© Steve Helbe/Imagn
While the Harley J. Earl trophy for winning the Daytona 500 is undeniably the most coveted prize in the NASCAR world, it’s not the most iconic. That honor belongs to the grandfather clock given to winners at Martinsville Speedway since 1964.
Unfortunately, those clocks could soon become a thing of the past after manufacturer Howard Miller announced that it would close its doors after nearly 100 years in business.
The company said it plans to continue production into the fourth quarter of the year and remain open into 2026 to sell its remaining inventory.
Ridgeway Clocks, a subsidiary of Howard Miller, is the original creator the clocks given to Martinsville winners. Howard Miller later purchased the company.
“The idea of presenting a clock as a trophy, versus the usual piece of gold or silver, was conceived of in 1964 by track founder Henry Clay Earles. The idea stuck,” Jordan Bondurant of the Roanoke Times explained of the trophy’s origin.
“‘[Earles] wanted to do something different than just a regular trophy,’ said Earles grandson, Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell. ‘It became synonymous to have those clocks, and here we are 50 years later. It’s a pretty amazing milestone, and it’s such a cherished and prized possession. We’ve never once thought about not giving it out as a trophy.'”
NASCAR commentator Mike Joy posted on X that he spoke with Campbell after the news broke. Campbell assured Joy that the track would pursue a replacement manufacturer.
“I’m sorry to see Howard Miller go away; we will find something just as good, I’m sure,” Campbell told Joy.
But NASCAR legend and former Martinsville winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn’t as convinced.
“Whomever makes the next version better make them exactly like the previous versions. Don’t get cute and f— this up,” he posted.
Safe to say, Martinsville Speedway would be wise to order all the grandfather clocks that it can before Howard Miller shuts down.