Bryan Clauson gone way too soon.........
By Adam J. Ulrey
www.nwsprintcarhistory.com
twitter: @NWsprint
https://www.facebook.com/NWSprintcarHistory
Instead of writing a story on racing or getting you the weekly results. I could only write about a great driver. Over the past weekend we lost not only a great sprint car driver we lost a great not good, but a great man in Bryan Clauson. We as fans know him so much for what he accomplished on the race track and that alone would take a book to write on all he accomplished. From all the twitter post everyone who came in touch with him has nothing but good stories and how wonderful of a person he was. From his interviews when he was just 18 racing in NASCAR you could see that nothing was to big for this kid. He handle everything from the outside with class and grace. We could all learn a thing or too from him. He was just a rare athlete in this day and time that gets it, realizes that all that he accomplishes is not about him, but about a guy who just loved to race cars and interact with the fans. When you saw him after a race you had no clue weather he won or lost as he would always have that big smile on his face and treat everyone that came into his path with respect and kindness again another trait that so many athletes are missing. I really believe that is the reason I and all of you have such a heavy heart this week as we not only lost the best all-around sprint car driver, but we lost a great person also. A man who loved his family, fiancee, friends and his dogs so much. We live in a selfish world where it seems that all people want to do is get what they can get and Bryan was the complete opposite he was all about giving from his money that he raised for autism to always making sure that the fans got his full attention at all times. It was so refreshing to see and sad that I would notice that so much, but I'm so used to seeing all athletes turn the other cheek and do the least they have to when in public or interacting with fans. Bryan as I like to say just got it. The impact that he made on people in his 27 years was far reaching. You don't get the Governor of Indiana to give a statement about you if you didn't touch so many people and make a difference. You don't get the Mayor of Noblesville, Indiana to give a statement about you if you haven't touched many lives and made a difference. You don't get the Andretti's, Petty's and Waltrip's to send out tweets and statements about how we lost a great driver but a great person. You don't get all of NASCAR and the Open Wheel drivers taking to twitter and other social mediums to express what he meant to them and their sport if your not a great person. You don't get Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne to come out and talk about what a loss it is for them and what he meant to everyone if your not a great person. The tweets from his competitors was endless over the last three days and how he touched all of them in different ways from helping the young guys when they were starting out to always racing you clean and hard. You don't get that kind of admiration if your not a great person. We could all learn a thing or too from him and to carry his legacy on with remembering how short our lives could be and to make sure you tell your loved ones everyday that you love them and appreciate them. He was so special to watch behind anything and everything he drove from wing to non-wing and especially in his midget where he seemed to the one to beat every time he hit the race track. He will always be remembered and cherished for the kind of individual he was and of course the great racer he was. Below you will see two things sent to me via twitter and both explain Bryan so well. I hope one day to grow up and be Bryan Clauson the man, I know it will be hard and if I'm half of good of human being as Bryan was then I feel my life will be great. Bryan was just a special person and there will never be another like him, there might be another great gaser, but to combined being a great driver with being a great person will be hard to duplicate. Godspeed Bryan and we all look forward to watching you race when we get to heaven. Bryan simple Parked It...............
A Racer's letter to his loved ones.....
No Author
A racer’s letter to the ones he loves
Posted on AUGUST 9, 2016
Dear loved ones,
I want you to know I’m sorry. I’m sorry for making you worry every time I strap into my car to go race, for you are worried this could be our last time together. I also want you to know that if that is the case I’m sorry I left on such short notice and please know that was never my intention. I know you wondered sometimes why I race and you expect me to say cause I love to go fast or something along those lines. That makes you roll your eyes and laugh a little but the truth is I can’t answer that question cause I don’t really know, I just love this sport and everything about it. I know that’s not the answer you wanted but it’s the best answer I have. I also want to say thank you. Thank you for never trying to change my love for the sport, even though there have been many times you probably wished I would take it easy or maybe even walk away for a while. Although I don’t always tell you this your supporting me in following a dream means more to me than you will ever know. Paul Walker was quoted saying “if one day the speed gets me do not worry because I was smiling.” I hope you remember those words and I hope you find peace knowing I was doing what I love to do and chasing a dream. I only ask 1 thing and that is even when I’m gone please don’t hate the sport, some of the best memories were made there and I promise you even when I get to heaven I’ll still be racing. Don’t push away the racing family and the sport itself, it’s not its fault I’m gone. God has a plan for us all and I really think He just needed some new fresh talent behind the wheel of His race car. I never wanted to leave you with the burden of living without me but know that even though I’m not physically here I’m still watching and I ask that you carry on my legacy and never let people forget the person I put so much work into becoming! Although I want to be remembered as a good racer I want even more to be remembered as a great person! Thank you for supporting me in chasing my dream and NEVER forget that although racing was my lifestyle loving you was my life! PS I hear the concession stand has great track burgers up here!
Love always,
The racer that left too soon
And here is the poem sent to me on twitter again no author....it had Bryan Clauson picture behind these words...
Do not stand at my grave and weep
I'm at the track. I do not sleep.
I am every engine's starting sound
I am the rush and thrill of the crowd
I am the flash of cars racing by
In the checkered flag and victor's cry
When you are deep in the pit at night
I'm the dust and the lights shining bright
When you think of me I'm right there
Every lap and green flag we share
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I'm at the track. I did not die.