Claude Stout Brinegar was born December 16, 1926, in Rockport, California. He earned a B.A. in Economics with great distinction (1950), an M.S. in Mathematics and Statistics (1951), and a Ph.D. in economic research (1953) from Stanford University.

Brinegar was senior vice president of Union Oil Company of California and a member of Union Oil's board of directors and executive committee. He was also president of the Union 76 division of Union Oil.

Brinegar served as secretary of transportation for President Richard Nixon from 1973 to 1974 and for President Gerald Ford from 1974 to 1975.