The countdown for USAC’s 12 all-time most popular drivers has begun. Arizona Sport Shirts, the official trackside merchandiser for USAC, has released the first in a series of 12 collector shirts celebrating USAC’s 50th anniversary. Each month a new shirt recognizing the next all-time most popular driver, voted by fans during the 2004 season, will debut and continue until the all-time most popular USAC driver is revealed December 2005.
The first released collector shirt (January 2005) represents one of the 12 all-time most popular USAC drivers - Jimmy Bryan. An Air Force cadet during World War II, Bryan began racing hot rods after the war, moved to midget cars in 1947, and, now known as the “Arizona Cowboy,” joined the USAC Championship Trail in 1953. He drove Indy cars for less than seven years, but won 19 races, three national championships and an Indianapolis 500 in that brief time.
His big break came in 1954 when mechanic Clint Brawner gave him a chance to drive the new Dean Van Lines car. He finished second at Indianapolis despite a broken spring, a busted shock absorber, and spray from a ruptured oil line that burned his left leg. He won the last four races of the season to win his first driving championship.
Bryan won the championship again in 1956 and 1957, and he won at Indianapolis in 1958, narrowly avoiding a terrible first-lap accident that killed Pat O'Connor and knocked 17 of the 33 starting cars out of the race. Afterward, Bryan announced he wouldn't defend his championship for the remainder of 1958 and all of 1959. He did finish second in the Monza Race of Two Worlds in Italy, which he had won in 1957, and he won one of the three stock car races he entered.
His 1960 Indy ride lasted 152 laps before motor problems forced him out. Then Bryan agreed to return to dirt track racing as a favor to two old friends, the owners of the Langhorne, Pa. track. Sadly, his car flipped on the first lap and he died immediately.
This limited edition collector series is being offered exclusively through Arizona Sport Shirts at select USAC events and online at www.gottarace.com. You can also get to the Arizona site via the USAC website at www.usacracing.com and clicking the Popular Driver shirt shown on the front page.
Arizona Sport Shirts is also providing an auto ship program that will allow collectors to automatically receive each new shirt as they are produced each month.
For additional information contact Arizona Sport Shirts at 1-800-922-9918 or email gottarace@gottarace.com.
The first released collector shirt (January 2005) represents one of the 12 all-time most popular USAC drivers - Jimmy Bryan. An Air Force cadet during World War II, Bryan began racing hot rods after the war, moved to midget cars in 1947, and, now known as the “Arizona Cowboy,” joined the USAC Championship Trail in 1953. He drove Indy cars for less than seven years, but won 19 races, three national championships and an Indianapolis 500 in that brief time.
His big break came in 1954 when mechanic Clint Brawner gave him a chance to drive the new Dean Van Lines car. He finished second at Indianapolis despite a broken spring, a busted shock absorber, and spray from a ruptured oil line that burned his left leg. He won the last four races of the season to win his first driving championship.
Bryan won the championship again in 1956 and 1957, and he won at Indianapolis in 1958, narrowly avoiding a terrible first-lap accident that killed Pat O'Connor and knocked 17 of the 33 starting cars out of the race. Afterward, Bryan announced he wouldn't defend his championship for the remainder of 1958 and all of 1959. He did finish second in the Monza Race of Two Worlds in Italy, which he had won in 1957, and he won one of the three stock car races he entered.
His 1960 Indy ride lasted 152 laps before motor problems forced him out. Then Bryan agreed to return to dirt track racing as a favor to two old friends, the owners of the Langhorne, Pa. track. Sadly, his car flipped on the first lap and he died immediately.
This limited edition collector series is being offered exclusively through Arizona Sport Shirts at select USAC events and online at www.gottarace.com. You can also get to the Arizona site via the USAC website at www.usacracing.com and clicking the Popular Driver shirt shown on the front page.
Arizona Sport Shirts is also providing an auto ship program that will allow collectors to automatically receive each new shirt as they are produced each month.
For additional information contact Arizona Sport Shirts at 1-800-922-9918 or email gottarace@gottarace.com.
