7-31-2005 - Barber Daytona Prototype race report

BARBER DAYTONA PROTOTYPE GRAND AM

7-28-2005 to 7-31-2005

7-31-2005 - Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham AL - Today Colin became the youngest driver ever to start a Daytona Prototype race.  He was driving the Essex Racing Crawford/Ford for Team 16, with his 17 year old co driver Brad Coleman.  The pair ended up 13 in the race after overcoming many set backs.

Colin started the car in the 10th spot after a good qualifying effort.  On the opening lap he was squeezed off the track by another DP car and slight contact loosened up the nose resulting it flying off the car in spectacular fashion.  The full course yellow allowed Colin to pit and the Essex team fit the spare nose. 

This put Colin in last behind all the GT and DP cars.  On the restart Colin was on a mission passing 13 cars in the first 2 laps and within 5 laps he had passed 29 cars putting him into 11th.

With only about 5 laps to go in his stint he was tagged from behind by another driver and spun.  The driver was given a stop and go penalty by Grand Am officials, but Colin was knocked from 6th place.  He lost a lap in getting the car restarted and turned in the proper direction.

Brad got in the car at 1/2 way and did a good job to regain some spots.  Rain played havoc with the track conditions and Brad was able to bring the car home in 13th place.

Colin had run the car in testing at Kershaw a few weeks in advance of the race.  This weekend Auburn University was on the car as Team 16 is working to partner with the school.  Here are Brad and Colin with "Aube" the school mascot. 

Many Auburn people were at the race and it was great to meet and chat with them. 

Practice went well as Colin worked to improve the set up.  The boys were fighting a very bad under steer and made some head way in fixing it, but never were able to get the car right.

The people at Bottle Rocket Sports Marketing had set up a tremendous amount of media appearances for the drivers.  here they are on the set of ABC 33 in Birmingham.

They received the keys to the city of Leeds AL, where the track is.  The Birmingham news paper had stories on the boys each day including the front page of the paper on Sunday.

The next race for Team 16 will be at VIR in October in the same Essex racing DP.

For more information on Team 16 check out the web site by clicking the logo below.