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Morgantown’s Clay shining on former NASCAR star’s TQ midget racing series
Cory Clay has been around racing his entire life, but after starting to race TQ midget cars in 2019, his career has taken off. (Photo: Mali Vermeulen)

Morgantown’s Clay shining on former NASCAR star’s TQ midget racing series

MORGANTOWN, Ind. (BVM) — Cory Clay grew up around the race track, going every weekend with his family growing up. Now, Clay is making a name for himself on the track by racing three quarter (TQ) midget cars, and the success he is already having has been special.

Clay began officially racing competitively at age 13, when he raced BMX bikes at a local track. From there, the 23-year-old began racing go-karts. He eventually moved up to racing mini sprints, and now competes in TQ midget cars. 

Like a lot of athletes, Clay grew up in the sport he has come to love. His father was always around the race track as not only an avid fan, but also an occasional racer and crew member.

“We were just always at the race track, week in and week out,” Clay said. “It’s just something that gets in your blood and it’s hard to get it out. I was that little kid who was all about racing and any time someone asked me what I wanted to do, I told them that I wanted to be a race car driver. As I started getting older, I still had an interest in racing and was like, ‘man this really looks like a lot of fun and I really want to do this.’”

So, Clay decided to begin his racing career with BMX bikes. He soon won a few competitions on his bike, but was looking for something else to race. As he got older, and began making money working, Clay decided to buy a go-kart. 

He enjoyed racing go-karts more than the bikes, but would only run a few races over the course of a couple years. However, in his first-ever go-kart race, Clay took home a win, realizing he indeed had some racing talent.

Soon after, Clay and his brother, Brandon, decided to put their money together to invest in a mini-sprint car. During the first few years racing mini sprints, the brothers ran a limited schedule. 

But in 2018, Cory began running a full-time schedule and found greater success, winning several races. 

“On June 2, 2018 in Brownstown, Ind., I got my first win in the mini sprints,” Cory said. “My whole family was there when it happened and that feeling when you get your first win after working on it for three-and-a-half years was fantastic and a feeling that I will never forget.”

However, he and his brother had to eventually retire the car, as it was deemed dangerous to drive due to some safety issues.

While it might have seemed like a tough decision at the time, what has come from retiring that car may very well have been a blessing in disguise. After his time with mini sprints, Cory got a call from Kevin Brown, asking if he would be interested in driving a TQ midget car. In late 2018, Cory entered into his first race ever in the series, finishing fourth.

Clearly displaying potential, Cory was signed on to become a full-time driver in the UMRA King of TQ Midget Racing Series in 2019. 

Cory describes a midget car as a small-sized, open-wheel race car which is similar to a sprint car, but just a little bit smaller. Racing in these cars often puts a greater emphasis on skill, as mistakes can often be more exemplified. A three-quarter midget car is essentially the same as a standard midget car, but just a smaller size. 

Early in 2019, Cory picked up where he had left off the prior year, winning his first TQ midget race. 

“The first win was pretty sweet,” Cory said. “It was a great feeling and accomplishment and it gave me the feeling that I could win in different types of race cars.”

But that would just be the beginning. Cory would go on to win several more races throughout the year, and by the time all was said and done, the 23-year-old ended up winning the UMRA King of the TQ Midget Racing Series championship. 

Cory Clay won the UMRA King of the TQ Midget Racing Series championship in 2019, and learned he had become a repeat champion in 2020 after getting a call from racing legend Tony Stewart. (Photo: Mali Vermeulen)

“I was super proud of myself following the championship in 2019,” Cory said. “At the beginning of the year, I didn’t really have much experience in a TQ midget, so I didn’t really know what to expect. It took me five or six races to get comfortable but once I did it helped my confidence.”

After the terrific 2019 season, Cory continued his dominance into 2020. During the offseason, the series Cory races in was actually taken over by former NASCAR star and Indiana native, Tony Stewart, who rebranded the series to the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets.

Despite the change and also some of the schedule adjustments caused by COVID-19 — including having the season essentially reduced in half — Cory did not miss a beat.

Part of that was thanks to the work Cory does with iRacing, which he did a lot during his time off from the series due to the pandemic.

“I ran a few leagues on iRacing and just spent a lot of time on there,” Cory said. “It’s crazy how realistic it is and it’s about as close as you can get to doing the real thing. It’s more than just a video game, by far.”

The 23-year-old also began racing a new car in the 2020 season, which would take a bit of time to figure out. But Cory and his team would go on to improve throughout the year, leading to another series championship for the Indiana driver.

Of course, Cory was very proud of winning the series in back-to-back years. However, it was the way he found out that he won again this season which was truly the most special moment for the racer.

“Tony Stewart called me and wanted to be the first person to tell me that I won the 2020 championship,” Cory explained. “Getting the call from him and having him inform me of that was just unbelievable. I’m very fortunate to have the opportunities that I do and I’ll be honest, I was more excited about Tony Stewart calling my personal cell phone number than I was about winning the championship because not everybody gets that opportunity.”

This fall, Cory actually got a chance to race against Stewart first-hand at Bartholomew County Fairgrounds in Columbus, Ind. It was a great experience for Cory, who noticed Stewart was driving a different path than everyone else midway through the main event.

Cory began the race in fourth, but quickly moved up to second. After a caution, he decided to run the same line that he noticed Stewart had been throughout the race. Gaining on the leader, the 23-year-old finally took over first, with Stewart right behind him in second. Cory would lead the rest of the race, holding off the racing legend who was on his heels for the final few laps.

“That night, the car felt like a rocketship,” Cory said. “To be able to lead the whole last half of that race and be able to win with someone like him [Stewart] finishing second is just something to be proud of. He actually walked up to me after the race and said, ‘That’ll be the last time I ever teach you how to do something,’ with a grin on his face.”

The Morgantown, Ind. native has quickly emerged as one of the best TQ midget drivers in the state. Part of that is due to the preparation he puts into each race, and the mindset he has while out on the track.

“When I wake up for race day, I kind of get into a mindset until the checkered flag flies that evening,” Cory said. “I try to be the best that I can be and I have high expectations for myself. When I finish second or third, even though that’s pretty good, I personally feel like I’m not satisfied with that. Knowing you did your best when the day is over is a good feeling.”

Part of Cory’s success has also come from being able to work with his brother, Brandon, who is his lead mechanic. In racing, success often goes beyond the driver, and Brandon’s knowledge of the car Cory races, and his racing style often proves beneficial for the pair.

“He’s the kind of guy who can watch the car on the track and know the kind of adjustments we need to make as soon as it comes off the track,” Cory said. “We’ve raced together for so long that he knows my driving style and knows what I like as a driver. When he’s at the race track with me, I always feel more comfortable and always seem to do a little bit better.”

Cory has actually followed the same path as his brother, and is currently a mechanical engineering technology student at Purdue Polytechnic, seeking a bachelor’s degree. He also works full-time as a machine shop supervisor for MYR Group. The star driver credits both for helping him gain experience while allowing him to apply what he is learning to his racing career.

The back-to-back series champion plans to return to the All Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets series next season, looking for a three-peat. He would not be opposed to moving up to driving a full-sized midget or sprint car in the future as well. Long-term, Cory hopes to continue racing every weekend, but would be happy to be able to make racing his full-time career.

Ultimately, a lot of the success Cory has had can be attributed to his love and passion for racing. Growing up around the sport started that passion, and the success he has had has only added fuel to the fire. But in the end, it’s the simple things about racing that the driver loves most, and holding on to those values is what will continue to make him successful in the future. 

“You make a lot of friends being at the race track, and I love that,” Cory said. “I love the competition and the adrenaline rush that it gives you on the race track. Not knowing what is going to happen next is an incredible feeling that you can’t explain.”