BRYSON’S 3RD PLACE RUN HAS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Caney, Kansas (July 20, 2020)………USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget driver Kaylee Bryson earned a career-best 3rd place finish at Caney Valley Speedway in Caney, Kansas on Sunday night as she continues to impress during her Rookie campaign with the series.
In now 10 career starts for the Muskogee, Okla. driver aboard the Keith Kunz-Curb-Agajanian/JBL Audio – Mobil 1 – TRD/Bullet By Spike/Speedway Toyota, Bryson has recorded three top-ten finishes, a 10th at Gas City, a 7th at Lawrenceburg during Indiana Midget Week, then led the opening lap and finished 3rd at Caney Valley, which has some historical significance with the series.
Bryson became just the fourth female driver to record a top-five finish in a dirt USAC National Midget feature event. She joins the late Jeri Rice, Sarah McCune and Holly Shelton as the only ones to accomplish the feat.
Tucson, Arizona’s Rice recorded a 5th place finish at Eagle (Neb.) Raceway on Aug. 2, 1988 and Perrysburg, Ohio’s Sarah McCune was a 5th place finisher at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Illinois on June 4, 2003. Shelton raced to a pair of 3rd place results in 2017 at both Lawrenceburg Speedway during Indiana Midget Week on June 10 and at the Chad McDaniel Memorial at Solomon Valley Speedway in Kansas on August 2.
Other top-fives earned by ladies throughout the history of USAC National Midget racing that occurred on pavement include Zionsville’s Bev Griffis, who finished 3rd at Winchester on April 7, 1991, and Westfield, Indiana’s Stephanie Mockler - the only other female driver besides McCune and Shelton to score multiple top-fives in USAC National Midget competition – who took a 3rd at Indianapolis Raceway Park on May 27, 2006 and a 5th at Toledo (OH) Speedway on July 6, 2007. Taylor Ferns from Shelby Township, Michigan, took 5th at Fountain, Colorado’s Pikes Peak International Raceway on June 29, 2013
No female has ever won a USAC National Midget, National Sprint Car or Silver Crown feature. The best ever finish for a woman in a USAC National event was a 2nd, earned by McCune at a midget race at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway on Sept. 19, 1999.
The USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget continue on the Mid-America Midget Week trail this Tuesday, July 21, at Red Dirt Raceway in Bryson’s home state of Oklahoma, and her confidence moving forward is telling.
“I think seat time has a big role in it,” Bryson said. “I’m really looking for that win. I’m wanting to win so bad. I’m getting podiums and I think a win will come soon.”
At Red Dirt, the gates open at 5pm CT with qualifying at 7pm and racing to immediately follow. The NOW600 Non-Wing Micros are also on the event card.
Tickets are on sale at https://market.myracepass.com/store/tickets/?i=1198638&store=17687. Adult general admission tickets are $25. High school students and younger are $5 (must show student ID). Kids age 5 and under are free. The tailgate area is $120 per carload (limit 8 and they must be in the vehicle and only one ice chest per vehicle). Pit passes are $35 for adults, and $10 for children age 5 and younger.
