BELLEVILLE, Kan. — Few moments in the seven-decade history of the United States Auto Club stand out as much as the final lap for Kaylee Bryson en route to victory at Kansas’ Belleville High Banks one year ago this weekend.
Never before had a woman captured a USAC national feature victory. But on May 18, 2024, the Muskogee, Oklahoma, native had finally accomplished the feat that had long been just out of reach.
This Friday-Saturday, Bryson returns to the very same spot where she accomplished the historical deed.
The sign at the turn four gate of the Belleville High Banks states boldly and proudly that this place is “where legends are made.” The legend of Kaylee Bryson is still growing, but it was there that she cemented herself in the USAC record books.
Since that moment, she’s raced on, but the moment will forever stand as one that all onlookers, and herself, will not soon forget.
“I didn’t want the day to end,” Bryson recalled. “I just wanted to live in that moment forever.”
Many women had come close over the years, particularly in midget racing, a feat Bryson accomplished herself with a runner-up finish in USAC National Midget competition in 2023 at Indiana’s Gas City I-69 Speedway. Not only did she break the glass at Belleville, she shattered it by achieving her goal with the Pierce Racing team that had given her an opportunity of a lifetime to compete full time with the Silver Crown series.
“We’d been working hard to get a win for a long time,” Bryson recalled. “Ever since I started in midgets, I wanted to get a (USAC national) win. That’s the goal as a driver for anybody. Not just for a female but for any type of driver. Every driver remembers their first win. It’s very special and it’s just really cool that it came with this team which put a lot of effort into me and has believed in me. Everybody’s just put in a lot of work, so it’s really cool to do it with the team that I can call my family.”
Bryson took the lead of Belleville’s Huncovsky Classic with 16 laps remaining after leader Brady Bacon’s engine expired. From there, Bryson fended off a furious charge levied by C.J. Leary during the final laps to capture a dream victory.
In the thick of the battle, her mindset was fixed on the race as it unfolded, with making history as a distant afterthought in the moment.
“During the race, I didn’t even think about it,” Bryson admitted. “It wasn’t until the interview where (announcer Bryan Hulbert) said, “you are the first to ever do it.” I’m like, ‘oh yeah, that’s right!’ I didn’t even think about it at the time. I was so focused on winning as a driver. It never crossed my mind, but it is a really cool stat to have.”
Bryson also started from the pole at Belleville, becoming the first woman to ever to start from the top spot after turning the best lap during qualifying earlier in the evening. She took the advice provided by Aaron Pierce, spotter Chris Santucci and her crew, and ran with it.
“The crew told me that if you want to go out there and win the pole, don’t lift and don’t mess up,” Bryson revealed. “That was the advice I got from the crew. Just go out there and drive it as hard as you can. I’ve got to say it was pretty good advice.”
The Intimidation factor at Belleville’s half-mile is very real. There are plenty of examples of drivers opting out of competing at Belleville due to its sheer speed, its high banks and its unforgiving nature if things happen to go awry. Bryson showed no sense of intimidation, rather taking an immediate liking to the place the first time she got up to speed.
“It’s funny,” Bryson said. “I’ve heard a lot of people tell me about how they number the corners because people can get lost there. The first time I ever got on track, it felt really comfortable to me. I love the track. It’s a really fun, fast half-mile, almost like a huge circle. It really fit my driving style.”
With the win, not only did Bryson’s confidence boost, it also gave her the imposed pressure of now having the to win again.
“At the same time, I think it gave me a little bit of a confidence boost knowing that I’m capable of winning races,” Bryson explained. “It’s something I can do and I now have it in the back of my mind that I’ve done it and I should be able to go to races and have the confidence to do what I need to do. It’s maybe even a little added pressure because, now that you’ve got your first win, now it’s time to bring home some more.”
