Jeremy Clements did not have the easiest entry into the NASCAR world, and even though he has spent over two decades racing in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, he could never make it big and run the Cup Series. But he kept himself dedicated, running his family’s team through all the challenges he faced. And through this consistency, he finally landed a spot. With his recent run at the Pocono Raceway, he equalled a veteran’s record, earning massive recognition and a heartfelt tribute from the veteran himself.

“Congratulations to Jeremy Clements and team!” Kenny Wallace said in a video he posted on his social media. Wallace had held the record of having the most NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts for the past decade. The number stood at a whopping 547 race starts, and understandably, it was hard to beat. With 33 races in a year, it would take a driver well over 16 years of running to achieve this accomplishment, and this sheer longevity is hard to pull off. Most drivers, after spending a few seasons in the series, make their way to the Cup Series. But this couldn’t be the case for Jeremy Clements.

Clements came from a very humble background. Although he had some history in racing, winning at the junior levels and even some competitive pulls in the ARCA Series, he didn’t have enough funding to find a competitive ride in NASCAR. He managed to find a few runs here and there in the mid-2000s, but when he began racing for his family-owned team in 2011 in the NOAPS, Clements was dedicated to making the most of the opportunity. Although the team wasn’t exactly competitive, he never gave up and kept racing full-time, every single season, even pulling off two race wins. In fact, he never even gave the Truck or Cup Series a shot. This dedication, this longevity, ultimately proved to be the prize for him, as he equalled Kenny Wallace’s race starts with the race at the Pocono Raceway.

“Jeremy Clements, and your whole team, your family, I love you guys. You are the epitome of the O’Reilly racing. You’re doing it right because you’re doing it old school. Family, you don’t got the big six million dollars a year, and for that, my friend, I admire you. Congratulations, Jeremy Clements!” Wallace added.

As Clements equalled Wallace’s record, his #51 Chevy also featured a graphic, showcasing Wallace handing over a flame to Clements, symbolising the legacy he was taking over.

This is a massive milestone for Clements, especially considering the lack of resources he has been running on throughout the years. As he put it earlier, before the race, “I’d say it’s incredible. And it just shows that even though we’re a small team, we work hard, and we’re determined, and we don’t give up. So, to still be racing and loving what I get to do every week, it sure is a blessing.”

And although this achievement in itself is massive, Clements is nowhere close to calling it quits.

Jeremy Clements to possibly set a new ‘unbreakable’ NASCAR record

For the longest time, Kenny Wallace’s record was deemed ‘unbreakable.’ This was because of the sheer longevity he had racing in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (known as the Nationwide Series at the time). Although he also had over 300 starts in the Cup Series as well, it was the NOAPS that defined him as a NASCAR driver.

Almost all of the other drivers who even came close to or crossed the 500 race start figure are retired, and the only reason why Clements managed to match it is the strong dedication he has showcased in the past decade and a half, despite the lack of funding. But as he continues, he still has a long future to look ahead to. After all, Wallace was 10 years older than Clements when he retired after his 547th start in 2015.

“I’m 41 now, so Kenny was 51. And so, I hope I still—I mean, I know I can still go a long time,” he told the media at Pocono Raceway. “So, I hope I can just make it so it’s unbreakable.”

This would certainly be interesting, but more than anything else, immensely impressive. Most of the drivers who face such a lack of funding don’t continue for as long as Clements did, and that is also something Wallace is impressed by. The only driver who could come close to matching this record is JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier, who currently sits with 521 starts in the series. If anything else, Clements is cementing his name in NASCAR history, and all he has to do is continue racing, which is something he loves to do.