Don Branson

Donald L. Branson (June 2, 1920 – November 12, 1966) was an American racecar driver.

Career

Born in Rantoul, Illinois, Branson drove in the USAC Championship Car series and also in sprint cars, racing champ cars in the 1956–1966 seasons with 128 starts, including the 1959–1966 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top-ten 85 times, with seven victories.

Branson was also the 1959 and 1964 USAC Sprint Car Series Champion.

Branson was killed in 1966 in a crash at a sprint car race at Ascot Park in Gardena, California, which also claimed the life of fellow driver Dick Atkins. The fatal wreck occurred with only a few races left in the season for the USAC series.

Awards He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1994 and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2012.

Complete USAC Championship Car results Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos Points 1956 INDY MIL LAN DAR ATL SPR11 MIL26 DUQ10 SYR15 ISFDNQ SAC PHX 31st 50 1957 INDY LAN9 MIL21 DET10 ATL8 SPR11 MILDNQ DUQ9 SYRDNS ISF5 TRE19 SAC PHX 19th 280 1958 TRE INDY MILDNQ LAN4 ATL5 SPR7 MIL12 DUQ3 SYR6 ISF4 TRE6 SAC12 PHX7 9th 790 1959 DAY11 TRE13 INDY24 MIL9 LAN9 SPR2 MIL DUQ2 SYR2 ISF17 TRE5 SAC5 PHX15 7th 780 1960 TRE22 INDY4 MIL22 LAN15 SPR7 MIL19 DUQ8 SYR12 ISF4 TRE4 SAC3 PHX4 3rd 1.220 1961 TRE16 INDY33 MIL6 LAN14 MIL24 SPR15 DUQ6 SYR17 ISF8 TRE4 SAC7 PHX3 12th 530 1962 TRE4 INDY12 MIL17 LAN4 TRE2 SPR3 MIL25 LAN1 SYR7 ISF2 TRE1 SAC 2 PHX8 4th 1,700 1963 TRE17 INDY5 MIL17 LANDNS TRE12 SPR3 MIL10 DUQ5 ISF2 TRE5 SAC6 PHX7 5th 1,352 1964 PHX4 TRE INDY12 MIL15 LAN2 TRE3 SPR3 MIL13 DUQ3 ISF3 TRE2 SAC3 PHX3 4th 1,700 1965 PHX1 TRE13 INDY8 MIL20 LAN15 PIP TRE4 IRP6 ATL8 LAN6 MIL6 SPR6 MIL25 DUQ1 ISF13 TRE15 SAC1 PHX5 4th 1,875 1966 PHX16 TRE10 INDY23 MIL15 LAN4 ATL6 PIP IRP9 LAN5 SPR1 MIL23 DUQ6 ISF4 TRE23 SAC4 PHX 7th 1.135

Indianapolis 500 results

Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WDC Points 1959 Bob Estes Phillips Offenhauser L4 MON 500 NED FRA GBR GER POR ITA USA NC 0 1960 Bob Estes Phillips Offenhauser L4 ARG MON 500 NED BEL FRA GBR POR ITA USA 21st 3