The ownership group of Mike Harmon Racing will now be a triumvirate. In addition to their eponymous owner, Gary Keller and Michael Clayton Sr.‘s arrivals as partners have prompted the team to change their name to CHK Racing for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
Harmon, as an owner/driver for over two decades, will oversee day-to-day operations. Keller and Clayton, who own disaster relief companies Disaster Services of Environmental Specialist, LLC, and ServiceMaster by Disaster Relief, will work on the business and marketing sides. Clayton has also
Keller formerly ran Gary Keller Racing, which competed in ARCA, the Xfinity, and Craftsman Truck Series in the early 2000s. From 2012 through 2022, he was a partner in fellow Xfinity team JD Motorsports, dubbing them “JD Motorsports with Gary Keller”. He joined Harmon in November which tentatively created the full name “Mike Harmon Racing with Gary Keller”.
“Gary and Mike coming on board is a blessing to MHR which will be known now as CHK Racing,” said Harmon. “I’m very happy that Gary and Mike believe in us and sees the passion and the hard work that we put into our racing. It’s the shot in the arm we need here at CHK Racing. Gary is a can do, get it done type of guy with a great vision and sense for business. Mike feels blessed to be part of CHK Racing for many years to come.”
The team will field the #74 on a full-time basis in 2023, returning to the number after attempting much of the 2022 calendar with the #47. MHR struggled that year as the #47 failed to qualify for eighteen of thirty attempts with multiple drivers; of the races the car made, Gray Gaulding scored its best finish of twenty-first at Talladega. The entry finished forty-third in owner points. The #74 only entered the 2022 season opener at Daytona with Tim Viens but missed the show.
