Bryan Clauson
A dirt-track purist who chased 200 races a year, embodying the grassroots soul of American open-wheel racing.
1989–2016 (age 27)·American racing driver·Birthday: June 15·Millennials
Biography
Bryan Clauson lived his life at full throttle, not on the glossy ovals of IndyCar but on the gritty, bullring dirt tracks that form the backbone of American motorsport. From his teens, he was a prodigy in USAC's Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown cars, winning championships and cultivating a throwback ethos. While he made celebrated forays into NASCAR and the Indianapolis 500—qualifying three times—his heart remained with the short-track community, where he was a beloved ambassador. Clauson pursued a breathtaking schedule, famously launching a 2016 campaign to compete in 200 races, a quest that celebrated the sport's raw, nomadic spirit. His driving style was aggressive yet precise, and his success came from an almost symbiotic connection with the loose, sliding dirt surfaces he loved. His tragic death in a midget car crash in 2016 sent shockwaves through the racing world, cutting short a life dedicated to the purest form of his craft. In response, his family and friends established 'Chasing 200' charities, turning his personal goal into a lasting legacy that supports the next generation of grassroots racers.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Bryan was born in 1989, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bryan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Bryan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2007Could vote
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Turned 21
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2016Died at 27
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
Key Achievements
- Won the USAC National Drivers Championship three times (2010, 2011, 2013).
- Captured the prestigious Turkey Night Grand Prix midget race twice (2010, 2014).
- Qualified for the Indianapolis 500 three times (2012, 2015, 2016), with a best finish of 23rd.
- Won a record 46 USAC-sanctioned feature races during the 2014 season.
- Named the 2013 and 2014 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Driver of the Year.
Did You Know?
He was a development driver for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2008.
In 2016, he embarked on the 'Chasing 200' tour, an attempt to compete in 200 races in a single year.
Clauson won the 2014 Chili Bowl Nationals, one of midget racing's most coveted trophies.
He designed his own helmet paint scheme, which featured a large 'BC' and was widely recognized in the dirt racing community.
Posthumously, he was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2017.
“My office is a dirt track, and my suit is a firesuit.”
