Not sure what kind of clear you're using, and maybe too late at this point...but for benefit of others...rather than sanding between clearcoats can't you just re-apply extra coats before full cure, if still within the chemical bonding time? Most clears and paint systems have an allowable window for re-application. Random example "re-apply second coat within 1 hour, or sand and reapply after 24 hours."

Usually you can eliminate the need to sand between coats (with the obvious exception of dealing with runs/dirt/fisheyes) if you just re-coat sometime after it firms up to avoid runs, but before full cure has occured, and the chemical curing process is still taking place and can therefore bite into the second coat.

And many modern paint systems allow full wet application also, so you can immediately spray clear right on top of wet base, etc.

This concept varies widely by paint system and brand of clear, so you'd need to read the application instructions carefully. It often is a good alternative though that saves a lot of sanding time and problems as you describe.

Looks like a good looking wheel! Nice work! Mine is a mess...may do this someday. My plastic is pulled WAY away from the hub...like a solid 1/4" to 1/2" gap between steel hub and plastic. And extremely uneven...these are not just cracks I can widen and fill...Looks to me like I will have to build up one side of the crack at least 1/4" thicker just to meet the level of the other side of the crack! Was yours that far off? If yes, are you guys just filling this gap and building it way up with a huge amount of epoxy material?

To me, mine (black deluxe) looks a WHOLE lot worse than what it seems you guys are starting with. Mine's definitely much worse than that red one that shows the process from start to end in the link above. I should post pics...hard to describe I guess.