8-11-2006 - Colin 9th at Watkins Glen

The article below details the events of the day for Colin and his co-driver Jorg Bergemeister.  What it does not say and what was unknown to most people is that the incident with the #12 car was caused by a broken part on the #12 car entering the first turn as Colin was following.  The car suddenly slowed and Colin was trying to avoid hitting the car.  The driver of the #12 may have thought it was a hard hit from Colin but there was only very light contact, the spin starting from the broken part.  Colin was not trying to make a passing attempt on #12, he was along side the #19 car and following #12 thru the corner.  The penalty was very harsh for something like this but officials are in a difficult position and have to make quick decisions on the spot just like race car drivers....some times they each get it right some times they each get it wrong. 

Colin had the fastest race lap when he turned the car over to Jorg and Jorg then set the fastest race lap in his stint.

WATKINS GLEN - Turnabout is fair play.

Scott Pruett and Luis Diaz teamed up to finish second behind Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor at last September's Crown Royal 250 Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series race at Watkins Glen International.

On Friday night, Pruett and Diaz drove the No. 01 Lexus Riley to victory for CompUSA Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates Racing, holding off the No. 10 SunTrust Racing Pontiac Riley of Angelelli and Ryan Briscoe in a two-lap shootout to win the 82-lap Crown Royal 200.

"Max is the toughest guy out there," Pruett said of his late duel with Angelelli, which followed a late caution after the 09 Pontiac Crawford driven by NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Bobby Labonte hit the wall.

Taylor, owner of the SunTrust car, sat out Friday's race in favor of Briscoe so he could focus on his administrative duties. Taylor and Angelelli also teamed to win the Comp USA 200 at the Glen last August.

"Max did a great job. We just couldn't catch the 01 car," Taylor said.

Starting fourth, the 01 car took the lead on the 43rd lap and never gave it up. The 10 car started second, with the No. 99 Gainsco-Blackhawk Racing Pontiac Riley of Jon Fogarty and Alex Gurney on the pole. The Fogarty-Gurney duo ended up 13th.

The No. 76 Krohn Racing Ford Riley entered Friday's race atop the series points standings. But a disappointing showing in qualifying (seventh) and mistakes by drivers Colin Braun and Jorg Bergmeister relegated the team to a ninth-place finish.

Braun, the 17-year-old who was pulled from the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen in June over legal issues involving his age and tobacco sponsorship of the Indy Racing League event, was penalized two minutes plus a stop-and-go for "avoidable contact."

Braun ran into the rear of the No. 12 Pontiac Riley of Adrian Fernandez and Mario Haberfeld heading into Turn 1 on the seventh lap. The 12 car spun out, and Braun then made side-by-side contact with the No. 19 Ford Crawford of Memo Gidley and Michael McDowell. The 19 car then hit the 12 car, damaging both.

"The 76 car did a bonehead thing. I'm surprised Colin did that," Pruett said.

"We had to keep running as if nothing happened," Taylor added.

Bergmeister worked the No. 76 through the field and was running ninth after 66 laps. But on a restart on the 67th lap following a caution, Bergmeister was hit with a stop-and-go penalty for getting out of line on a restart. Sent back to 14th, Bergmeister again passed cars to salvage a top-10 finish.