Race car eulogy

Laps salute local driver who died in one-car accident

Advertisement

Memorial Day weekend is typically a time to remember and honor the troops that support our country, but this year, drivers, fans and family of the late Spencer Clark paid tribute to the 19-year-old North Las Vegas resident who was killed along with a teammate in a car accident outside of Albuquerque, N.M., on May 21.

Clark and Allegiant Air Race Team member Andrew Phillips, 28, were returning from Charlotte, N.C., in a truck pulling a trailer containing a new car Clark's family purchased for him, when the trailer started to fishtail in high crosswinds before rolling over, according to a New Mexico state police report.

Clark was scheduled to race the new car for the first time on May 28 at Irwindale Raceway in Southern California.

Feeling the best way to honor her brother would be to race the No. 23 Legends Car, Candice Clark, Spencer's 16-year-old sister, who in the past had raced in the Legends Car series against her brother, decided to enter the No. 23 Grand National West car in the Legends Super Semi-Pro Race at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on May 27.

"I know this is what Spencer would want me to do," Candice said. "He was my hero, my champion. I always enjoyed following him around the track and learning from him. This is what he would want."

Candice finished in 14th place in the race, which was shortened from 25 to 23 laps by the LVMS in honor of Spencer's car number.

"I'm so proud of her," said mother Debbie Clark. "She knows that this race put a smile on Spencer's face."

In the opening ceremonies before the start of the NASCAR Weekly Series show, Spencer's father, T.J. -- a driver who has won numerous events in the Mickey Thompson off-road series and fielded a truck for four years in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series -- drove Spencer's No. 23 Grand National West car on the 3/8-mile, paved, oval track, while sister Candice drove his No. 23 Legends Car in front of family, friends and fellow drivers in a tribute to the late star.

Fellow Bullring driver and friend Jace Meier said the evening was one that those in attendance will never forget.

"I truly felt honored to be a part of the memorial for Spencer," Meier said. "It gave me chills to watch Candice and T.J. drive Spencer's cars one last time. I don't think there was a dry eye at the track that night. It was a somber moment for everyone, but brought closure to a tragic situation. Spencer was definitely looking down on us as his dad did donuts down that back straight."

At Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, Calif., Spencer Clark also was honored before the King Taco 200 NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West series race, where he was scheduled to race his new car for the first time. In opening ceremonies there, drivers performed a missing-man formation while a solo No. 23 was illuminated on the scoreboard.

Also on May 28, several drivers took time to remember Clark, including NASCAR Craftsman Truck series driver Ron Hornaday after his win at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway in Mansfield, Ohio; and NASCAR Busch Series driver Kyle Busch before his race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.

Clark was quickly turning into one of the top young drivers at the Bullring as he won 12 NASCAR Super Late Model championship races in his four years racing there, including eight last year.

He began competing in go-kart in 1997 -- where his father won a National Karting Championship -- and made some big noise in the racing scene in 2001 when he was a national semi-pro champion, a semi-pro Legends Car champion at the Bullring, an INEX Race of Champions winner, and the Young Lions National and Nevada champion after winning 28 times in 31 races.

In 2002, Clark tested for two Indy car teams, and in 2003, at the age of 16, he was named the Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series in the Super Late Model class after winning two races and six Pole awards and finishing fourth in points.

Clark also had four starts in the Mechanix Wear Speed Truck Series that year, where he captured an impressive three Pole awards.

He had another strong year in 2004, when he finished seventh out of 108 contenders in the Red Bull Driver Search, had three wins and four Pole awards in the ASA Speed Truck Series competition, and finished fifth in points with two wins and six Pole awards at the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Racing Series in the Super Late Model class at the Bullring at LVMS.

Last year, Clark made his NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZoneWest Series debut, running five races and snagging two top-five finishes.

He also had three starts with two top-five finishes in the ASA Speed Truck Series that year and won nine poles and had eight wins in the Super Late Model class, where he ended up third in points.

Clark made his NASCAR Busch debut on March 11 at the Sam's Town 300 at LVMS, where he finished 35th against the top-level competition in the race.

Making the day even more memorable was the fact that he got to race at the super speedway -- where the Bullring is just outside of turn two -- in front of the same friends and family that supported him from the beginning of his auto racing career.

In his eight total career races in the West Series, Clark had three top-five finishes and won the Bud Pole award in January at the United Rentals 125 NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Meier said he believed the tragedy ended up making a very tight-knit group of racers even closer.

"Although we often argue about trivial things ... when we all took a step back and realized that Spencer was gone, it helped us to realize what's truly important in life," the Spring Valley High School student said. "Spencer was going places in racing and the local community was behind him and supporting him. We will all really miss him a lot.

"Spencer's dad said it best at the funeral. Spencer wasn't just chasing a dream, but rather living a passion. Although Spencer is no longer with us in person, every time I strap into a race car, I know he's right there with me. And I say that on behalf of most of the drivers at the Bullring. We all know that he is still racing with us, but now, instead of us trying to keep up with him, he's looking over our shoulder protecting us."

A memorial fund in honor of Spencer Clark has been established. Donations may be sent to the Spencer Clark Memorial Fund, 1930 Village Circle Center, No. 3-976, Las Vegas, NV 89134.