Elyjah Clay has been racing junior dragsters for five years at Keystone Motorsports Park in New Alexandria, Pa. What’s unique about that is the fact that Elyjah is only 11 years old.
In August, he won the last two points races of the season to win the 2026 NHRA 6-12-year-old Junior Dragster Championship. Elyjah is a third-generation racer following in the footsteps of his grandfather Rick Clay, Sr. of Crucible PA and his father Rick Clay, Jr. of Rices Landing.
Elyjah joined his father as the second circuit champion in the house. Rick, Jr. won the 2019 Top- Class Championship at Keystone.
According to Rick, Jr., “Although championships are great, we have also created tons of memories along the way, including April 27, 2025, when we both won our classes on the same day.”
He continued, “Elyjah has pretty much been raised at the track and has wanted to be a racer since he has been old enough to talk. I started grooming him as a driver at the age of five with a two-seater go cart. He finally got his chance back in 2022 at age seven when we were able to convince Mom (Jennifer Clay) to let us buy his first race car.”
However, the sport is expensive, and money was an issue. Elyjah’s sisters Aleyah and Rikki knew this was their brother’s dream, so they agreed to invest in him and took money out of their savings to help him purchase a car. As investors they get a portion of the prize money from each race he wins.
This past season, Compliance Services from Carmichaels came on as a sponsor to help cover expenses.
Elyjah’s first dragster ran 11.90’s at 55 MPH in the eighth-mile. He has since moved up to get his 8.90 license driving his new car, he named Speed Demon. He’s now running 8.90’s at 73 MPH.
Elyjah has nine wins and several runners-up finishes already in his short career, including two runners ups at the 2023 and 2026 Jr Dragster 660 Nationals. Those contests were big money races with kids from six to seventeen years old. He has placed in the top five in points every year he has competed.
Although most of the competitions have been at Keystone Motorsports Park, the family sometimes travels out of town for bigger races. Rick, Jr. adds with a smile, “Elyjah’s long-term goal is to take over my car and force me into an early retirement.”
Rick Clay, Jr. in the winner’s circle with his family after he won the championship. Also pictured are Elyjah, Jennifer, Rikki, and Aleyah Clay
