At age 54, Gene Claxton remains a colossal figure on area racetracks. He has won more than 300 races and shows no signs of slowing down. In 2006, he was on pace to take Lakeside Speedway's NASCAR Grand National championship for an amazing third year in a row. The versatile Claxton is one of just seven drivers to have won in more than one class since Lakeside went to dirt in 2000, according to Kansas City racing historian Bob Libbey. Claxton also won at Lakeside back when it was an asphalt surface. A mechanic at a concrete company by day, Claxton is a weekend warrior. He races at Lakeside on Friday nights, and on Saturdays he's often taking checkered flags at Linn County Speedway -- aka Tornado Alley -- in Pleasanton, Kansas.
