In NASCAR, speed may be the star of the show, but money is the fuel that keeps the wheels turning. Behind the roar of engines and the rush of race day, there’s a reality many fans don’t see—especially for the smaller teams. Every set of tires, every tank of fuel, every mile traveled to the track adds up fast. For big-name operations, those costs are a drop in the bucket.

But for grassroots teams fighting to make the grid, one unexpected expense can throw the whole season into jeopardy. It’s a constant balancing act of passion versus pocketbook, where determination often has to stretch farther than the budget. And recently, one determined truck team owner found himself facing that very crossroads. But, in the end, the NASCAR community came to help, which filled the team owner with nothing but gratitude.

How fans helped save Clubb Racing’s NASCAR season

For Alex Clubb, the team owner and driver of the No. 03 car, the gratitude runs deep. “I want to thank everybody so much. If it weren’t for the outpouring with the GoFundMe and money on Venmo and all that…” he said, pausing to reflect on just how close his team came to missing the race at Watkins Glen.

As of now, his GoFundMe has brought in $17,044 of the $25,000 goal. Count in donations from fans, friends, and fellow racers who refused to let a small team’s dream die. But why did he need the money from such a channel all of a sudden? Well, the trouble began after the ARCA Menards Series race at Iowa Speedway.

On the long drive home along Interstate 80, disaster struck. The truck and trailer carrying the team’s No. 03 Ford flipped onto its side after the driver, a friend of Clubb’s, fell asleep at the wheel. For a small-budget outfit like Clubb Racing Inc., the damage was catastrophic. “We were dead in the water,” Clubb admitted. With Watkins Glen looming just days away, the timing couldn’t have been worse.

For teams like his, replacing or repairing a hauler, tools, and damaged equipment is no small expense. Rather, it’s the kind of setback that can end a season outright. And Clubb was out of options. “I just had no other way to get it,” he said. “I couldn’t max a credit card out to get here… we’re kind of at that point, we’ve got a few maxed out, anyway.”

But the NASCAR and ARCA community rallied. Donations poured in, giving Clubb and his crew the shot they needed to get back to the track. Against all odds, they not only made it to Watkins Glen but came away with two finishes for the weekend, an outcome that, given where they were on Friday, Clubb called the best-case scenario.

Grit and gratitude pay off at The Glen

Given where Clubb Racing Inc. was just days earlier, simply unloading at Watkins Glen felt like a victory. As Clubb put it, “We worked our asses off and did the best we could and got here. And you know, we got two finishes out of it.” That result was made possible in no small part by team driver Tim Carden, who showed the kind of sportsmanship you can’t put a price on. “He’s been awesome,” Clubb said. “He told me, ‘Hey, man, if you don’t got a second car, you just go and run and I’ll worry about next year.’”

The weekend didn’t come without its share of uncertainty. In practice, Clubb reported a bad vibration and was already preparing himself for a start-and-park effort. Just taking the green flag would’ve been a moral win given the circumstances. But the race unfolded in a way that played to the team’s perseverance. Attrition took its toll on the field, and while on-track incidents were minimal, survival became the name of the game.

When the checkered flag waved, Carden brought the No. 03 home in 14th place, with Clubb just two spots behind in 16th. Considering the team’s recent ordeal, those results felt almost like a podium finish. In the ARCA Menards Series driver standings, Carden now sits 60th, while Clubb holds a respectable 6th. It’s proof that even small-budget teams can hold their ground against bigger operations with deeper pockets.

For Clubb, Watkins Glen was more than a race. It was a testament to grit, teamwork, and the unwavering support of the racing community. What could have been a weekend spent in the garage became a statement of resilience, reminding everyone that in motor sports, the will to compete is just as important as the resources to do so.