Brayton, now without a regular ride in the CART IndyCar series, joined the Indy-only Menards team in 1994.

Their belief in the powerplant paid off when Brayton won his first Indy 500 pole position in 1995, at an average speed of 231.604 mph (372.731 km/h).

Because the majority of the established teams and drivers of open-wheel racing competed in the rival CART series, Brayton (and rookie teammate Tony Stewart) were considered legitimate contenders for the IRL title.

After a bad start to the season, Brayton asserted his competitiveness by winning his second Indy pole after a dramatic qualifying session in which he withdrew an already-qualified car to get a second chance at taking the top spot.

His funeral, held in his hometown of Coldwater, Michigan, was attended by a large contingent of drivers and racing personalities.

A substitute driver, Danny Ongais, took over the car with which Brayton had qualified for the pole, and finished seventh.

[4] On Easter Sunday 1999,[5] Becky married another IRL driver, Robbie Buhl, who would later become a partner in Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.