May 22, 2022 | By Lee Spencer

Kaylee Bryson expands racing repertoire with move to 410 sprints, Silver Crown

Kaylee Bryson is expanding her horizons in 2022. 

The 21-year-old Muskogee, Oklahoman, who now calls North Carolina home, has branched out to pavement and will expand her racing repertoire to include 410-winged sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars. 

For Bryson, it’s the natural progression after the success she’s enjoyed over the past three seasons.

“I feel pretty good about this season so far,” Bryson said. “My main commitment this year is USAC with Keith Kunz Motorsports. I'm just excited to deal with experiencing new varieties of racing, like getting in a winged spring car and a silver crown car.” 

Bryson’s Silver Crown debut is scheduled for June 18 with Sam Pierce Racing at Port Royal Speedway in Pennsylvania. She’s scheduled to drive the No. 26 AP Driver Development Maxim chassis. Bryson would become just the 10th woman to qualify for a Silver Crown feature. Her 410-winged sprint car debut was scheduled for May 7 with Premier Racing at Lincoln Speedway (Abbottsville, Penn.), but was rained out. 

Bryson continues to gain speed in USAC midgets and Micro-Sprints—particularly at her home track Port City Raceway in Tulsa. 

“I'm feeling pretty good,” Bryson said. “We got a third-place at Port (USAC on April 23), won my micro (sprint) race. I'm feeling pretty confident. It's my third year in midgets now, so I feel like I've got enough experience that will capture someone’s attention.” 

Bryson became just the second female to score multiple podium finishes in National USAC competition with her third-place finish at Port City. Last November, she won the pole for the Turkey Night Grand Prix in Ventura, California. In January, she won the B-Main in the Chili Bowl Nationals to transfer to the feature—another female first.

But this week Bryson will continue her pursuits behind the wheel of a Keith Kunz Motorsports midget for the debut of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series at Millbridge Speedway (Salisbury, N.C.) on Monday and Tuesday. 

“It'll be cool just to go and race there because it's only 30 minutes from my house,” Bryson said. “It's nice to just wake up, go to the track, get some familiarity with it because I spend a lot of Wednesdays there just watching the races. So just being there with a whole bunch of big names I think will be really cool.”

Bryson will join a star-studded entry list that includes close to 50 entries from a variety of dirt series and NASCAR standouts—including Cup champion Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe. Although she has only raced micros at Millbridge—with the exception of shooting a commercial in a midget—Bryson welcomes the challenge.

“I think it helps me a lot, especially when we're racing against people there that know what they're doing,” said Bryson, who expects to race more micros and TQ midgets at Millbridge later this year. “I think it helps me get better, because if you're racing with people that aren't any good, you're not going to get any better. The only way to get better is to race with the best.” 

After winning three late model races on pavement last year, Bryson was scheduled to run for Racing Dynamiks earlier this month. However, the trip to Mission Valley Super Oval in Montana was canceled due to the team contracting Covid. 

Still, Bryson has plenty on her plate. She has a handful of both Silver Crown and 410 winged-sprint starts upcoming. Bryson is especially thrilled for additional opportunities—especially any car that has a wing.

“Yeah, I'm really excited,” Bryson said. “I think the thing I’m most excited about is just having a wing on top. I've been in non-wing for so long in the midget, so I'm excited to get back in a wing car because that's my favorite. I'm looking forward to getting back in a wing car.

“I just want to run as many races as I can—every weekend—that’s the goal. I’m happy for the opportunity.”