Lee Brayton


Lee E. Brayton was an American racing driver from Coldwater, Michigan. He competed in the USAC Championship Car series from 1972 to 1975, making 16 starts with the best finish of 10th three times. He attempted to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in 1972, 1973, and 1974, but after missing the field his first year, was taken out of contention by practice crashes the following two years. His son, Scott Brayton, was a long-time Championship Auto [Racing Teams|CART] and Indy Racing League driver, who was killed in a crash during a practice run after qualifying for the pole position for the 1996 Indy 500 race.
Brayton owned Brayton Engineering, an engineering firm that helped build the Buick V6 IndyCar engine as well as fielding a car in the CART series, primarily for his son Scott, from 1981 to 1986 and then fielded an Indy Racing League car in 2002. They entered two cars in the 2001 Indianapolis 500 for Memo Gidley and Steve Knapp but both missed the field; their single-car assault on the field in 2002 with John de Vries again failed. Their last IndyCar event came at the Michigan 400 in 2002 with Scott Harrington at the wheel.
Brayton died on April 30, 2022, at a nursing home in his hometown of Coldwater.

Racing results

USAC Championship Car series

YearTeam12345678910111213141516RankPoints
USAC [Championship Car">United States Auto Club">USAC [Championship Car season|1972]Eisenhour-Brayton Racing TeamPHXTREINDY
DNQ		MILMCH
10		POC
DNQ		MIL
17		ONTTREPHX38th60
1973 USAC [Championship Car season|1973]Eisenhour-Brayton Racing TeamTWS
10		TRE
17		TRE
12		INDY
DNQ		MIL
15		POCMCHMILONTONTONT
DNQ		MCH
15		MCH
10		TRE
16		TWS
12		PHX
17		27th133
1974Eisenhour-Brayton Racing TeamONT
11		ONTONT
DNS		PHXTREMILPOC
14		MCH
DNQ		MILMCH
20		TRETREPHX36th20
1974Webster RacingINDY
DNQ		36th20
1975Eisenhour-Brayton Racing TeamONTONT
14		ONT
22		PHXTREINDYMILPOCMCHMILMCHTREPHXNC0
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