By Lauren Stewart

When Tim Clauson and Richard Marshall formed Clauson Marshall Racing in October 2016, the co-owners agreed upon one thing: racing on.

Racing on was the goal. Racing on was the motivation. Racing on is the only thing Tim, father of Bryan Clauson, could imagine doing. 

In August 2016, Bryan Clauson was fatally injured in an accident at the Belleville Midget Nationals. How could his father continue in a sport that took his son? It was simple. Bryan and Tim had a conversation in the past about "racing on" and Bryan matter-of-factly told his dad if anything were ever to happen to him, he expected him to continue in the sport he so dearly loved. 

Two months after Bryan's accident, Clauson Marshall Racing was formed and found immediate support from the racing community. Tim needed to race. And that is just what he did. 

Tim talked with his wife, Diana, about starting the new team. She jumped on board quickly but had one request. She got to pick the driver. Diana picked Tyler "Sunshine" Courtney, and Tim had no opposition to that choice. Courtney had close ties with the Clauson family, having joined the team in 2010 as a crew member. Although being a crew member was not the spot on the team Courtney was after, his dedication and passion in that position earned him a shot at driving for the father-son duo.

It was decided that Sunshine would pilot the No. 7BC.

The No. 7 always had a special meaning to Bryan and Tim. When Tim raced winged sprint cars in California, he carried the No. 7. His son had much success in the Bryan Clauson Inc. No. 7 and often referred to that car as "home" when he began to drive for other teams. 

Shane Golobic, who also has a deep connection to the Clausons, was selected as a driver for the new team. Shane and Bryan raced quarter midgets as they were growing up together in California. The Clauson family moved to Indiana when the boys were young, but the families always stayed in contact. Golobic being part of the new team fit the family theme.



Courtney and Golobic wasted no time finding the front of the field. They ran their first race for the new team in December at the Junior Knepper 55 in DuQuoin, Illinois, and they finished first and second, respectively. 

Courtney continued to make Diana Clauson look like an expert when he "parked it" on Tuesday night at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

The CMR success didn't stop there. Justin Grant, whose wife gave birth to twins just days before, was called in to run the No. 39BC on Friday at the Chili Bowl. Friday was especially emotional for everyone on the team, as that was always Bryan's qualifying night. But Grant didn't let the pressure get to him, and he took the team right where it wanted to be -- Victory Lane. 

Now Courtney, Golobic, and Grant are racing the full USAC National Midget schedule. The season is just over one-third complete, and the CMR cars are sitting third, fourth, and fifth in points. Golobic won the Indiana Midget Weeks earlier this month. 

[tweet url="https://twitter.com/ClausonMarshall/status/874091705988984833" hide_media="0" hide_thread="1"]
For a team that was formed under tragic circumstances less than nine months ago, it is proving to be a powerhouse. 

One thing is for certain: everyone at Clauson Marshall Racing is showing us all how to race on. 

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