INDIANAPOLIS – Chase Briscoe will climb back in a midget on Aug. 18-19 to compete in the Driven2SaveLives BC39 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Dirt Track.
The NASCAR Cup Series rookie, who got his start in racing on dirt tracks in Indiana, will pilot the No. 5 entry with sponsorship from Penny Lane Child Care. The event honors the late Bryan Clauson, who died from injuries suffered in a crash at the Belleville (Kan.) High Banks in 2016.
“Bryan was somebody I always looked up to,” Briscoe explained during an interview with RacinBoys.com. “For me, he was always the 13-, 14-, 15-year-old kid racing against my dad. Then growing up and getting to race against Bryan — he was just always such an unbelievable talent.”
The race, sanctioned by the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series, was first held in 2018 and won by Brady Bacon. Zeb Wise won the 2019 edition of the event. Briscoe competed in both of those events, failing to qualify for the feature in 2018 and finishing 24th in the feature in 2019.
The race was not held last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Briscoe most recently raced on dirt during a Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series event at the Plymouth (Wis.) Dirt Track. He finished 19th after starting on the pole of the feature.