The NTT P1 Award winner for the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix NTT INDYCAR Series race on Sunday, Aug. 8 in Nashville, Tennessee, won’t just be the fastest around the 2.17-mile street circuit. The driver also will be the recipient of the Bryan Clauson Pole Trophy, an accolade that highlights the event’s partnership with Tennessee Donor Services to raise awareness for organ and tissue donation.
Clauson was an extremely versatile and accomplished race car driver who worked his way up the racing ladder by winning. His 112 career USAC victories rank fifth all-time, and they came across 11 different disciplines of USAC racing, covering asphalt ovals and dirt bullrings. Clauson was a nine-time USAC champion who made his way to INDYCAR, first in Indy Lights and then in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, making his debut in the 2012 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Sadly, Clauson passed away on Aug. 7, 2016 after injuries sustained in a crash at the Belleville (Kansas) Midget Nationals. The Noblesville, Indiana, native was 27 years old.
A ferocious competitor on the racetrack, Clauson was incredibly giving off the track. He promoted animal welfare causes and was an ambassador for Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a national oncology network of hospitals and outpatient care centers. That giving spirit has lived on because Clauson was an organ donor.
“Bryan Clauson was the definition of a racer," said Matt Crews, CEO, Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. "He was an extremely talented driver and just an incredible person. Losing him was very painful on the entire racing community, but his legacy lives on, and there’s no truer statement than that.
“Bryan was an organ donor. He ended up saving five lives and helped heal about 75 people through tissue donation. His heart literally lives on. By presenting the NTT P1 Award winner with the Bryan Clauson Pole Trophy, we at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix want to recognize Bryan’s generosity and encourage others to #BeTheGift.”
The Bryan Clauson Pole Trophy will be presented to the NTT P1 Award winner on Saturday, Aug. 7 following qualifying for the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix NTT INDYCAR SERIES race. The date marks the five-year anniversary of Clauson’s passing.
Taylor McLean, Bryan’s sister, along with their father and mother, Tim and Diana Clauson, will hand the Bryan Clauson Pole Trophy to the NTT P1 Award winner.
“Bryan was a very giving person," said McLean, marketing program specialist at Indiana Donor Network, where she oversees the Driven2SaveLives program. "We are so proud of his accomplishments on the track, but we are prouder of the person he was off of it. He helped so many people and never hesitated to take the time to interact with his fans.
“When Bryan died, he gave the best gift of all – the gift of life – through his decision to sign up as an organ donor. Organ donation not only saved the lives of the people who received his organs, but Bryan’s donation started a movement in the racing community. We are so proud of our Bryan, and it is extremely humbling to continue Bryan’s legacy in this sport in partnership with the Music City Grand Prix and Tennessee Donor Services.”
Each car entered in the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix NTT INDYCAR Series race will be provided #BCstrong decals to run during the event weekend. #BCstrong has been the motorsports industry’s collective remembrance of Clauson.
For more information on the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, visit musiccitygp.com or follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @musiccitygp. Ticket packages are on sale now. Fans can purchase Big Machine Music City Grand Prix three-day ticket packages, starting at $119, and festival add-ons at musiccitygp.com/tickets, Ticketmaster.com or by calling the Tennessee Titans’ ticket office at 615-565-4650.