10-21-2007- Cut tire ends Colin's day in the wall

Martinsville, Va. – Martinsville Speedway presents a unique set of challenges to the most experienced NEXTEL Cup drivers so when a driver makes his first career Craftsman Truck Series start at Martinsville, the thought should be daunting at best.  For Roush Fenway Racing’s newest star 19-year old Colin Braun, the idea was exciting and something to look forward to.  Braun was impressive at the paperclip-shaped oval racing cleanly and learning every step of the way in the No. 50 RSC Equipment Rental F-150 until a flat left rear tire ended his day 55 laps early forcing him into a 34th place finish.

Rain altered Friday’s practice schedule significantly forcing the Craftsman Truck Series to practice late Friday afternoon.  Braun clocked over 60 laps in practice and improved with every trip around the .526-mile oval.  On Saturday, Braun drove the No. 50 RSC Equipment Rental F-150 around the track in 20.251 seconds placing him 22nd for the start of Saturday’s race.  Jack Sprague took the pole with a fast lap time of 19.796 seconds.

Sprague brought the 36-truck field off turn four for the start of Saturday’s 200-lap event and immediately trucks jockeyed for position.  Prior to the race, Braun was urged to exercise patience by owner Jack Roush, his fellow Roush Fenway teammates and crew chief John Quinn, and he did just that.  Braun settled into 27th where he reported that the No. 50 F-150 was a little free but overall pretty good.  By lap 20 Braun was comfortable enough that he began passing the competition and moving to the front.  The first caution flew on lap 24 when the No. 16 truck spun and this brought out the first and only round of pit stops.  Braun brought the No. 50 truck down pit road for service where the RSC Equipment Rental team changed right side tires, re-fueled and made an air pressure and track bar adjustment in just eight seconds.  Braun returned to the track in 26th for the re-start on lap 30.

The No. 29 truck spun on lap 35 bringing out caution number two and a new report from Braun who now said the truck was tight through the center.  Quinn reminded Braun that Martinsville was a track that tightened up as the day went on and encouraged him to keep doing what he was doing, driving patiently.  The caution flag waved over the field several more times and by lap 65 Braun had worked his way up to the 21st position.  Braun made it up to 20th by lap 76 but on a re-start fell back to 25th.  That’s when spotter Bobby Hudson (who also spots for Carl Edwards in the NEXTEL Cup Series) came over the radio to tell Braun, “that’s nothing but experience passing you, you’ll be okay.” 

By nature Martinsville is a tough track to pass on but Braun continued to make passes and gain knowledge with every lap.  He had once again clawed his way to 20th by lap 145 when a flat left rear tire sent him spinning between turns one and two where he ultimately looped around and smacked the turn two wall with the driver’s side of the truck.  Braun emerged okay but the No. 50 RSC Equipment Rental F-150 was damaged beyond repair, ending Braun’s day early and forcing him into a 34th-place finish.  Mike Skinner went on to win the 200-lap event followed by Sprague and Ron Hornaday.

“The RSC Equipment Rental F-150 was really good today,” said Braun after leaving the infield care center.  “I really felt like I was getting the hang of it out there.  The truck turned real good through the corners and I was just trying to stay out of trouble and make all the laps that I could.  The truck started to feel a little loose then the next thing I knew I had spun around and hit the wall.  It’s so disappointing because I know the entire RSC team worked really hard on this truck.  They had a great pit stop and we had a top contending truck.  It was just real hard to pass out there.  I want to thank everyone that helped me over the last couple weeks.  I got a lot of great advice from all my Roush Fenway Racing teammates, crew chiefs, and Jack.  I had a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to getting back in one of these things soon.”

Roush Fenway Racing

COLIN BRAUN – No. 50 RSC Equipment Rental Ford F-150 (Finished 34th) – “We were running good.  The RSC Equipment Rental F-150 Ford was running really good and we were just out there doing what we were supposed to do – go out there and make laps, get experience and just figure out how to run with these guys.  I guess we cut a left-rear going down into one, so I guess that was probably a rookie mistake.  I should have known it was going down, but I had no clue.  It just snapped on me and the next thing I knew I was in the fence.”  WHEN DID YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE OUT THERE?  “I felt pretty comfortable right from the get-go.  We had Bobby Hudson, Carl Edwards’ Cup spotter spotting for me, so he did a great job up there.  He really made it comfortable for me to drive out there, and my crew chief John Quinn did a really good job.  I was just real comfortable right from the start – being in there with traffic.  It’s all because these guys have done such a good job teaching me and telling me what to do.  All of the Cup drivers and crew chiefs have been helping me out a lot, so I’ve got a lot of good people to gain experience from because everything they said was true, that’s for sure.”

Ford Racing