Before we even entered the front doors, I saw the "fingerprints" of the Clements family. There in the window was Buck Baker's 1957 Chevrolet, with the names of Jeremy's grandfather, Crawford Clements, and great uncle, Louis Clements, on the front fender.
Most fans are not aware of the role the Clements brothers played in the early days of NASCAR. I'll admit, until the off season when I began working on a story of the Clements' history in racing, I didn't even realize the extent of their contributions to the sport. The Clements brothers played an important part in making NASCAR what it is today, with their innovative "out of the box" thinking when working on an engine or chassis, helping to create cowl induction to reduce engine temperatures, and even minor things like introducing crew uniforms. During their careers they worked with some of the greats, including Rex White, Buck Baker, Junior Johnson, A.J. Foyt, Bud Moore, Cotton Owens, Bobby Issac and others. As I walked through many of the interactive displays, I could see the Clements' fingerprints on so many aspects of what makes the sport so great today.
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| Rex White |
I had the unexpected opportunity to meet and talk with 2015 Hall of Fame Inductee Rex White, who was there posing for pictures with his 1962 Chevy Impala.
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| Rex White and Louis Clements |
Louis Clements was business partners with Rex White in White and Clements Garage. Clements was also White's crew chief when he won the 1960 Championship. White has shared mutliple times over the years how he and Clements "were a force to be reckoned with." White also credits Clements with helping come up with the famous gold color scheme for the No. 4 Chevrolet, by mixing clear enamel and gold dust.
While our coversation was brief, White took the time to share with me that he believed one day the Clements brothers would be in the Hall of Fame as well, as Champion Crew Chiefs.
