Clauson makes Grand Prix of Long Beach debut

Bryan Clauson, a two-time USAC National champion, turned his first laps on a street course in Long Beach in the Toyota Pro Celebrity race.

He’ll make his first trip to the Indianapolis 500 in May.

Clauson, an open-wheel racer backed in part by K&N, ran into a tire barrier midway through the Toyota Pro Celebrity race during the Grand Prix of Long Beach. He didn’t complete the entire 10 laps of the race, but he said racing at Long Beach was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“It’s kind of a no-brainer to get the opportunity to be with super people and the personalities and everybody that’s in this group is phenomenal,” Clauson said. “To get the opportunity to be a part of it and to spend some time with these people has been amazing. You learn a lot about how to be successful in life when you’re around successful people. It’s been a lot of fun and we definitely had a great time.”

Turkey Night Grand Prix highlights and interviews

Clauson wins USAC Midget race at Turkey Night Grand Prix in Irwindale

Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind., capped a championship season by winning the USAC National Midget portion of the Turkey Night Grand Prix at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale on Saturday night.
Clauson took the lead on lap 9 and held it for the last 89 laps of the race. He finished well ahead of Caleb Armstrong in second and Dalton Armstrong in third.
Clauson came into the Turkey Night Grand Prix with the USAC National Midget championship wrapped up. He had a 100-point lead over Jerry Coons Jr., who could only earn 66 points in the final race of the year.
Clauson had the fourth fastest qualifying time. Kody Swanson of Kingsburg, Calif., was the fastest qualifier and led the first lap of the race.
Dakoda Armstrong took the lead on lap 2 and held it for one lap. Cole Whitt passed Dakoda Armstrong on lap 4 and was out front until lap 8. Clauson took the lead on lap 9 and was out front for the rest of the race.
Swanson was pulling double duty and won the USAC Western Sprint Car race of the Turkey Night Grand Prix. He was the second-fastest qualifier and took the lead on lap 6. Swanson was out front for the remaining 34 laps of the race.
Tony Hunt from Lincoln, Calif., was second, followed by Bobby East from Brownsburg, Ind., in third.
Hunt won the USAC Western Sprint Car championship by 58 points over Luis Ramos III of Clovis.
Jake Blackhurst of Mapleton, Ill., won the USAC Ford Focus Midgets race, taking the lead from Nick Drake on lap 19.
The Ford Focus Midget race was red-flagged twice because of crashes. Michael Steele, Winn Frazin and Guy Sainsbury were involved in a three-car crash on lap 6. Two laps later, Taylor Ferns, Garrett Peterson and Cody Gerhardt collided. Peterson was running in seventh and Gerhardt was in eighth when they crashed.
Both red flags delayed the race for 20 minutes.
Michael Lewis from Laguna Beach was second in the Ford Focus Midgets race. Drake, who was the fastest qualifier, was third.

Photo: Bryan Clauson won the USAC Midget race of the Turkey Night Grand Prix and the National Midget championship at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale.