Steve Bren

Steve Bren (born July 29, 1960) is a former American racing driver from Newport Beach, California.

Steve Bren was born on July 29, 1960, in California, to Diane and Donald Bren, billionaire and chairman of the US-based real estate investment company, the Irvine Company. His paternal grandfather was Hollywood movie producer Milton H. Bren.

After a fairly successful stint in US Formula Super Vee in 1985, Bren moved to the new American Racing Series in 1986. While he only participated in four races, he was competitive in all his ARS starts. That year he also completed rookie orientation for the Indianapolis 500 but could not find a ride to make a qualification attempt. He made two one-off starts in the CART Championship Car series in 1988 at Laguna Seca Raceway and 1990 at Long Beach, however he failed to finish either race. Steve's brother Cary also drove in Super Vee and Indy Lights.

Bren later became a property developer and art collector.

In 2010, Bren was placed 18th on a list of 250 most delinquent California taxpayers published by the California Franchise Tax Board, owing more than $2.2 million in unpaid personal income tax.

In May 2017, The Orange County Registrar reported that Bren owes the state $5.7 million in personal income taxes, according to the Franchise Tax Board, and is the third-highest delinquent on its latest Top 500 list of income tax deadbeats.

Bren has been married twice:

• In 1988, Steven married model Thais Baker in a Roman Catholic ceremony. They later divorced and she remarried golfer Fred Couples.
• In July 2010, Bren married Erica Spangler of Honolulu, Hawaii. Steve and Erica have a daughter, Bella Rose Bren born in Ketchum, Idaho.

In 2017, Bren was in trouble with the law for stalking Spangler in Idaho and also held in contempt of court for failing to appear at a civil case where he allegedly owes creditors over $5 million as part of his real estate developments. Bren said he could not pay because he was in rehab for drug and alcohol addiction.