John Clawson, 32, who resides on 20 Mile Road in rural Pickford, is an accomplished person as a mechanic and race driver who built his own cars. He was born in Battle Creek, lived in Alaska for nine years, and then he and his family moved to Pickford approximately 23 years ago.

Mr. Clawson has worked for the quarry for nine years, starting out as a millwright. Now he is a mechanic maintaining everything from a pickup truck to the huge rock hauling trucks.

Mr. Clawson has been racing at the International Speedway Race Park for five years, starting out with a four-cylinder Honda, and took Championship Driver in that class in 2004; he then drove in the Pure Stock class for two years, and took the Championship in 2007. He built both cars from scratch.

This year, he is driving a Late Model Stock car #35 after he purchased the chassis and built it to race in the final part of 2007.

Mr. Clawson is truly gifted when it comes to the mechanics and upkeep of his race cars, as well as his capability to maintain the engines at his job.

Scott Rutledge, Marty Jacobson, and Cory Nye, all of Pickford, are alternately driving his four-cylinder car this year. Mr. Clawson sold his Pure Stock car to Indian River resident Jim Dubois.

John Clawson with his late model car #35, wearing the "JCR" shirt, representing John Clawson Racing. Mr. Dubois races here in Kinross, as well as at the Elmira track. Mr. Dubois is a lineman and has been sent south to repair power lines from the devastation by the many storms, so Mr. Clawson is driving his old car Saturday nights at Elmira also, where he has won the feature at least once. Although he enjoys doing this, he likes driving the late model car the most.

This year he has won the fourcar dash, the heat, and came in second in the feature. He has also driven the #69 pure stock car for a friend, Josh Matlin, from Canada, who was injured last winter.

Most of the drivers use the "Gas Man," Denny Lightfoot from Sault Ste. Marie, Mr. Clawson said, to get 110 octane gas to fuel the race cars.

Mr. Clawson, who is single, loves racing and spends most of his free time doing something pertaining to that sport. He also enjoys taking some time to play Monopoly with a friend.