Brayton Dies at Indy

It was already the strangest racing season in the history of Indy cars. It didn’t need to turn tragic too.

But it did.

Cocky, cheerful Scott Brayton, a driver who never won an Indy car race but who was always going to win his next one, was killed in a crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday while practicing for the Indy 500 on May 26.

That was the tragedy.

But as is so often the case in racing, there was irony too.

Because of a feud between sanctioning bodies--the established Championship Auto Racing Teams and the upstart Indy Racing League of Indianapolis Speedway owner Tony George--rookie drivers have practically overrun the Speedway this month in preparation for the 500. Most of the veteran drivers, the ones whose names even casual sports fans recognize, belong to CART, which is boycotting the Indy 500 and having its own race, the U.S. 500, May 26 at the Michigan International Speedway.

So at Indy, some of the talk has been of the possible problems associated with so many inexperienced drivers. But Brayton was the most experienced Indy car driver there.

That was the irony.

He had driven 157 Indy car races, sat on the pole for last year’s 500 and was going to again this time around in what would have been his 15th race at Indy.

The man certainly was no stranger to either the Speedway or speed. In fact, he had a pretty serious thing for speed.

“I’m very involved in business and I love business, and I have felt like there are times when I can make this much money elsewhere and it would seem a little more attainable,” he said a few years ago. “I get so frustrated with [racing].

“But then, when you begin to look over the fence and you know that you’re here because you love to go fast, there isn’t a street car in the world that offers you this kind of ride.

“I love speed. I love getting in fast cars and standing on the gas. That’s why I do it. And then I feel, deep down in my heart, that if I work at it long enough, I’m going to achieve [victory] because I’ve never quit at anything I really wanted. . . .

“I’ll guarantee you one thing: We’re closer than we’ve ever been. How close that is, I don’t know, but I know I’m going to win. It’s in me.”

If you’re among the thousands of folks who sometimes wonder, “What makes these guys do that sort of thing?” that’s about as good an answer as you will ever get.

“But don’t they realize how dangerous it is?” you protest.

Of course they realize it. That’s why they do it. If there were no element of danger in driving, most drivers would be in some other risky occupation.

For at some time in any driver’s life, he had to come to grips with the knowledge that driving high-powered cars at blinding speeds, in concert with other people driving high-powered cars at blinding speeds, could be hazardous to his well-being.

At that moment, he had to decide whether the risk was worth taking. And having once concluded that it was, he went about his business, putting that thought behind him. His choice was made. There were races to be won.

Brayton made that choice. He wanted to drive. He wanted to win. Of course there was danger but. . . .

“If you took just hard, cold facts, a lot of things that happen in the world wouldn’t happen,” Brayton said of his quest. “When the first guy went to the moon, nobody really thought we could get there and walk on it. And when he did it, ‘Oh, my God, let’s go to Mars!’

“I’ve set a track record, and I’ve sat in the front row at Indy. I’ve led races. I have never won. And so I feel personally, when the combination is right and we can consistently run fast, we’re going to be very competitive. And once we’re there, we’ve got a shot at winning.”

You can question the priorities, but then, whose priorities aren’t at least somewhat questionable?

The point is, Brayton knew what he was about.

Dick Simon, a car owner for whom Brayton once drove, had this to say: “We’re dealing in a business where risk takes place, But death’s not a part of it. It’s just a freak accident.”

Simon, himself a former driver, should have known better. Brayton certainly did.

All racing accidents are freak accidents. But they still happen. Sometimes people walk away from them. Sometimes people die. Sometimes the racetrack is bands, sunshine and balloons. And sometimes it’s a killer.

Gentlemen, start your engines.