By: Richie Murray – USAC Media (Chuck Reed Photo)
Speedway, Indiana (August 2, 2023)………Kaylee Bryson will pilot a car for CB Industries in a pair of upcoming USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship events during the month of September.
Bryson (Muskogee, Okla.) will be behind the wheel of a CBI ride for both the James Dean Classic on September 21 at Gas City (Ind.) I-69 Speedway as well as the Driven2SaveLives BC39 on September 27-30 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
A veteran of 77 USAC National Midget feature starts, all of which came for Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports between 2020-22, Bryson has been absent from the series ranks in 2023. Possessing perhaps the most diverse racing schedule of any driver at the moment, she has instead focused her talents on full-time USAC Silver Crown competition, sprint cars, late models and even road racing this season.
“I’ve mainly been focusing on the USAC Silver Crown series, sprint cars and other stuff, so it’s kind of nice for me to step back into my comfort zone, something I’m familiar with and something I feel like I have a shot at winning in,” Bryson stated of her return to midget racing. “I’ve raced midgets for three years now, so to be able to jump back in it, and know that with this team, all I have to focus on is driving, is pretty relaxing.”
The opportunity to return to midget racing was a chance she immediately jumped at, and a deal was struck for her to compete with the 2020 USAC National Midget entrant championship team based out of Mooresville, N.C.
“I knew I wanted to drive midgets, so I reached out to Chad (Boat) to see if he had any open seats, and he said he did,” Bryson explained. “I know he has a great team, and I’m glad it worked out.”
As a team owner, Boat ranks 14th all-time in USAC National Midget feature wins with 32, including one this year with driver Bryant Wiedeman scoring his first career USAC National victory in July at the Mitchell County Fairgrounds in Beloit, Kan.
In September of 2022 at Gas City, Bryson tied the mark for the best ever USAC National finish by a woman, earning a runner-up result, which equaled Sarah McCune’s achievement from 1999 at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway.
Like Wiedeman, Bryson aims to become the next first-time series winner when she jumps into the seat for the first time with CB Industries.
“It’ll be really exciting,” Bryson exclaimed. “At Gas City, I ran second there last year, so I know I have a shot at maybe getting a win this year. The BC39 is just a really fantastic race, and I’m looking forward to getting in such a good racecar. I’ve been watching them all season and I really like what they’ve been doing. I know that Chad has always had good cars. It’s just something new for me to try and I think it’s a perfect opportunity for me.”
