Scott Everts Brayton (February 20, 1959 – May 17, 1996) was an American race car driver on the American open-wheel circuit. He competed in 14 Indianapolis 500s, beginning with the 1981 event. Brayton was killed in practice after qualifying for the pole position for the 1996 race.
During the mid-1980s, Brayton helped introduce the Buick stock-block V-6 engine to Indianapolis. His father's firm, Brayton Engineering, was a major developer of the race engine. In 1985, he qualified 2nd and set the one-lap Indianapolis Motor Speedway track record in the process. He dropped out early and finished 30th when the engine expired. He would not finish the race again until 1989, when he scored his best finish at the Speedway, 6th place but seven laps down. He would equal this finishing position in 1993, driving a Lola-Cosworth for Dick Simon Racing.
When Buick pulled out of IndyCar racing in 1993, John Menard Jr. continued developing the engine, now badged as the Menard V-6. Brayton, now without a regular ride in the CART IndyCar series, joined the Indy-only Menards team in 1994. Their belief in the powerplant paid off when Brayton won his first Indy 500 pole position in 1995, at an average speed of 231.604 mph (372.731 km/h). Turbocharger boost and pop-off valve problems relegated him to a 17th-place finish.
Brayton was prepared to make his NASCAR debut at the 1995 Brickyard 400. However, he crashed his car during a private test session, and suffered a broken ankle and a concussion.[1]
In 1996, Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George established the Indy Racing League, and Team Menard signed up to compete in their first full season of IndyCar racing. Because the majority of the established teams and drivers of open-wheel racing competed in the rival CART series, Brayton (and rookie teammate Tony Stewart) were considered legitimate contenders for the IRL title. After a bad start to the season, Brayton asserted his competitiveness by winning his second Indy pole after a dramatic qualifying session in which he withdrew an already-qualified car to get a second chance at taking the top spot.
Death
Brayton was making a practice run on May 17 in his backup car when it blew a tire[2] going into turn two, and it then half-spun and hit the outside retaining wall at more than 230 mph (370 km/h). Brayton's car scrubbed off virtually no speed as it spun, and as the car impacted the wall on its left side, the force was such that Brayton's head also impacted the wall. Brayton was killed instantly by the severe impact. His funeral, held in his hometown of Coldwater, Michigan, was attended by a large contingent of drivers and racing personalities.
Teammate Tony Stewart, who qualified second, took over the pole starting position. A substitute driver, Danny Ongais, took over the car with which Brayton had qualified for the pole, and finished seventh.
Personal life
Brayton began dating his future wife, Becky, in 1981 and an 11-year courtship followed.[3] The couple have a daughter named Carly, who was 2 and a half years old at the time of Scott's death.[4]
On Easter Sunday 1999,[5] Becky married another IRL driver, Robbie Buhl, who would later become a partner in Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
Memorial Street Circuit
A street course in Grand Rapids, Michigan, used for SCCA racing was known as the Scott Brayton Memorial Street Circuit. It was used for the West Michigan Grand Prix in 1998[6] and 1999,[7] after which the event folded.[8]
Scott Brayton Driver's Trophy
Following Brayton's death, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced a new trophy for the Indianapolis 500 dedicated to the driver who best exemplifies the attitude, spirit and competitive drive of Brayton. A driver could only be awarded the trophy once in his/her Indy career. It was awarded through 2009.
‡ For the 1996 Indianapolis 500, Brayton qualified on the pole. The following Friday he was fatally injured driving a back-up car during practice. In the race Danny Ongais drove the pole car from the back of the field and finished seventh.
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Scott Brayton news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Scott Everts Brayton February 20 1959 May 17 1996 was an American race car driver on the American open wheel circuit He competed in 14 Indianapolis 500s beginning with the 1981 event Brayton was killed in practice after qualifying for the pole position for the 1996 race Scott BraytonNationality United StatesBorn 1959 02 20 February 20 1959Coldwater Michigan U S DiedMay 17 1996 1996 05 17 aged 37 Speedway Indiana U S Related toLee Brayton father CART IndyCar World SeriesYears active1981 1996TeamsBrayton RacingHemelgarn RacingDick Simon RacingTeam MenardStarts147Wins0Poles2Best finish12th in 1991Previous series1996Indy Racing League Contents 1 Career 1 1 Death 2 Personal life 3 Memorial Street Circuit 4 Scott Brayton Driver s Trophy 5 Racing record 5 1 American open wheel racing results 5 1 1 PPG Indycar Series 5 1 2 Indy Racing League 5 1 3 Indianapolis 500 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksCareer EditDuring the mid 1980s Brayton helped introduce the Buick stock block V 6 engine to Indianapolis His father s firm Brayton Engineering was a major developer of the race engine In 1985 he qualified 2nd and set the one lap Indianapolis Motor Speedway track record in the process He dropped out early and finished 30th when the engine expired He would not finish the race again until 1989 when he scored his best finish at the Speedway 6th place but seven laps down He would equal this finishing position in 1993 driving a Lola Cosworth for Dick Simon Racing When Buick pulled out of IndyCar racing in 1993 John Menard Jr continued developing the engine now badged as the Menard V 6 Brayton now without a regular ride in the CART IndyCar series joined the Indy only Menards team in 1994 Their belief in the powerplant paid off when Brayton won his first Indy 500 pole position in 1995 at an average speed of 231 604 mph 372 731 km h Turbocharger boost and pop off valve problems relegated him to a 17th place finish Brayton was prepared to make his NASCAR debut at the 1995 Brickyard 400 However he crashed his car during a private test session and suffered a broken ankle and a concussion 1 In 1996 Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George established the Indy Racing League and Team Menard signed up to compete in their first full season of IndyCar racing Because the majority of the established teams and drivers of open wheel racing competed in the rival CART series Brayton and rookie teammate Tony Stewart were considered legitimate contenders for the IRL title After a bad start to the season Brayton asserted his competitiveness by winning his second Indy pole after a dramatic qualifying session in which he withdrew an already qualified car to get a second chance at taking the top spot Death Edit Brayton was making a practice run on May 17 in his backup car when it blew a tire 2 going into turn two and it then half spun and hit the outside retaining wall at more than 230 mph 370 km h Brayton s car scrubbed off virtually no speed as it spun and as the car impacted the wall on its left side the force was such that Brayton s head also impacted the wall Brayton was killed instantly by the severe impact His funeral held in his hometown of Coldwater Michigan was attended by a large contingent of drivers and racing personalities Teammate Tony Stewart who qualified second took over the pole starting position A substitute driver Danny Ongais took over the car with which Brayton had qualified for the pole and finished seventh Personal life EditBrayton began dating his future wife Becky in 1981 and an 11 year courtship followed 3 The couple have a daughter named Carly who was 2 and a half years old at the time of Scott s death 4 On Easter Sunday 1999 5 Becky married another IRL driver Robbie Buhl who would later become a partner in Dreyer amp Reinbold Racing Memorial Street Circuit EditA street course in Grand Rapids Michigan used for SCCA racing was known as the Scott Brayton Memorial Street Circuit It was used for the West Michigan Grand Prix in 1998 6 and 1999 7 after which the event folded 8 Scott Brayton Driver s Trophy EditFollowing Brayton s death the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced a new trophy for the Indianapolis 500 dedicated to the driver who best exemplifies the attitude spirit and competitive drive of Brayton A driver could only be awarded the trophy once in his her Indy career It was awarded through 2009 Year Winner1997 John Paul Jr 1998 Roberto Guerrero1999 Eliseo Salazar2000 Eddie Cheever2001 Davey Hamilton2002 Arie Luyendyk2003 Buddy Lazier2004 Helio Castroneves2005 Kenny Brack2006 Sam Hornish Jr 2007 Tony Kanaan2008 Vitor Meira2009 Sarah FisherRacing record EditAmerican open wheel racing results Edit key Races in bold indicate pole position PPG Indycar Series Edit key Races in bold indicate pole position Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points1981 Brayton Racing PHX15 MIL11 ATL9 ATL10 MCH7 RIV8 MIL21 MCH24 WGL20 MEX23 PHXDNQ 13th 571982 Brayton Racing PHX14 ATL MIL14 CLE MCH11 MIL POC24 RIV ROA MCH10 PHX 33rd 111983 Brayton Racing ATL INDY9 MIL CLE24 MCH12 ROA POC28 RIV MDO MCH13 CPL26 LAG PHX 24th 51984 Brayton Racing LBH PHX INDY18 MIL22 POR25 MEA14 CLE11 MCH13 ROA12 POC6 MDO12 SAN11 MCHDNS PHX23 LAG15 CPL8 23rd 191985 Brayton Racing LBH11 INDY30 MILDNQ POR6 MEA15 CLE25 MCH8 ROA POC16 MDO SAN MCH22 22nd 15Hemelgarn Racing LAG26 PHX18 MIADNQ1986 Hemelgarn Racing PHX24 LBH INDY30 MIL POR MEA CLE TOR MCH13 POC27 MDO SAN MCH19 ROA LAG PHX MIA NC 01987 Hemelgarn Racing LBH PHX INDY12 MIL POR5 MEA10 CLE TOR MCH22 POC25 ROA MDO NAZ LAG MIA 22nd 141988 Hemelgarn Racing PHX15 LBH23 INDY31 MIL10 POR9 CLE16 TOR14 MEA11 MCH26 POC10 MDO ROA NAZ18 LAG MIA24 23rd 121989 Dick Simon Racing PHX15 LBH12 INDY6 MIL18 DETDNQ POR13 CLE28 MEA10 TOR14 MCH11 POC14 MDO15 ROA13 NAZ10 LAG20 15th 171990 Dick Simon Racing PHX13 LBH9 INDY7 MIL20 DET10 POR25 CLE22 MEA9 TOR14 MCH16 DEN12 VAN9 MDO8 ROA13 NAZ12 LAG24 15th 281991 Dick Simon Racing SRF6 LBH8 PHX13 INDY17 MIL6 DET9 POR15 CLE7 MEA9 TOR6 MCH9 DEN16 VAN10 MDO13 ROA11 NAZ19 LAG27 12th 521992 Dick Simon Racing SRF20 PHX9 LBH17 INDY22 DET12 POR22 MIL3 NHA17 TOR17 MCH10 CLE21 ROA12 VAN8 MDO10 NAZ8 LAG10 15th 391993 Dick Simon Racing SRF16 PHX25 LBH24 INDY6 MIL6 DET14 POR17 CLE18 TOR19 MCH11 NHA6 ROA7 VAN24 MDO9 NAZ15 LAG24 15th 361994 Team Menard SRF PHX LBH INDY20 MIL DET POR CLE TOR MCH MDO NHA VAN ROA NAZ LAG 49th 01995 Team Menard MIA SRF PHX LBH NAZ INDY17 MIL DET POR ROA TOR CLE MCH MDO NHA VAN LAG 34th 1Indy Racing League Edit Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 Rank Points1996 Team Menard Lola T95 Menard WDW15 PHX18 INDYDNS 18th 111Indianapolis 500 Edit Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team1981 Penske PC 6 Ford Cosworth DFX 29 16 Brayton Racing1982 Penske PC 7 Ford Cosworth DFX DNQ Brayton Racing1983 March 83C Ford Cosworth DFX 29 9 Brayton Racing1984 March 84C Buick 26 18 Brayton Racing1985 March 85C Buick 2 30 Brayton Racing1986 March 86C Buick 23 30 Hemelgarn Racing1987 March 87C Ford Cosworth DFX 13 12 Hemelgarn Racing1988 Lola T88 00 Buick 7 31 Hemelgarn Racing1989 Lola T89 00 Buick 6 6 Dick Simon Racing1990 Lola T90 00 Ford Cosworth DFS 26 7 Dick Simon Racing1991 Lola T91 00 Chevrolet 265A 19 17 Dick Simon Racing1992 Lola T92 00 Buick 7 22 Dick Simon Racing1993 Lola T93 00 Ford XB 11 6 Dick Simon Racing1994 Lola T93 00 Buick 23 20 Team Menard1995 Lola T95 00 Menard Buick 1 17 Team Menard1996 Lola T95 00 Menard Buick 1 DNS Team Menard For the 1996 Indianapolis 500 Brayton qualified on the pole The following Friday he was fatally injured driving a back up car during practice In the race Danny Ongais drove the pole car from the back of the field and finished seventh See also EditList of Indianapolis Motor Speedway fatalitiesReferences Edit Bout with wall ends Brayton s Brickyard run The Indianapolis Star July 27 1995 p 46 Retrieved July 6 2017 via Newspapers com Siano Joseph May 18 1996 AUTO RACING Brayton Killed in Crash During Indy 500 Practice The New York Times Retrieved August 28 2015 Miller Jeff May 27 1999 Brayton widow takes unlikely path Lawrence Journal World Retrieved August 28 2015 via Google News Archive Glick Shav Biebrich Jr Richard May 18 1996 Brayton Dies In Crash Sun Sentinel Retrieved August 28 2015 Mittman Dick March 28 1999 IRL Buhl Harrington lead Infiniti to strong showing at Phoenix motorsport com Retrieved August 28 2015 West Michigan Grand Prix Fast Facts motorsport com July 17 1998 Retrieved August 28 2015 West Michigan Grand Prix SCCA Pro Racing weekend Quick Facts motorsport com August 24 1999 Retrieved August 28 2015 Fox Amy September 4 2008 West Michigan Grand Prix 10th anniversary WZZM Archived from the original on March 5 2014 External links EditScott Brayton driver statistics at Racing Reference Scott Brayton at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Scott Brayton amp oldid 1117749958, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,