Jim Clarke

Some racers are made. Others? They’re born with gasoline in their veins and a throttle in their hand. Jim Clarke falls squarely in the latter category. The son of legendary Harley-Davidson® mechanic and champion flat track racer, Jimmy Clarke, Jim was raised in the world of high-octane competition. His father’s machines were ridden by some of the greatest in the game, including Jay Springsteen, who tore up the track on a Clarke-tuned bike as a Junior and Rookie Expert, finishing as Rookie of the Year and National #3 in 1975—right behind icons Gary Scott and Kenny Roberts.

Jim’s own racing career launched at the age of 11 in 1976 on the flat tracks of Michigan. For over a decade, he carved his name into the dirt—until back-to-back season-ending concussions in 1987 brought that chapter to a halt. But a true racer never quits. Instead, Jim shifted gears to the drag strip, lighting up Milan Dragway, Detroit Dragway, and US 131 in street cars before diving into NHRA and IHRA competition with his Jerry Bickel Dodge Daytona chassis car. Over the next 12 years, he battled it out in ET, Q16, Super Gas, Super Comp, and Top Sportsman classes, stacking up experience and wins along the way.

Then, in the summer of 2019, the spark reignited—this time on two wheels. Jim’s son, Sean, had the idea to put their 1,000-lb. baggers to the test at Milan Dragway’s bike night. The result? Jim and Sean both tore through the competition, each making it to the to the quarterfinals and semifinals. The father-son duo hit their stride, rolling into the winners’ circle at local races. By 2020, Barn Built Baggers Racing was born, bringing together Jim, Sean, Jesse Sweeney, and Jeff Schwanke to take on the national stage.

Jim’s first full AMRA season in 2021 saw him finishing #2 nationally in the heads-up Street Dresser class. After a year of sharpening their ET game locally, 2023 started with a simple plan—until a runner-up finish at the AMRA Ohio Nationals and a huge win by teammate Austin Hughes at the Indy Nitro Nationals changed everything. The chase was on. Jim battled all season, pushing his Eliminator and Street Eliminator rides to the limit, ultimately finishing third in the national standings.

But 2024? That was his year. Jim dominated at the Michigan Nationals, went deep in eliminations at Norwalk and Bowling Green, and when the dust settled, he stood atop the AMRA Eliminator National Championship. Adding to the dream season, he locked down the TuSlick Motorcycle Series Track Championship at Lapeer International Dragway—proof that when the light turns green, Jim Clarke is a force to be reckoned with.

Racing might be in Jim’s blood, but family is his heart. When he’s not lighting up the strip, he’s spending time with his grandchildren—Paisleigh, Kolton, and Axel—or touring the country on two wheels. A lifelong mentor, Jim has also given back as a Cub Scout Cubmaster and Boy Scout leader, shaping the next generation with the same values of dedication, hard work, and passion that fuel his own journey.

Barn Built Baggers Racing keeps pushing forward with the support of Gen3 Performance Cycles, Steve Hyde Trucking, Foster Blue Water Oil (VP), and CJ’s Cycles and Marine (Jason Broski), alongside associate sponsors Ray C’s Harley-Davidson® and Detroit Battery Company.

From flat track to drag racing, from asphalt to open roads, Jim Clarke proves that speed is in the soul—and he’s nowhere near slowing down.