With the car now going back home to the Clauson-Marshall shop in Noblesville, Indiana, Scott Key took a moment to reflect on the emotion and meaning behind what he and Noah accomplished as a family over three weeks’ time in Tulsa – including one very special photo.
“After the Tulsa Shootout … when the building was starting to clear out, we found the exact spot where the picture of Bryan in front of his car with the Golden Driller was taken. Dylan Duvall, a friend of ours who does some great photography for the racing world, took some pictures of our car in the exact spot. It was really cool to be able to do that and recreate some of those memories to share.”
“There were a lot of other people who knew Bryan much better than we did, but we got to share some great moments with him. It was cool to be able to share some of that and help the healing process for everyone. Noah and I are excited that the car will now be in a place for all of Bryan’s friends and fans will be able to see the car. The chassis is 15 years old, it’s a good time to retire it and make sure it ends up in good hands rather than a field somewhere in the rafters of a barn. That was one of the reasons we wanted to do this, so that legacy can live on and people can enjoy it.”
And as for Noah Key? Just because he’s said good-bye to one special car doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a host of other racing already planned out for the upcoming season.
“I’m going to get to run (the midget that Cochran raced at the Chili Bowl) quite a bit; hopefully I can run 30 races in that this year,” said Noah Key. We’re going to go do the High Banks Hustle, and just kind of pop around to different tracks … to run as many races as we possibly can.”
“It probably won’t be as many as Bryan did last year, but hopefully about half of that.”
But the car, just as much as BC, will always have a special place in Noah’s heart, “no doubt,” he added.
But perhaps the most apt description of the journey came not from the Keys, but from Tim Clauson, who carried a small smile every time his eye caught the car through the week and as it was given back to him on Friday night.
“What’s cool about what Noah and Scott did (with this) is that a father and son took that car and replicated the experience (Bryan and I) had,” Clauson explained. “They put the car together and brought it to the Shootout … so to me, the car is special, but what the Key family has done to honor Bryan is even more special.”
“I was truly honored by everything they did. I can’t thank them enough for how much it means to all of us.”
Listen to an excerpt of Race Chaser Online’s exclusive one-on-one sit down interview with the Key family:
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 22-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: [email protected]
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