Earlier this year, the famous Martinsville grandfather clock maker, Howard Miller, was set to close, and with it, one of NASCAR's most iconic traditions. However, after a year since the shutdown, the company has been given a new life as a group of investors has pitched in to revive it.

The story of its shutdown goes back to July 2025, when the Martinsville clockmaker Howard Miller’s grandson, President and CEO Howard J. Miller, revealed that the business was "unsustainable" to carry on due to the high amounts of tariffs. This had put the tradition of NASCAR's Martinsville clock in jeopardy. 

However, earlier this week, a report by MLive stated that the company has been acquired by a group of investors based in West Michigan. The investors consist of J.C. Huizenga, founder and chair of Kentwood-based investment firm Huizenga Group, Bill McKendry, founder of Ada-based advertising firm BrandHaven, and Phil Poel, EVP of global supply chain for Traeger Grills. 

While talking to the media, J.C. Huizenga said, "Howard Miller is a rare kind of brand — one with deep cultural roots and a legacy of craftsmanship that still resonates today. This investment is as much emotional as it is strategic. We see an opportunity to not just preserve what Howard Miller has been, but to reintroduce what it can be for the next generation."

However, this adds a twist to its NASCAR connection, as Martinsville found a new partner for the trophy in Hermle Clocks North America after Howard Miller's exit due to financial issues. The announcement came in a few months after the 100-year-old clockmaker announced its closure.

Now the question remains if NASCAR will switch back to its original Martinsville clockmaker. 

Which drivers own Martinsville's iconic clock trophy

The grandfather clock has to be one of the most iconic trophies in NASCAR, besides many others, such as the Texas Boot trophy, the Kentucky trophy with the horse head, and Talladega's Vulcan trophy.

The clock-as-trophy tradition began in 1964 at Martinsville, and Richard Petty has the most amount of clock trophies owned, with 12. 

Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell once joked, saying, "And it’s always been kind of a standing joke through all of the clocks he (Petty) has in all the various rooms of his house, that it must be pretty noisy over there every 15 minutes." 

Following Petty closely is Darrell Waltrip with 11 trophies to his name. As for the current drivers on the grid, Denny Hamlin leads with six grandfather clocks. His most recent addition came after his win in 2025, where he ended a 31-race winless streak. 

It has become a trophy that many NASCAR drivers have come to cherish over the years, and the most recent recipient is Chase Elliott, who took his first win of 2026 at the short oval.

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Yask Kotak