Inaugural Dirt Race At IMS Has Ties To Local Business
Inaugural Dirt Race At IMS Has Ties To Local Business
Posted
Dale Hubler-dhubler@timesuniononline.com
Inaugural Dirt Race At IMS Has Ties To Local BusinessIndianapolis Motor Speedway is set to make history next week with its inaugural dirt track race, and a Warsaw business will be part of it.
The Driven2SaveLives BC39, a United States Auto Club midget series race, is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. The race is named in honor of the late Bryan Clauson, who moved from California to Noblesville at a young age, became a USAC star while winning 112 races in the sanctioning body's three divisions, and who died at the age of 26 after a crash in 2016 while leading the Belleville Midget Nationals in Kansas.
Clauson was an organ donor and saved numerous lives, and his family is active in promoting the Driven2SaveLives organization.
More than 100 drivers have filed an entry for the highly-anticipated two-day event, including NASCAR star Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who forged a close friendship with Clauson while the two competed against each other before Stenhouse's rise in the stock car world.
Among other drivers entered is 19-year-old Rossville native Cole Bodine, who will drive a car fielded by Clauson-Marshall Racing, a successful multi-car operation run by Clauson's father, Tim Clauson.
Bodine's car will carry primary sponsorship from The Car Company, which has used car lots in Warsaw and Goshen.
Bodine’s connection to The Car Company comes through local team Mooney-Dewitt Racing, which fields 600cc micro sprint cars for Nick Yoder and carries sponsorship from The Car Company.
When Yoder is unavailable to race, Bodine fills in.
In four micro sprint races this season in the Mooney-Dewitt car, Bodine has four wins.
Bodine, his USAC midget and his 600cc micro sprint were in Warsaw Thursday at The Car Company location on U.S. 30E.
Bodine said he was really happy about the opportunity to drive for these times.
His end goal is to drive in the NASCAR?truck series. “I want to make a living driving,” he said.
One of the The Car Company’s owners, Mark D. vanBurk, said Bodine made the decision to the USAC midget an easy one.
“Cole Bodine came up through the grass roots. He earned everything he’s accomplished. He’s an American success story and just a really great guy,” vanBurk said, adding, “He’s driven four times in our micro and he’s won all four times. We’re just really happy to support him.”
He noted that there will be 118 entries in the Driven2SavesLives race and it will be a good opportunity for Bodine to excel.
“NBC Sports is going to be there,” vanBurk said. “It’s a great opportunity for Cole and it’s great exposure for us.”
The Driven2SaveLives race kicks off activities leading up to the Brickyard 400, scheduled for Sept. 9.
