By Kathleen Swift • Photos by Savanah Mandeville
“I bought him a dirt bike,” said Bo, “and Clint started racing as a 12-year-old in motocross races. You know, the big tracks with the big jumps. We met Dan Walters, whose grandson was racing, and he taught us a lot about motocross. When Clint was 15, he went to live in Texas and trained. Even since he has married, he still likes to race.” But Clint has left motocross behind and is now racing in dirt track B mod NASCAR races.
Bo and Clint built their first dirt track car with the help of Mitch Keeter and raced on the NASCAR Division II circuit for the first time last year. Clint said about racing, the cars and their success, “It’s Dad’s money, Mitch’s knowledge and my passion. Driving isn’t the hard part of racing; it’s keeping the car in racing condition.”
After a day at work, Clint comes home and works on the car until late. He credits his wife for supporting his racing efforts while they raise their three boys. On weekends, the family, along with Bo and his wife, are at the track. Success at the track is a team effort.
And success has followed Clint as a result of his hard work.
“We didn’t get our first win until our last race last year,” said Bo. “In Clint’s rookie season, he was trying for consistency and ended up fourth in the NASCAR Division II standings for 2018. We raced in Springfield in the B mod race and finished a close second to some of the top USRA drivers there. Clint will be the one to beat his second season, so he’s doing something right.”
The team is doing something right since NASCAR flew them to North Carolina, where they got to walk the red carpet, attend the national NASCAR banquet and visit the hall of fame as a result of their racing success.
Flying around a track at 95 to 100 mph is not without its risks, and safety is always a priority.
“I worry about him every time he races,” said Bo. “We’ve added three new fire extinguishers to the car: one in the fuel cell, one in the cockpit and one in the engine along with good harness systems. In one race, the kid driving in front of Clint flipped, and Clint drove right under the car as it flipped.”
Despite the inherent dangers in racing, Clint finds it relaxing.
“I enjoy the competition, and I enjoy being with Dad and the family. To me, it’s more relaxing, less stressful and much safer than the motocross racing.”
Bo summed up the racing spirit for he and Clint. “We love it; it’s lots of fun.”