PERRIS, Calif., (Nov. 3, 20
13) – Bryan Clauson is the eighth driver in United States Auto Club (USAC) history to win consecutive USAC National Sprint Car championships and his team, Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing, has another Sprint Car owner title.
The 24-year-old Clauson capped his 2013 Sprint Car championship by finishing second Saturday night in the season-ending Oval Nationals at Perris (Calif.) Speedway behind the wheel of his No. 20 Chevrolet Performance/Curb/Beast. Clauson finished the year with a 63-point advantage over Dave Darland in the final Sprint Car standings to earn his sixth USAC championship, a tally that includes three straight National Driver Championships (2010-2012), back-to-back Sprint Car titles (2012 and 2013) and the 2011 USAC National Midget title.
“Winning back-to-back Sprint Car titles is special considering they were won in different scenarios,” Clauson said. “The first one last year was with my family team – a team we had built from the ground up. And then I came over to Tony Stewart Racing, which has such a rich history of not only winning races, but championships too. Being able to continue that championship tradition is pretty special.”
Clauson kicked off his first season driving the No. 20 machine with a victory in the season opener at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., and was in title contention throughout the 2013 season. Consistency and Clauson’s seven victories enabled the Noblesville, Ind., resident to defeat Darland, who posted six victories during the 33-race slate. Along with the seven victories, Clauson and the Chevrolet Performance team scored 21 top-five and 30 top-10s en route to the title.
The 2013 Sprint Car owner championship is Stewart’s 14th in USAC. Stewart has seven Sprint Car championships and seven Silver Crown titles, the most recent of which was earned in September by TSR driver Bobby East. Stewart now has 18 total owner championships, as TSR is a four-time winner of the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series championship (2001, 2008, 2009 and 2012).
“So much work goes into a season like this,” Stewart said. “The dedication that’s required, along with the time and effort of so many people, make moments like this incredibly special. Bryan Clauson and the entire team were really focused on what they wanted to achieve before the season event started and they all saw it through. All of us at TSR and Curb-Agajanian set our sights on the championship every year, and we’re able to do so thanks to the great partnerships we have with Chevrolet Performance, Mike Curb, CURB Records and Beast Performance.”
“We are excited and proud to be associated with Tony Stewart and Bryan Clauson,” said Mike Curb, chairman of Curb Records. “Winning is important to all of us and there’s nothing better than earning a championship We are very excited to win the USAC Sprint Car championship because of all the great history associated with this title.”
It was a remarkable season for Clauson and the Chevrolet Performance crew. The victory to start the season in Florida set the tone and was followed by several strong runs during the first 15 races. The team picked up the pace in July during Indiana Sprint Week, winning consecutive races at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putmanville and at Bloomington Speedway to earn Clauson’s first Indiana Sprint Week title. A victory in the second annual Smackdown opener at Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway in late August preceded a dominating triumph the first weekend of September at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark. The team closed September with a $10,000 victory at Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway and made it two wins in a row with a victory Oct. 25 at Canyon Speedway in Peoria, Ariz.
“We have a lot great partners that allow us to compete at the highest level,” said Clauson. “Without Chevrolet Performance, CURB Records and Beast Performance, we wouldn’t be here today celebrating another championship. It takes a lot of great partners that are all working toward the same goal, which from day one was to win this championship.”
Bryan Clauson: Driver of the No. 20 Chevrolet Performance/Curb Records Beast
Date of Birth: June 15, 1989
Hometown: Carmichael, Calif.
Residence: Noblesville, Ind.
Marital Status: Single
Children: None
Highlights: 2013 USAC National Sprint Car Series champion, with seven victories… 2012 USAC National Sprint Car Series champion, with seven victories … 2010-2012 USAC National Drivers champion… 2011 USAC National Midget champion… 25 career USAC National Sprint Car Series victories… 29 career USAC National Midget Series victories…Two career USAC Silver Crown Series victories… Finished 30th in 2012 Indianapolis 500 … Runner-up in 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series… Scored an ARCA Series win in 2007 at Gateway International Raceway … Became the youngest driver to sweep a USAC Midget/Sprint doubleheader weekend, winning both Midget and Sprint Car features in August 2006 at Salem (Ind.) Speedway.
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
About Chevrolet Performance Parts
More information and ordering details about Chevrolet Performance parts are available at www.chevroletperformance.com. New-component features and additional insider information about the latest from Chevrolet Performance is available at www.TheBlock.com, the automotive social community powered by Chevrolet Performance.
About Curb Records
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Curb Records is one of the world’s leading independent music companies. Owned and operated by Mike Curb since 1962, Curb Records has achieved 433 number one records, over 1,500 hundred Top Ten records and charted over 4,500 total records. Today’s roster includes some of the top names in Country, Christian and Pop/Rock music. Curb Records was honored as Billboard Magazine’s 2001 Country Music Label of the Year and Radio & Records Magazine’s 2005 Overall Gold Label of the Year. For more information, visit www.curb.com”
About Tony Stewart Racing
Tony Stewart Racing is a championship-winning organization competing in USAC and the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series. From its 25,000-square-foot facility in Brownsburg, Ind., TSR fields USAC entries for four-time USAC champion Bryan Clauson and three-time USAC champion Bobby East. And in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series, TSR campaigns the No. 11 Bad Boy Buggies/J.D. Byrider/Chevrolet Performance/Maxim for 20-time series champion Steve Kinser and the No. 15 STP/Armor All/Chevrolet Performance/J&J for five-time series champion Donny Schatz. TSR has earned a total of 17 owner championships – 13 in USAC and four in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series. For more information, please visit us on the Web at www.TonyStewartRacing.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/