December 2004 - AARWBA Banquet - Pomona CA

By Anne Proffit - Motorsport.com

photos by Lynne Hunting

The American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) began celebrations for its 50th anniversary tonight in Pomona.

More than 300 members of the media, friends, honorees and race fans came to the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum and Sheraton Suites Fairplex ballroom to recognize individual achievements of the past racing season and prepare for the coming year.

Many members of the 2004 All America First Team were on-hand to collect their Horsepower trophies, including open wheel honoree Tony Kanaan, the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion; Bobby East, USAC national midget champion in the short track category; Canadian Corvette racer and champion Ron Fellows and Grand American Rolex Daytona Prototype titlist Italian Max Papis (both road racing). Papis' teammate (and co-honoree) Scott Pruett was snowbound in Oregon.

Here Colin talks with Max Papis in the left picture and Ron Fellows on the above

The inimitable John Force picked up his 13th - and tenth consecutive - Horsepower statue in drag racing; first-time First Team winner Bill Auberlen represented the Grand American Rolex GT class (at-large); Thiago Medeiros (at-large), who won half the Menards Infiniti Pro Series races en route to his championship also made the trip out west.

Schumacher Racing's public relations director Mike Lewis accepted Tony Schumacher's Horsepower trophy, while one of AARWBA's founders, Bill Marvel gave thanks on behalf of Steve Kinser, the World of Outlaws' most dominant driver who is currently tearing up Australian tracks.

J.C. Agajanian Jr. came to the stage to accept awards for both touring series champions: Martin Truex Jr. in NASCAR's Busch Series and Bobby Hamilton, who brought home the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title.

In addition to picking up hardware for the absent Busch, who was testing in Florida in preparation for the upcoming Daytona 500, Kennedy announced Ford's new Sweepstakes Motorsports Journalism Award of Excellence tonight, a $1000 stipend to a journalist for a story about Ford Racing. Sweepstakes was the name of Henry Ford's first title-winning car; his prize back then was $1000 for a championship.

Although he only received honorable mention (and at least five percent of the votes cast) Jon Fogarty, the two-time Toyota Atlantic champion who will be driving in the Rolex Series this year came to Pomona for this event.

Racing insurance purveyor John Gorsline has given a scholarship through his Gorsline Company to a deserving young driver since 1995. This year's winner is Colin Braun, 16, of Ovalo, TX, who will receive support during the 2005 racing season from the Speed Secrets Driver Development Services. Braun receives a comprehensive career plan and coaching services to complement and enhance his driving talents.

Braun begins his 2005 campaign next month in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, where he'll be driving a TRG Porsche along with two other 16-year-olds, Brad Coleman and Adrian Carrio. This trio will have the services of Ross Bentley as their fourth driver on the aptly named Team 16. Interestingly, the three younger drivers' ages add up to Bentley's current age of 48.

This year's Jerry Titus Award, named for the late journalist/driver went to Kanaan, the IndyCar Series champion who finished every lap of the 16-race season, earned three victories and brought home results in the top five over 15 consecutive races; his sole finish outside the top five was eighth in the season-opening race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

During his acceptance speech, Kanaan noted that when Bernstein began his 26- year association with Budweiser beer, the Brazilian was only three years old, no doubt causing KB a bit of mental anguish.

LtoR (Kenny Bernstein, Thiago Mederios, Bobby East, Max Papis, John Force, Tony Kanaan, Ron Fellows, Colin Braun)

Colin and John Gorsline

Braun Honored at AARWBA Banquet 

OVALO, Texas, Jan. 19 - Colin Braun, who at 16 has already won more championships than many race car drivers ever will, was honored at the 50th annual American Auto Racing Writers, Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) banquet Saturday night at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel in Pomona, Calif. 

Braun was recognized for being the recipient of the Gorsline Scholarship, which is given annually to a young, aspiring driver who consistently displays exceptional talent and is poised for superstardom. Showing the international status of this award, Sir Stirling Moss presented the scholarship to Braun prior to Autosport magazine's awards banquet in London in December.

 Also being recognized by the American racing press corps at the AAWRBA banquet is a great honor for any driver but it was especially nice for Braun, since he is an American through and through.  He resides in Ovalo, Texas.

 Saturday night's function was a highlight of a whirlwind off-season for Braun.  In 17 days the teen will become one of the youngest drivers ever to compete in the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., the most prestigious endurance sports car race in North America.  Veteran Ross Bentley will share The Racer's Group's Team16 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car with three

16-year-olds: Braun, Adrian Carrio and Brad Coleman. Bentley is also the head of the Speed Secrets Driver Development program, which will provide training to Braun as part of the Gorsline Scholarship.

 The Rolex 24 will be held Feb. 5-6 and will be televised live on SPEED.

 The scholarship is presented annually by John Gorsline of the Gorsline Agency, which provides insurance and financial services for corporate and professional clients, including many in motorsports.

 Other drivers honored Saturday night included Tony Kanaan, the 2004 Indy Racing League champion; six-time NHRA titlist Kenny Bernstein; Sebastian Bourdais, the 2004 Champ Car World Series titlist; Kurt Busch, the 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion; Jimmy Johnson, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup runner-up; Ron Fellows, the 2004 ALMS GTS co-champion; Max Papis and Scott Pruett, the 2004 Grand American Rolex Series Daytona Prototype co-champions; John Force, the 2004 NHRA funny car champion; Tony Schumacher, the 2004 NHRA top fuel champion; Bobby East, the

2004 USAC midget champion; Steve Kinser, 19-time World of Outlaws sprint car champion; Bobby Hamilton, the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman truck series champion; Martin Truex Jr., the 2004 NASCAR Busch series champion; Bill Auberlen, the 2004 Grand American Rolex Series GT champion; Thiago Medeiros, the 2004 IRL Infiniti Pro Series champion; and two-time Toyota Atlantic champion Jon Fogarty.

 Present to receive their awards were Auberlen, Bernstein, East, Fellows, Force, Kanaan, Medeiros, Papis and Fogarty.

 "It was great to be standing there after the banquet with the Gorsline scholarship award in my hand, waiting for the group picture to be taken, and have John Force walk over and congratulate me on it and tell me to keep up the good work," Braun said.  "I got to also meet some really great writers and broadcasters that I hope will be writing about me in the years to come."

 Braun is the youngest American to ever win a professional open-wheel championship, as he topped the point standings in the Fran-Am 1600 Pro series when he was 14.  He won the Formula TR 2000 Pro championship in 2004. 

 He turned 16 on Sept. 22.