Indianapolis, IN — (May 16, 2014) — Johnathan Byrd Racing announced on Friday that they will field an entry for Bryan Clauson in the 2015 Indianapolis 500. The official announcement was made at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway shortly after 12:00 p.m. on Friday.
The return of Johnathan Byrd Racing was slated for the 2016 Indianapolis 500, but was pushed up due to the enthusiasm surrounding the program. This is a reboot of a race team that has fielded cars in the past for short track standouts Rich Vogler and Stan Fox. The teams most recent entry into the Indianapolis 500 was in 2005 with Buddy Lazier behind the wheel.
Clauson said in a team statement, “I’m extremely excited to be headed back to the Indy 500. Getting back on track at IMS is something I’ve been working toward since the end of the 2012 race, and I can’t thank the Byrd family enough for giving me this opportunity. The Byrd family has a tremendous history not only at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but also among the short track community as well. To add my name to an impressive list of Jonathan Byrd’s Racing drivers that includes guys like Rich Vogler and Stan Fox is an honor. With what I learned from my previous Indy 500 experience, along with a full year to prepare, I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together.”
Jonathan Byrd, II, son of the team’s founder Jonathan Byrd is looking at this program with Clauson not just for 2015, but for years to come. “Not only is (Clauson) going to be our Indy 500 driver next year, it’s our intention that he be our Indy 500 driver for the next 15 years. He is a great fit for our brand, and we hope to be in the BC business for many years to come. “