FISHERS, Ind. – Indiana native and NASCAR star Ryan Newman will drive a Driven2SaveLives midget car as he returns to his dirt track racing roots for the 36th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl presented by General Tire on Jan. 10-15.
The car, owned by Clauson Marshall Racing and sponsored by Indiana Donor Network through its Driven2SaveLives program, was unveiled this week at the racing team’s suburban Indianapolis headquarters. The nameplate on the car, normally reserved for the driver, honors a Hoosier donor hero with the words, “Our hero, Cody Brommer.”
“One of my favorite parts of working with Indiana Donor Network and the Driven2SaveLives program is recognizing donor heroes and meeting their families. This year at the Chili Bowl, we are honoring Cody Brommer. I’ll be running the No. 75B and Cody’s name will be on the nameplate of my car,” Newman said. “We’re continuing to raise awareness by honoring heroes who made the decision to sign up as an organ donor.”
Brommer died in 2015 at age 21. Because he was an organ and tissue donor, eight people’s lives were saved through organ transplants and two others gained sight through corneal transplants. Since his death, Brommer’s parents, Julie and Randy Brommer of Columbia City, Ind., have paid tribute to him by encouraging Hoosiers to sign up as organ and tissue donors.
Newman, originally from South Bend, Ind., has been racing on the NASCAR circuit since 2000, winning 18 times in the NASCAR Cup Series, including the 2013 Brickyard 400 and 2008 Daytona 500. He’s also won seven times in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and once in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Before NASCAR, his open-wheel career started in 1983 when he drove in his first quarter midget race.
To further increase awareness, Indiana Donor Network is also sponsoring Franklin, Ind., native Emerson Axsom, 18, who will drive the Driven2SaveLives sprint, midget and winged sprint cars throughout the upcoming season, competing in all USAC National Sprint Car races and Indiana midget races. Axsom competed full time in the USAC National Midget Series in 2021, finishing fourth in the championship points standings.