USAC Midget Champion has died

Bryan Clauson, has died from injuries he received on Sunday, 8-7-16 in a USAC championship midget race at Bellville Speedway in Bellville, Kansas. Although Bryan is not a historical driver, and was only 27 years old, he has followed in the paths of A.J. Foyt, Gary Bettenhausen, and Tony Stewart as well as many other USAC drivers of note. Bryan was a 4 time USAC Midget Champion and was on his way to a 5th when he was killed. Bryan had 112 USAC victories and started 3 Indianapolis 500's. Bryan started racing with the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association here in Wisconsin. Many of my friends raced with Bryan here in Wisconsin.

Most all the drivers featured in the HSO Mod, 1973 USAC Championship Season, drove Midgets & Sprint cars before making it to the Indianapolis 500.

A true Champion Gone.

Bryan was more than a Midget racer, though most of his success was there. As you said he was a 4 Time USAC Midget champion, he was also a 2 time USAC Sprint Car champion, as well as the only driver to win the reborn USAC National Drivers Championship in 2010, 11, and 12, before USAC shelved it.

Bryan was only 27 but was already in the single digit's of the USAC record books. Most importantly, he was 5th on the USAC All-Time wins list with 116 career wins. The 4 guys ahead of him on that list, plain and simple were THE best ever in USAC, Mel Kenyon 131, Sleepy Tripp 161, AJ Foyt 162, and Rich Vogler 171.

Again, Bryan was only 27, more importantly he was AVERAGING 20 USAC wins PER SEASON. He would've based Kenyon early in 2017, and had he kept up with his average he would've become USAC's All Time Win Leader in about 2 and a half years, when he would've been 29-30.

Bryan was a RACER, and he embodied every bit of the word. He raced on Dirt, pavement, with and without wings, he made 3 starts in the Indy 500, he ran some NASCAR races. But he was most at home way up on the cushion, leaning on the right rear, dirt flying...You will be missed and you most certainly will never be forgotten.....Godspeed Bryan.

Sad to hear that people still lose lives with our beloved sport but as Carroll Smith used to say, the price to pay for man in motion is that.