2-4-2008 - Sports Illustrated says Colin "next breakout driver"

Hey, nineteen
Youngster Braun is NASCAR's next breakout driver
Posted: Monday February 4, 2008 4:09PM; Updated: Monday February 4, 2008 4:48PM

by: Lewis Franck - www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com

When it comes to dealing with setbacks, Colin Braun is wise beyond his years.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

If you are looking for the next breakthrough driver in NASCAR, look no further than Colin Braun.

While the major media is focusing on crossover talents such as Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, and Jacques Villeneuve; all of whom were stars before they moved to NASCAR. Braun (pronounced Brown), at 19 years of age, will be the best work-in-progress.

Why is that? First, he's got a season-long deal with Roush Fenway Racing to drive the No.6 Conway Freight Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (comparable to a Double-A league). Second, he's been racing since he was only six years old and is the youngest driver to win a professional Formula Car race and the youngest to win in a prototype Grand-Am car at Daytona. At 17, only his age prevented him from becoming the youngest Grand-Am champion -- he was forced to sit out three races due to tobacco advertising age restrictions. Third, he has shown that he is not overwhelmed by racers with more experience. He learns from rookie mistakes and improves with each level.

Each of those would be a reason for picking him, but there's one more intangible: like a championship athletes, Braun is blessed with the ability to overcome a bad situation. He didn't let the tobacco issue that side-tracked his sure championship bid stop him. Instead, he turned that decision, which was entirely out of his hands, into the opportunity to run for Roush Fenway.

Boris Said, an accomplished road racer who has been turning heads in Sprint Cup competition with Roush Fenway, was called in to substitute for Braun in those three Grand-Am races. Meanwhile, Braun's co-driver, Jörg Bergmeister, won the championship in 2006. Instead of skulking away, Braun established a friendly business connection with the hirsute Said and that resulted in a deal with Jack Roush.

Even though it meant switching series -- out of what appeared to be a sure thing -- Braun made the move to NASCAR. "I think the biggest thing for me is I always wanted to drive for a top quality team," he said. "You have to take your rides where you have the best opportunity to win."

Braun ran in three ARCA races in 2007, finishing in the top ten each time. He learned a big lesson while in contention for a win at the high-banked Talladega Speedway when he made a move too soon, got hung out to dry (no one came with him), and eventually finished ninth. He learned a lot from that and parlayed his ARCA drives into Nationwide and Truck races that resulted in his deal this year.

Any 19-year old driver is going to be under a lot of pressure to perform, but the likeable Braun, who now calls Texas his home state, learned very quickly what can happen. At January's Preseason Thunder in Daytona, his truck may have been tapped by one driven by Kyle Busch. Braun made contact with his teammate, Joey Clanton. Both trucks had to go home after only a few hours of testing. "I'd much rather be wrecked in testing, hang my head down, and go back for the race," Braun said.

More importantly, Braun is aware of the delicate balance of rising rookies and aging veterans in the truck series. He must be assertive, maybe aggressive at times, yet still earn the respect of the vets.

"From talking with Carl (Edwards. a Roush Fenway driver who came up through the truck series), that's certainly something -- the guys will try to intimidate you -- but you've got to earn their respect. I want to go and learn from those guys rather than go in there with the attitude right back at them. I want to run with those guys and learn."

Take it from me Braun will be the driver you'll be hearing about during the year. He'll be in Sprint Cup within two years ... and winning.