Schmidt pays tribute to "true racer" Bryan Clauson

Clauson, who died last night from injuries sustained in an accident at the Belleville Nationals midget race, scored his first USAC National Midget Series and USAC National Drivers titles in 2010. The latter championship earned him a scholarship to race in the oval races on the Indy Lights schedule in 2011, and it was Schmidt Peterson Motorsport that gave him the chance.

“First of all, let me say my heart breaks for them,” team owner Sam Schmidt told Motorsport.com. “And for Tim, Bryan’s father, it must be devastating. This was his whole life and, having kids myself, I can’t imagine what they’re all going through. We’re definitely thinking of them.

“As for running Bryan in Indy Lights, it was a pretty easy decision,” he continued. “For us, it was an opportunity to share that ride with Conor Daly who was splitting his season between Indy Lights and GP3 over in Europe.

"Bryan had dominated in sprint cars and midgets in a similar fashion to Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon, but I went to [Chip Ganassi Racing’s] Mike Hull and asked him for his opinion. He said ‘Bryan’s fantastic, one of the best I've ever seen.'

“When a driver has the stamp of approval from a guy like that, it’s a straightforward decision. So Bryan came in and did a good job for us on the ovals that year.”

Despite the Indy Lights cars being completely alien to Clauson, he finished fifth in the Freedom 100 at Indy, then fourth at Milwaukee and third at Iowa, where he also set fastest lap. Later in the season, he added a fifth place at Kentucky.

“As a part-timer, those were really strong results,” said Schmidt, “and that also gave Bryan at least a foundation in open-wheel car aerodynamics that he hadn’t needed to know in midgets and sprint cars. And I’m really pleased that helped him do the Indy 500 one-offs for three years.”

Schmidt recalled how Clauson’s technique evolved in the Indy Lights car, as the then-22-year-old learned to restrain the natural ebullience and car control seen to great effect on dirt ovals across the country.

“He definitely had a tendency to drive the car off the right-rear tire,” smiled Schmidt, “which was not a surprise given his background. So we learned to adjust accordingly and so did he."

Schmidt added: “It’s a shame that the Indy Racing League was originally formed to help guys like that. But when the evolution of the series – and then the merger – sent us toward multiple types of circuit, it wasn’t feasible for an oval-bred racer to get a full-time ride in IndyCar.

“He did a heck of a job at the Indy 500 in the opportunities he was given [2012, ’15 and ’16] and he definitely helped bring that fanbase back to the Speedway. I think he was tremendous this year – racing at Indy, leading a couple of laps and finishing, and then going off to Kokomo and winning there later that evening.

“It was great what Bryan was trying to do this season – take part in 200 races. That’s just amazing and it would have been an incredible story. But I think everyone would agree his career is still an incredible one.”

However much Schmidt admired Clauson’s talent, he also recalled him as a low-maintenance personality.

“Oh, Bryan was just terrific, a true racer, and completely straightforward,” said Schmidt. “He just wanted to put the helmet on and go. No pampering needed.

“He wasn’t one of those drivers who spends four days fiddling with the seat molding trying to get it just right. I mean, in three or four days, Bryan could have been busy doing four or five races, right?”