Indianapolis Motor Speedway, USAC pay tribute to Bryan Clauson

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The racing capital of the world just pushed the boundaries in motorsports.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway will hold a USAC race the Wednesday and Thursday of the Brickyard 400 this fall, Sept. 5-6. 

The cool thing is it will draw not just the great USAC drivers, but it’s going to draw people like Rick Stenhouse and Kyle Larson and there are other NASCAR drivers you are talking about. IndyCar drivers, many of them haven’t been in a midget in their lives are interested,” said IMS President Doug Boles. 

A quarter-mile dirt racetrack sits inside Turn 3 at the speedway and will play host to the first Driven2SaveLives BC39. The event will honor Bryan Clauson, a USAC champion and Indy 500 starter who lost his life in a USAC national midget race in 2016.

“He wanted to bridge that gap that had been created, which went short-track America and went this place. To see all of this come to fruition on the racing side of it is incredible,” said Tim Clauson, Bryan’s father. 

The dirt track will be the ultimate destination for USAC drivers come the week of the Brickyard. While they are going to be competing against each other for the checkered flag, each and every driver understands the legacy Bryan Clauson left behind on the sport. 

“Obviously everybody knows Bryan was one of the best when it comes to a race car driver, period. On the track speaks for itself, but I think off the track he really cared about everybody. He wanted people to do well. If he didn’t win, he was excited for people and his friends who won. That’s something that I’ve always struggled with and I think he really helped me with,” said NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

“Bryan loved the sport, Bryan loved the Speedway but he loved the fans more. Just being able to celebrate him at the first of the Speedway is pretty important,” Boles said.