Braun scores and loses first career pole at Mid-Ohio

Evidently missing a race didn't slow down Grand-Am's fastest teenager. Colin Braun ran his fastest lap in the closing moments of qualifying to capture the pole for Saturday's EMCO Gears Classic at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Braun's fastest lap of 1:20.202 edged Luis Diaz in his COMPUSA Lexus Riley by .123 of a second.

This race was the first for the Daytona Prototypes with normal qualifying since Long Beach in April. Qualifying was canceled the last event in Watkins Glen over Braun's participation in the race with the field set by owner points. Prior to that, for three races, the series tried qualifying races unsuccessfully.

Braun was held out of the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen due to age restrictions as a result of running in conjunction with the IRL IndyCar Series. The IRL has tobacco sponsorship and drivers under 18 (Braun is 17) were not allowed to compete. He encountered the same difficulty at Homestead-Miami earlier this season. As small consolation, Braun's car scored its first victory of the year with Jorg Bergmeister and fill-in driver Boris Said.

Diaz's co-driver Scott Pruett will have a busy weekend. Pruett will run in Sunday's NASCAR Nextel Cup event in Sonoma as well as tomorrow's Rolex Series race here. The duo lie 2nd in points, four behind Bergmeister.

Third on the grid is the Fernandez Racing entry piloted by Mario Haberfeld, ahead of two-time winner this year Patrick Long and two-time Atlantic champion Jon Fogarty. Twenty-six DPs will take the start for the race.

Editor's Note: Grand American Rolex Series released a statement that the three top qualifiers failed post-qualifying tech inspection