeremy Clements Racing team are hoping to steal the spotlight from some of their Playoff colleagues and utilize the same formula that has propelled the Spartanburg, S.C. native into their second career Playoff berth in the first place.
Statistically speaking, 2021 has been a banner year for the 36-year-old Clements. The team has yet to find a top-five finish through 26 races, but the No. 51 Chevrolet Camaro has finished inside the top-10 seven times throughout the year – a career-high for Clements and two more top-10s than 2020 with seven races remaining.
“It’s a big accomplishment for our team for sure to be the only small team in to make it,” Clements told CATCHFENCE.com. “It means a lot. I’m excited for the challenge and we’re going to give it all we got there next three races so we can make the next round.”
The first stop on the docket for Clements is the adventurous city of Las Vegas. Clements has made 13 starts at the 1.5-mile speedway and finished a modest 17th in March.
Clements, however, would like to duplicate or better his 13th place finish last fall in Sin City to give his team led by crew chief Mark Setzer a little bit of relief for race two at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on October 2.
“I do like Las Vegas,” added Clements. “Hopefully, we can bring a car with speed. We learned a lot together in March and have grown a ton since then together, meaning myself and Mark (Setzer). I’m not really worried about Las Vegas – than I am Talladega where I think getting out of there in one piece will be a big key.”
Clements has said the addition of Setzer as crew chief has been a blessing for his small operation.
“It’s been great,” remarked Clements of Setzer. “He’s done a great job for us, and he hates to run bad which I like. He puts a ton of thought and effort into it for us as well.
“His mentality and leadership will be important for our Playoff hopes.”
Like their weekly on-track performance, Clements has worked hard to build and maintain sponsorships in the industry.
First Pacific Funding, one of the team’s major backers this season has continuously increased their commitment to the team throughout the year and the company’s president Steve Carnes has been positively vocal about the team’s growth and the friendships built behind the scenes.
“We started this journey with Jeremy as a “baby steps” type journey at the Kentucky Speedway doubleheader last year, but after we saw the value that Jeremy and his family bring to our organization, it was a no-brainer to continue this association,” Carnes told CATCHFENCE.com.
“People do not realize the magnitude of this Playoff accomplishment; we are talking about a team with just four full-time employees hanging in there for an entire season with all of the heavy hitters in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
“Jeremy did not make mistakes, and he didn’t, and we were all rewarded with a Playoff berth.”
Clements has graded his team a “B” heading the opening round of the Playoffs and while nobody expects Jeremy Clements Racing to compete in the Championship 4 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway, many did expect Clements to hang tough and fight for every position on track and an opportunity to better his 12th place championship performance in 2017.
“I’d say we are a B right now,” Clements mentioned. “We have had some great runs at some tracks with a lot of speed. Then there were others where we messed up and threw away a good finish and that still stings.
“We are going to do our best to minimize our mistakes and get the best finish we can and see where we land when that checkered flag waves at Phoenix in November.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
