Clayton Preps For Title Hunt After Gulf Coast Double

Jacob Clayton (Daniel Vining photo)

SMITH STATION, Ala. – Jacob Clayton is targeting a potential Pro Truck championship at Five Flags Speedway and rookie-of-the-year honors in his debut season in the class.

Clayton, 14, sits second in points entering the Sept. 21 season finale at the half-mile short track in Pensacola, Fla., 21 points behind leader and longtime Pro Truck veteran Treyce Capers.

Though it’s a bit of a long shot, Clayton goes into the last race still mathematically in contention for the title. If he can finish at least second in points, he’ll clinch track rookie-of-the-year honors for 2024.

“That in itself would a huge win for us,” said Clayton of, hopefully, clinching the top-rookie award. “It was the goal we set for ourselves going into the year and we’re really close to it. Having that chance, in spite of the crash we had in May that could have set us way further back, is something we’re really proud of.

“It says a lot that we’re in contention for the points in my rookie year, as well,” he added. “That’s something that I never would have expected just starting out in these Pro Trucks, especially with as competitive as all the drivers in this division are. It’s a privilege to race against them, and we’ll give it all we’ve got coming up while still racing clean along the way.”

Clayton’s title push comes off a recent Gulf South doubleheader, where he raced at Five Flags and Mobile Int’l Speedway – his home racetrack – in back-to-back days on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 23-24.

It marked his first race weekend since the end of May, due to repairs being conducted to his primary truck after a crash back on May 25 at Mobile.

The Pensacola event saw the teenager qualify fourth, trimming his point margin entering the night to just one point behind then runner-up in the standings Darryl Rudd, before starting the 25-lap main third.

He ran second for more than half the race, but radio and overheating issues led Clayton to drop back one position in an effort to further preserve his truck. He’d ultimately finish third behind Capers and Presley Johnson.

An outside-pole qualifying effort, combined with a two-inversion roll, put Clayton on the pole for the Saturday nightcap at Mobile. He built up a second-and-a-half lead before a lap-seven caution stacked the field up.

On the ensuing restart, Clayton was overhauled by the outside lane, falling back to fourth as he lost momentum briefly before later getting tagged from behind in turn four and spinning into the infield grass.

Additional contact with another truck later in the race caused Clayton’s right-front tire to blow out, forcing him to pit road for a tire change. He was able to resume, but ultimately finished 10th.

It was a rough ending to a very promising weekend, but Clayton wasn’t discouraged and feels confident about the speed he and his Grant Thompson Racing team are continuing to build.

“It’s easy to look at the results on paper and say Mobile was a bad race for us, but it doesn’t show how much speed we had and just that the circumstances didn’t go in our favor,” he noted. “We know we’re getting closer and closer and I feel like the first Pro Truck win for us is just around the corner.”

Clayton would like to thank Four Star Freightliner, TICO, American National Insurance, First Choice Painting, Grant Thompson Racing, Grant and John Thompson, Midwest Suspension Co., Race Face Brand Development, the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, Modern Images, JackArse Rentals, Swift Springs, Elite Performance Industries, and Miller-Leaman Water Filtration Solutions for their partnership and support of his racing efforts.

Hot laps begin at 4 p.m. CT for Five Flags’ Night of Champions Part I on Sept. 21 before racing kicks off at 8 p.m. CT.

About Jacob Clayton

Jacob Clayton is a 14-year-old, second-generation driver from Smith Station, Ala., who began his racing career in 2021 in quarter midgets and has competed full time at the grassroots level over the past three years. His accolades include 15 overall victories, multiple top-10 finishes in national points with the NASCAR Youth Series (formerly the USAC .25 Series), and time in three senior quarter midget classes.

For 2024, Clayton has made the move into full-bodied cars, running a Pro Truck for Grant Thompson Racing at Mobile Int’l Speedway in his home state, as well as at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., the home of the famed Snowball Derby super late model classic.

Off the track, Clayton is a staunch supporter of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation’s fight against pediatric cancer, as well as a soccer lover and avid iRacer as he continues to hone his various skill sets.

For more information on Jacob Clayton, visit his website at https://jacobclaytonracing.com/.