Jeremy Clements faced a challenging finish at the recent NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Phoenix, where Justin Allgaier secured the victory by taking the lead with just 10 laps remaining. Despite running close to the front in the top five for most of the event, Clements dropped back to finish 11th, attributing part of the setback to an incident involving Sammy Smith as well as car issues.
“Lost some rear grip, especially off four there,”
Clements explained about his car’s performance.
“Then the 8, he used me up over there and about wrecked me. So I owe him one for sure.”
– Jeremy Clements, NASCAR driver
Car Performance and Technical Alliance Offer Optimism
The race marked a personal best for Clements this season, improving significantly over his previous three starts where he had not placed higher than 29th. This improvement is partly due to getting better accustomed to his vehicle. Ahead of the 2026 season, Clements formed a technical alliance with the Haas Factory Team, which he already sees as beneficial.
“Haas Factory Team cars were pretty quick. Our Chevy was definitely quick on the long runs,”
Clements said.
“And just got to clean some stuff up, get better, don’t lose so much track position sometimes. And just clean some things up, like I said. But we have a fast Chevy, long run, and there at the end didn’t think, those last cautions, was too loose, just needed more forward drive.”
– Jeremy Clements, NASCAR driver
Positive Reflections Despite Challenges
Though the outcome wasn’t exactly as he hoped, Clements remained encouraged by the experience and progress shown. Comparing his current car to previous models, he noted a major difference in performance.
“Oh most definitely. These are way faster cars than I’ve been driving,”
Clements said.
“My cars were 10 years old at this point and seen a lot of age on them, a lot of wear and tear. These are way newer cars and the cars are just faster. We knew going in that we should be able to run toward the front. I think we showed that tonight, I think you’ll see that more often this year for sure.”
– Jeremy Clements, NASCAR driver
Looking Ahead to Las Vegas Race
Jeremy Clements is preparing for another race next weekend in Las Vegas, feeling optimistic about his chances based on his current car’s speed and performance.
“I think they should be fast again,”
Clements stated.
“I know Ryan’s cars ran good there and 00, 41 are always fast. So as long as we do what they do we should be fine. And I’m looking forward to driving it there.”
– Jeremy Clements, NASCAR driver
Summary of Top Finishers at Phoenix
The race at Phoenix was largely dominated by Justin Allgaier, who captured the win late in the event. While Clements finished 11th after his incident with Sammy Smith, the race itself lacked significant drama beyond these pivotal moments.
Importance of the Incident and Future Implications
Jeremy Clements acknowledges the impact of Sammy Smith’s maneuver on his race and is clearly motivated to respond in kind during upcoming events. His improved performance, aided by the partnership with Haas Factory Team, indicates potential growth in competitiveness throughout the season. Next races, including the one in Las Vegas, will provide further opportunities to see how Clements capitalizes on his car’s speed and handles any on-track rivalries.
"I owe him one for sure." – @JClements51 is not happy with @sammysmithSS following the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Phoenix Raceway.
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