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Since the mid-eighties, Clayton Enterprises(formerly Clayton Racing)
has traveled throughout the southeast racing at local dirt tracks.
Initially formed by Lewis Clayton(LC), we competed in the early seventies in the
"Sportsman" division. In 1985, we made a return to local racing, and had
great success in the "Bomber" division. Lewis won three track
championships before retiring from driving.
In 1988, his son(Wayne) started racing in the "Baby Bomber" division,
and had one feature win in his first year! Wayne had moderate
success in the next few years, but went on to win the 1991 Cherokee
Speedway Track Championship for his division. He the first annual
National 4-cylinder championship race in the Clayton Racing "LC" car.
In 1992, things took a turn for the worse.
On the weeked prior to the "National Championship", Wayne had a devistating crash, in which the car
flipped 17 times on the front stretch at Cherokee Speedway. Late
the next week, Ricky McGraw recruited him to drive in the "2nd annual
4 Cylinder National Championship" race. They went on to win that race!
Ricky's brother (Mitchell) also had a car, and Wayne continued
to drive their cars at Thunder Valley Speedway as well as Cherokee
for the remainder of the year.
The winter following the 1993 season was very interesting. Wayne
had entered an agreement with "Cotton" and "Woody" McAbee to drive their
cars in the 1994 season. The deal was very lucrative, and included
the sponsorship of McDonalds with the help of Bill Mason
Enterprises. Just before the season was to begin, the
deal fell through, but the McGraw family joined together to form one team,
and Wayne Clayton was named as driver. They went on to win 14 races
in a single season! Wayne finished the season, and went on to
race Cherokee Speedway in his own car, as well as those of Ricky and
Mitchell McGraw, Bobby "LeRoy" Caldwell, and others.
At the same time, Jackson Brothers Racing moved
into the "Stock 8" division at Cherokee Speedway and Harris Speedway. They had
several drivers over time, but after an terrible accident at Harris Speedway, they
were in need of new driver.
In 1996, Jackson Brothers Racing, Clayton Enterprises and Wayne
Clayton joined together to race the weekly schedule at Harris Speedway.
They had great success together, claiming three consecutive track
championships and over 50 feature wins!
The 2000 season was one of expansion. Clayton Enterprises fielded
entries for Ricki Lynn Clayton and Zachary Stokes on a limited schedule, but thus
continuing to build the team.
The 2001 season is one of change. Clayton
Enterprises now operates the race team entirely, and will compete on both dirt
and asphalt surfaces. Wayne Clayton is still the primary driver for the
team, but also takes an ownership role. The racing equipment consists
of:
1975 Malibu Classic (Charger Car)
- Number 98
1980 Malibu Classis (Stock 8) =
Number 99
1997 Oval Express (Stock Kart) - Number 21
1974 Pinto (Stock 4) -
Number 22
1977 Camaro (B-Limited) - Number 4
Look for the Clayton Enterprises team
at various tracks, including: Anderson Motor Speedway, Harris Speedway, Sugar Creek Speedway,
Greenville-Pickens Speedway, and possibly Cherokee Speedway.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE
1988- 5th place in Track Points Championship- Cherokee Speedway
1989- 4th place in Track Points Championship- I-85 Raceway
1991- Cherokee Speedway Track
Champion
1992- Inaugural National 4-cylinder Championship winner - Cherokee
Speedway
1993- 2nd annual National 4-cylinder Championship
winner - Cherokee Speedway
1994- 14 wins in a single
season - Cherokee Speedway
1996- 3rd place in Track Points Championship - Harris Speedway
1997- Harris Speedway Track
Points Champion - Won 16 races, with 12 seconds!
1998- Harris Speedway Track
Points Champion - Won 17 races
1999- Harris Speedway Track
Points Champion - Won 11
races
2000- 2nd Place in Track Points Championship - Harris
Speedway
2001-
Competed in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series with a limited schedule.
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