Scott Brayton
Nationality	United States
Born	(1959-02-20)February 20, 1959 Coldwater, Michigan, U.S.
Died	May 17, 1996(1996-05-17) (aged 37) Speedway, Indiana, U.S.
Related to	Lee Brayton (father)
CART IndyCar World Series
Years active	1981–1996
Teams	Brayton Racing Hemelgarn Racing Dick Simon Racing Team Menard
Starts	147
Wins	0
Poles	2
Best finish	12th in 1991
Previous series
1996	Indy Racing League

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.

Career

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.

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.

Racing record

See also

• List of Indianapolis Motor Speedway fatalities

References

External links

• Scott Brayton driver statistics at Racing-Reference
• Scott Brayton at Find a Grave