Colin Braun
Colin Braun (/ˈkɒlᵻn braʊn/; born September 22, 1988)[1] is an American racing driver. He is the 2015 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype Challenge Champion[2] and currently drives the No. 54 Flex-Box/Composite Resources ORECA FLM09 for CORE autosport.[3] He formerly competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the Xfinity Series.
Racing career
Braun started out his racing career at 6, racing quarter midgets. At 8 he went international, competing for factory kart racing teams in countries such as Monaco, Spain, France, and Japan. At 14 he moved to cars, winning championships in Formula Renault TR 1600 and Formula TR 2000 Pro Series.
2006–2007
At 16, Braun was part of the Team 16 squad and made his road racing debut in the Rolex 24 at Daytona with a Porsche 996 GT3, teammate to future NASCAR driver Brad Coleman.[4] Braun made history as the youngest Daytona Prototype driver at 17, driving an Essex Racing Ford Crawford. In 2006 he joined Krohn Racing's No. 75 team, teamming with Jörg Bergmeister. Braun became the youngest winner of a major auto race on North American soil with his win at the Brumos Porsche 250 in Daytona.[5] Due to the Master Settlement Agreement, was barred from participating in three races but still finished fourth in points while Bergmeister won the overall championship. He also became the youngest driver to stand on the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a second-place finish in his class in a Ferrari F430.[5] He stayed on with Krohn for 2007, but was teamed with Max Papis. The team ended up in the top five in points, despite Braun being suspended for an incident at the Crown Royal 200 at Watkins Glen International.[6]
In 2007, Braun signed a driver development contract with Roush Fenway Racing.[7] Braun made his stock car debut in the ARCA RE/MAX Series race at Gateway International Raceway, where he finished 13th.[8] Braun later made his NASCAR debut in the Camping World Truck Series (was Craftsman Truck Series), driving the No. 50 RSC Equipment Rental Ford for Roush Fenway. He was running in the top 20 before a flat tire sent him into the wall and a 34th-place finish.[9] He would also drive the No. 16 3M Ford at the Sam's Town 250 where he had a 30th-place finish. In November 2007, he was announced as the full-time driver of the No. 6 Ford, succeeding Travis Kvapil.[10]
2008–2011
Braun assumed full-time duties in 2008 in the Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 6 Con-way Ford F-150 with veteran crew chief Mike Beam. He earned three top-five and eight top-10 finishes, and won the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award.[11] Braun became the sixth Roush Fenway Racing driver to claim the rookie title in the truck series. He also made five Nationwide Series starts including one top-five finish and two poles.
After turning a lap of 177.441 mph on Thursday evening in qualifying to earn his first career Camping World Truck Series Pole award,[12] Braun led the field to the green flag Friday night at Daytona International Speedway for the 2009 season opener. He led the first 10 laps of the race, fell as far back as 15th and with luck, in the end, Braun crossed the finish line in ninth place to score his ninth career top 10. On June 13, he scored his one and only career Truck Series win at Michigan.[13]
In 2010, Braun was promoted to the Nationwide Series, and Con-way would be his sponsor for 18 races. However, by midseason, Bruan was removed from the No. 16 car in certain races in which they did not have a sponsor, but returned to the No. 16 car in races when Con-way is the sponsor.[14] Braun had a tough rookie year in the Nationwide Series, making 24 starts with 5 top 10s but also had 7 DNFs. Braun was released by Roush on December 1 after Roush's Nationwide program turned its focus to getting sponsorship for Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne, and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
Braun joined Robertson Racing in the American Le Mans Series for part of the 2011 season.[15] Braun returned to NASCAR with Billy Ballew Motorsports, driving their No. 51 Ford at Michigan.[16]
2012–2013
On January 21, 2012, he announced that he wouldn't compete in NASCAR during the 2012 season, but would drive for CORE Autosport in the 2012 American Le Mans Series season.[17] Partnered with team owner Jon Bennett, Braun helped CORE win the ALMS Prototype Challenge Class Teams Championship. Braun also joined the Kia Racing team[18] as part of Kinetic Motorsports Pirelli World Challenge GTS Class No. 38 Kia Optima entry. After four races, where he was able to achieve two podium finishes, Braun was replaced by Mark Wilkins following an incident with his team mate, Michael Galati, at Miller Motorsports Park.[19]
Braun partnered with Bennett for the first two races of the 2013 Rolex Sports Car Series season running with Doran Racing in a Ford Dallara to gain insight into the Daytona Prototype category.[20] Braun returned to CORE autosport for the full 2013 American Le Mans Series season, competing in the Prototype Challenge class. After driving the No. 05 with Bennett for the first eight races, Braun switched to the team's GT entry, driving the No. 06 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR with Porsche factory driver Patrick Long.[21] As a result of the late-season switch, Braun finished fifth in the PC Drivers' Championship, but made significant contributions to CORE's 2013 PC Team Championship by scoring five podium finishes (including two wins) with Bennett.[22]
On October 9, 2013, Braun joined Michael Shank Racing at Daytona International Speedway to set a new speed record on the track's oval course using a Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype car, powered by a twin-turbocharged Ford V-6 engine; the existing record was 210.364 miles per hour (338.548 km/h), set in 1987.[23] Braun successfully broke the record, setting a fastest single lap at a speed of 222.971 miles per hour (358.837 km/h).[24]
In 2013 Braun began coaching Team CrowdStrike in the NARRA Radical Cup Series to many wins and an overall championship.[25]
2014–present
Braun returned to CORE autosport in 2014, in the new United SportsCar Championship, driving the No. 54 PC car with Bennett.[26] He and co-drivers Bennett, James Gué and Mark Wilkins won the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona in the PC class[27] followed by the 12 Hours of Sebring.[28] Braun and Bennett went on to win races at Kansas Speedway and Watkins Glen International, propelling them to the 2014 PC Drivers' Championship and PC Team Championship as well as the newly created Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup.[29] Braun received the TOTAL Pole Award for winning more PC pole positions than any other driver.[30] Braun and Bennett's success continued into 2015, where once again they claimed the PC Driver Championship in conjunction with CORE's PC Team Championship.[31]
Braun continues to drive for CORE autosport with Bennett in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship PC class in 2016.[32]
In 2016, Braun made his Red Bull Global Rallycross debut with CORE autosport at Daytona International Speedway.[33]He scored a podium finish in his first race.[34]
Motorsports career results
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship results
(key)(Races in bold indicate pole position. Races in italics indicate fastest race lap in class. Results are overall/class)
| Year | Team | Make | Engine | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | CORE autosport | ORECA FLM09 | Chevrolet LS3 | PC | DAY ovr:9 cls:1 |
SIR ovr:10 cls:1 |
MRLS ovr:7 cls:7 |
KAN ovr:1 cls:1 |
WGI ovr:6 cls:1 |
IMS ovr:11 cls:3 |
RA ovr:39 cls:8 |
VIR ovr:3 cls:3 |
COTA ovr:9 cls:2 |
ATL ovr:6 cls:2 |
1st | 321 | |
| 2015 | CORE autosport | ORECA FLM09 | Chevrolet LS3 | PC | DAY ovr:10 cls:2 |
SIR ovr:7 cls:2 |
MRLS ovr:8 cls:2 |
DET ovr:19 cls:4 |
WGI ovr:7 cls:4 |
CTMP ovr:8 cls:1 |
LRP ovr:4 cls:4 |
RA ovr:9 cls:3 |
COTA ovr:6 cls:1 |
ATL ovr:29 cls:4 |
1st | 318 | |
| 2016 | CORE autosport | ORECA FLM09 | Chevrolet LS3 | PC | DAY ovr:52 cls:8 |
SIR ovr:9 cls:1 |
LBC ovr:25 cls:7 |
MRLS ovr:3 cls:3 |
DET | WGI | CTMP | LRP |
RA |
COTA |
ATL |
NASCAR
(key) (Bold - Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics - Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Nationwide Series
| NASCAR Nationwide Series results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | NNSC | Pts | |
| 2007 | Roush Fenway Racing | 16 | Ford | DAY | CAL | MXC | LVS | ATL | BRI | NSH | TEX | PHO | TAL | RCH | DAR | CLT | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW | NHA | DAY | CHI | GTY | IRP | CGV | GLN | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM 30 |
TEX | PHO | HOM | 137th | 73 | |
| 2008 | DAY | CAL | LVS | ATL | BRI | NSH 15 |
TEX | PHO | MXC 33 |
TAL | RCH | DAR | CLT | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW 21 |
NHA | DAY 35 |
CHI | GTY | IRP 2 |
CGV 40 |
GLN | MCH | BRI | CAL | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM | TEX | PHO | HOM | 63rd | 515 | ||||
| 2009 | 60 | DAY | CAL | LVS | BRI | TEX | NSH | PHO | TAL | RCH | DAR | CLT | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW QL† |
NHA | DAY | CHI | GTY | IRP QL† |
IOW | GLN | MCH | BRI | CGV | ATL | RCH | DOV | KAN | CAL | CLT | MEM | TEX | PHO | HOM | NA | - | |||
| 2010 | 16 | DAY 34 |
CAL 18 |
LVS 28 |
BRI 37 |
NSH 30 |
PHO 34 |
TEX 13 |
TAL 32 |
RCH | DAR | DOV 10 |
CLT | NSH | KEN 10 |
ROA 11 |
NHA 12 |
DAY | CHI 17 |
GTY 7 |
IRP 12 |
IOW 23 |
GLN 26 |
MCH 9 |
BRI | CGV 22 |
ATL | RCH | DOV | KAN 23 |
CAL 13 |
CLT 19 |
TEX 15 |
PHO 7 |
HOM 29 |
23rd | 2374 | ||||
| 98 | GTY QL‡ |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † - Qualified for Carl Edwards· ‡ - Qualified for Paul Menard | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Camping World Truck Series
| NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | NCWTC | Pts | ||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Roush Fenway Racing | 50 | Ford | DAY | CAL | ATL | MAR | KAN | CLT | MFD | DOV | TEX | MCH | MLW | MEM | KEN | IRP | NSH | BRI | GTW | NHA | LVS | TAL | MAR 34 |
ATL | TEX | PHO | HOM | 109th | 61 | ||||||||||||||
| 2008 | 6 | DAY 31 |
CAL 9 |
ATL 28 |
MAR 14 |
KAN 3 |
CLT 15 |
MFD 16 |
DOV 8 |
TEX 22 |
MCH 6 |
MLW 31 |
MEM 29 |
KEN 16 |
IRP 15 |
NSH 6 |
BRI 32 |
GTW 9 |
NHA 28 |
LVS 12 |
TAL 4 |
MAR 25 |
ATL 20 |
TEX 5 |
PHO 28 |
HOM 14 |
13th | 2856 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | DAY 9 |
CAL 20 |
ATL 26 |
MAR 35 |
KAN 6 |
CLT 26 |
DOV 22 |
TEX 3 |
MCH 1 |
MLW 8 |
MEM 9 |
KEN 20 |
IRP 5 |
NSH 3 |
BRI 12 |
CHI 3 |
IOW 3 |
GTW 19 |
NHA 9 |
LVS 17 |
MAR 3 |
TAL 12 |
TEX 5 |
PHO 28 |
HOM 3 |
5th | 3338 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Billy Ballew Motorsports | 51 | Ford | DAY | PHO | DAR | MAR | NSH | DOV | CLT | KAN | TEX | KEN | IOW | NSH | IRP | POC | MCH 9 |
BRI | ATL 19 |
CHI | NHA | KEN | LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | HOM | 50th | 60 | ||||||||||||||
24 Hours of Le Mans results
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 |  Risi Competizione Krohn Racing |
Tracy Krohn Niclas Jönsson |
Ferrari F430 GT2 | GT2 | 314 | 19th | 2nd |
Complete Global RallyCross Championship results
GRC Lites
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | GRC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | CORE Autosport | Lites Ford Fiesta | PHO1 |
PHO2 |
DAL |
DAY1 3 |
DAY2 10 |
MCAS1 | MCAS2 |
DC 12 |
AC 3 |
SEA |
LA1 DSQ |
LA2 3 |
10th | 154 |
Race cancelled.
References
- ↑ Colin Braun Career Statistics
- ↑ "2015 Champions crowned - Michelin Alley". Michelin Alley. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
- ↑ "IMSA: CORE Autosport Finalizes 2016 Driver Lineup; Braun and Bennett to Return Full-Time". Race Chaser Online. 2015-12-18. Retrieved 2016-04-22.
- ↑ "Team 16 One Year Later - MRN.com". www.mrn.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
- 1 2 "Beyond the Cockpit: Colin Braun On the Future, Le Mans, and…Signing Babies?". Frontstretch. 2009-08-18. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
- ↑ "Watkins Glen II: Colin Braun suspended". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
- ↑ "Roush Fenway signs sports car standout Braun". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
- ↑ "Braun, 18, making grand transition to stock cars - USATODAY.com". usatoday30.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
- ↑ "Martinsville II: Ford team race quotes". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
- ↑ "Braun To Pilot No. 6 Truck - MRN.com". www.mrn.com. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
- ↑ cobramotorsports (2008-11-24), 11-23-2008 - Colin Braun Rookie of The Year, retrieved 2016-05-05
- ↑ "Colin Braun Wins Pole For NextEra Energy Resources 250 - Daytona International Speedway". www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
- ↑ "Braun Scores First Win - MRN.com". www.mrn.com. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
- ↑ Sports, Fox. "Colin Braun taking hiatus from NASCAR Nationwide Series". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
- ↑ ACO. "Colin Braun joins Robertson Racing". www.24h-lemans.com. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
- ↑ "Colin Braun to run truck race at Michigan for Billy Ballew Motorsports". Sporting News. 2011-08-18. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
- ↑ Pockrass, Bob (January 21, 2012). "TRUCKS: Braun Shifts Out Of Series". Speedtv.com. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
- ↑ "KIA RACING ANNOUNCES DRIVER LINEUP FOR 2012 PIRELLI WORLD CHALLENGE CHAMPIONSHIPS SEASON". www.kiamedia.com. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- ↑ Phillips, Drew. "Kia teammates ruin 1-2 finish in Pirelli World Challenge race". Autoblog. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- ↑ "dailysportscar.com – Catching Up With Jon Bennett". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
- ↑ Dagys, John. "CORE Shuffles Driver Lineup for COTA, VIR". Sportscar365.com. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ↑ "Colin Braun Career Statistics - Racing-Reference.info". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
- ↑ Kelly, Godwin (October 8, 2013). "Team hopes to beat Daytona International Speedway speed record with Ford EcoBoost car". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Daytona Beach, FL. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
- ↑ DiZinno, Tony (October 9, 2013). "Braun, Ford, set fastest laps at Daytona with EcoBoost DP". MotorSports Talk. NBC Sports. Retrieved 2013-10-10.
- ↑ "Team CrowdStrike Test Races - Watzinger Racing". Watzinger Racing. 2014-02-13. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
- ↑ DiZinno, Tony. "TUSC: Braun, Huff earn PC class rides". NBC Sports. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ↑ "Inside CORE's Double Rolex 24 Win - Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
- ↑ "Ganassi Wins Twelve Hours of Sebring - Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
- ↑ "Complete list of 2014 season champions: IMSA Tudor United SportsCar Championship". Autoweek. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
- ↑ "TUDOR 'Night Of Champions' In NYC celebrates inaugural victors". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
- ↑ "IMSA Celebrates 2015 Season At TUDOR Night Of Champions". International Motor Sports Association. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
- ↑ "Braun, Bennett back for CORE". www.highlandstoday.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
- ↑ autosport, RACER Staff / Image by CORE. "GRC: CORE autosport to debut at Daytona". www.racer.com. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
- ↑ "Oliver Eriksson Takes Second Straight Win at GRC Lites Daytona". 2016-06-19. Retrieved 2016-07-02.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Colin Braun. |
- Official website
- Colin Braun driver statistics at Racing-Reference