11/03/2025
We were back at Buttonwillow Raceway Park last weekend for the SCCA Cal Club SM Championship penultimate round. Weather in Buttonwillow was pleasant in the low to mid '80s and calm condition.
Clement was driving the black SM #89 on The Classic track config #25 clockwise direction. He qualified in P4 on Saturday and P3 on Sunday.
For Saturday's race, Clement had a good start and kept pace with the leaders. After a few laps, he barged his way past Evan at the Esses into P2. He tried to get Nate in P1 to break away from the pack but was not happening. Clement made his move into P1 as Cooper in P4 began attacking. That gave Clements an opening to break away as both Nate and Evan in P2 and P3 were literally defending left and right from Cooper and P4. Clement put his head down and with a clear track in front, he was able to run the fast line to separate from the pack.
A scare came in the closing stage of the race when Clement caught up to a back marker at the worst place on the track at the Cotton Corners. He was stuck behind him for several seconds that felt like an eternity and you could see the pursuing pack closed rapidly. Fortunately the labs ran out and Clement was able to take the checkered in 1st followed by Evan in 2nd and Nate in 3rd.
Sunday race started similarly as Saturday with both Evan and Nate on the front row trying to hook up and break away. Clement was able to tag along right behind them. He knew he had to separate Nate from Evan so they could not break away. The 3 were racing into Star Mazda with both Clement and Nate exciting side by side with Clement slightly ahead. They were scraping door handles and mirrors going through the Esses, with Clement emerging ahead and both Nate and Evan in tow. The battle was on early.
This time, Clement was not able to get away as easily and was pushing hard every lap and crept closer and closer to the edge. Finally, it was too much as he dropped a couple wheels around the outside of Riverside. That was a high speed off. While there was no apparent damage, his car had enough and declined to restart and sat in the dirt until the end of the race.
Meanwhile, Nate, Evan and Cooper were having a magnificent battle of their own all their way to the finish line with Nate taking the win, Cooper in 2nd and Evan in 3rd.
We shall return to Buttonwillow in a few weeks time for the final round of the 2025 SCCA CalClub SM Championship