Bryan Clauson, considered the top dirt-track driver in the country, died Sunday from injuries suffered in a crash in Kansas. He was 27.
His death was announced Monday morning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A statement from his family said Clauson "fought to the end."
"This is truly one of the darkest days in the [60-year] history of the United States Auto Club," USAC president and CEO Kevin Miller said in a news release. "Not only have we lost one of our greatest USAC champions, we've lost a true ambassador for all motorsports. Bryan's passion for our sport was unparalleled."
Clauson was leading Saturday's Belleville (Kan.) Midget Nationals USAC midget race — which Miller called "one of the most prestigious races on our challenging schedule" — when he crashed passing lapped traffic, according to the Associated Press. His car rolled and was hit by another competitor. He was airlifted to a hospital in Nebraska, and died surrounded by his family.
Clauson was born in Carmichael, Calif., and lived in Antelope, Calif., until his father, Tim, moved the family to Indiana when Bryan was in the fifth grade. Tim Clauson was an accomplished race car driver and made the move to pursue his own racing career.
Bryan Clauson was on pace to compete in 200 races this year. He had 27 victories in 116 starts, and led three laps in the Indianapolis 500 in May, just hours before winning a sprint car race in nearby Kokomo in what he called an "Indiana Double."
In a 2011 interview, Clauson told the Sacramento Bee he enjoyed switching from dirt in one race to asphalt in another. Winged sprinters or not, if it's open-wheel racing on a tight track, Clauson said he wanted to be there mixing it up with the best.
"Both types of racing are so fun," Clauson said. "It's totally different styles, though. On the dirt, it's more seat-of-your-pants, and you just go for it."
