Race car driver. At the time of his death, Branson was the oldest driver in United States Auto Club championship circuit competition and one of the most consistent and popular. He had raced for 21 years and had won the Midwest Sprint championship in 1959 and the National championship in 1964. Between 1956 and 1966, he had 129 starts in championship car and sprint car competition, including each of the Indianapolis 500 classics from 1959 to 1966. He finished in the top ten 85 times, with 7 victories. His best finishes in the Indianapolis 500 were fourth in 1960 and fifth in 1963. Branson held the record for starting in the most consecutive national championship races with a streak of 56 when he was sideliined for one race when he suffered a broken arm in a sprint race in 1964. At the time of his death, Branson was a member of the USAC Board of Directors and almost invariably was assigned to take rookie drivers on their first orientation ride at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A few months before his death, he was named championship racing representative for Goodyear. Branson and another driver, Dick Atkins, were tragically killed in a fiery accident on the fifth lap of a USAC sprint car race at Ascot Park in Gardena, California.
Race car driver. At the time of his death, Branson was the oldest driver in United States Auto Club championship circuit competition and one of the most consistent and popular. He had raced for 21 years and had won the Midwest Sprint championship in 1959 and the National championship in 1964. Between 1956 and 1966, he had 129 starts in championship car and sprint car competition, including each of the Indianapolis 500 classics from 1959 to 1966. He finished in the top ten 85 times, with 7 victories. His best finishes in the Indianapolis 500 were fourth in 1960 and fifth in 1963. Branson held the record for starting in the most consecutive national championship races with a streak of 56 when he was sideliined for one race when he suffered a broken arm in a sprint race in 1964. At the time of his death, Branson was a member of the USAC Board of Directors and almost invariably was assigned to take rookie drivers on their first orientation ride at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A few months before his death, he was named championship racing representative for Goodyear. Branson and another driver, Dick Atkins, were tragically killed in a fiery accident on the fifth lap of a USAC sprint car race at Ascot Park in Gardena, California.
