Young racer aims to drive for a cause
<p>Motocross and car racer Devin Clayton with his car on March 6, west of Kalispell. Clayton's next motorcross event is the Arena Cross tonight at the Majestic Valley Arena.</p>
Motocross and car racer Devin Clayton recently woke from a dream that gave him a new drive in life: to help families dealing with cancer.
The dream came after two people close to him experienced the devastating effects of cancer.
Last October a close family friend, 6-year-old Katelyn Roker, died from neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system.
“She was very inspirational,” Devin said. “She always had a smile on her face and lit up everyone’s world.”
Shortly after, his grandmother, Linda Clayton of Kalispell, was diagnosed with breast cancer. In December she had surgery to remove a tumor at Bass Breast Center in Kalispell. Last week she underwent her first round of radiation treatment.
“It just hit him really hard when I was diagnosed with cancer right after ‘KK’ [Katelyn] died,” Linda Clayton said.
The 16-year-old Glacier High School junior wanted to put his talents to use and donate his race winnings for two causes: The Katelyn Roker Foundation and the Bass Breast Center at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
He has the lofty goal of raising $50,000 from a combination of race winnings, fundraising and donations.
The motocross season already is under way; car races begin in May.
In auto racing, this is the first year Devin will enter the Super Stock Division and it will be his third year in the Legends Division. The difference between the divisions is horsepower and car body style. In Legends, car bodies are usually replicas of 1930s cars, while super stock cars have bigger bodies with a contemporary look.
Devin’s grandfather Tony Clayton is helping him building a super stock car. Tony was the person who encouraged Devin to race dirt bikes at a young age.
“My grandpa first threw my leg over a bike when I was five and I started racing when I was about seven on dirt bikes,” Devin said. “He’s been there beside me through everything. He’s the one I look up to.”
Tony said Devin was 11 when he introduced him to racing cars.
“He wanted to race a car so we purchased a bandolero for him. A bandolero is kind of a beginning racecar; it looks like a mini-NASCAR, car,” Tony said, adding that Devin was a Montana high points champion in the bandolero division in 2008 and 2009.
In 2008 he also ranked 65th out of 132 nationally. Also in 2009, Devin was bandolero division championship and was voted driver of the year at Montana Raceway Park.
In the Legends Division during the 2011 season, he placed second overall in three divisions and was semi-pro champion.
“He’s racing against guys 35 to 60 years old,” Tony said. “He’ll probably be the youngest one running the Super Stock.”
To raise money, Devin also looking for more sponsors to support his efforts.
Currently, his local sponsors are Shadow Enterprises/Line-X, Cellular One, First Interstate Bank, Commercial Machine Services and Heads Up Tobacco Accessories.
At 7 p.m. today, people may watch him in a motocross race at Majestic Valley Arena. Every weekend after, he can be found racing dirt bikes and cars until the seasons end in September.
To sponsor Devin or to make donations call 270-6463 or email ajclayton@centurylink.net.
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com