3-26-2008 - Yahoo Sports article on Colin

Groomed for stardom
By Bob Margolis, Yahoo! Sports


Colin Braun is trying to make things difficult for Jack Roush.

Per NASCAR rules, following the 2009 season Roush will have to pare his five-car operation down to four. On the surface, that would appear to mean cutting ties with one driver currently in his stable.

But one might not be enough.

Since singing Braun in 2007, Roush has put the now 19-year-old Texan through a similar grooming process he used with Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards.

Considering that, and Braun’s sheer talent (more on that later), it’s fair to say he’s part of Roush’s long-term plan, meaning two current RFR drivers are not.

So who is Colin Braun?

For the better part of two years, Braun (pronounced Brown) walked through the Cup and Nationwide garages looking for a ride.

Despite his age and an extremely youthful appearance, Braun’s calling card was that he was no stranger to racing, having already logged a successful career in open wheel and sports car racing.

At 16, he was behind the wheel of a Porsche in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. A year later, he became the youngest driver to compete in the top-level Daytona prototype class.

In July, 2006, he became the youngest driver ever to win a major auto race in North America when he claimed the Grand American Sports Car Series’ Brumos Porsche 250.

A month later he was in the headlines again for his age, only this time because he was too young. He was banned, per federal regulations, from participating in a Grand Am event at Watkins Glen because the weekend included an IRL companion event that featured a team (Penske) with a tobacco sponsorship.

Despite his success in sports cars, including a podium finish in 2007 at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, Braun always had one eye on NASCAR.

He knew that making that move would be difficult on two fronts: First, he would have to learn a completely new racing discipline. More importantly, he’d have to find the right fit.

In sports cars, Braun drove for one of the better-financed teams, owned by billionaire Texas oilman Tracy Krohn. Braun, though young, knew first hand the advantages of having proper funding.

As part of his quest to move to NASCAR, Braun had been invited to take part in a landmark General Motors Racing driver development program in 2006. The list of drivers invited to the program now reads like a who’s-who of up-and-coming drivers in NASCAR: Joey Lagano (Joe Gibbs Racing), Landon Casill (Hendrick Motorsports), Chad McCumbee (Petty Enterprises), Jeffrey Earnhardt (DEI) and Marc Davis (Joe Gibbs Racing).

Like the others, Braun hoped to sign with one of the GM teams involved with the development program, but was told it could take a year or longer for an opportunity to open up.

Not wanting to wait that long, Braun opted to sign with Roush Fenway Racing, a decision that now appears to be a smart one.

In his RFR debut last fall, Braun finished 13th at the ARCA/ReMax (NASCAR’s version of triple-A racing) at Gateway. He followed that up with a fourth-place finish at Chicagoland.

His inexperience on restrictor plate tracks cost him a possible win in his third ARCA race at Talladega in October – he fell out of the draft and wound up ninth – but by that point he’d already shown he had the depth of talent needed to succeed at the top level of stock car racing.

Last October, Braun made his NASCAR debut at Martinsville in the Craftsman Truck Series.

Now, in 2008, Roush has put Braun in the No. 6 Ford F-150 – the same seat Roush used to groom the Busch brothers and Edwards, the one that even Mark Martin has sat in.

Ironically, had Braun not been forced to sit out several Grand Am races in 2006 because of his age, he might not be with Roush at all. Because on those occasions when he couldn’t race, Boris Said was asked to fill in for the under-aged Braun. It was through Said that Braun met Roush.

Despite being a stock car rookie, Braun comes into NASCAR having raced against some of the best drivers in the world, including former Formula One drivers. Still, he understands he has a lot learn.

“(Ron) Hornaday has won at Atlanta more times than I’ve raced there,” Braun said, laughing.

His inexperience in a stock car has turned every race into both a competition and a classroom for Braun.

“The older guys in the truck series are all at the top of their game right now, and it’s a real learning experience to spend time on the track with them, said Braun.”

This Saturday’s Kroger 250 at Martinsville will be Braun’s fourth start this season. His best finish has been a ninth last month in California.

Last fall, he finished 34th in his truck debut on the paper clip-shaped Martinsville track after a flat tire sent him into the wall.

He credits his veteran crew chief Mike Beam for making the transition to NASCAR a smooth one.

“Mike has been fantastic and he’s been super patient with me,” said Braun. “He’s been a big part in my learning about stock car racing, not only from a crew chief’s perspective but from a driver’s perspective.”

Said Beam: “We had a really good test at Martinsville and I feel we are ready for the race. This is a pretty good short-track truck, and Colin ran a bunch of laps during the two-day test, so he’s pretty familiar with the track now.”

Considering the veteran talent Roush has surrounded Braun with, it’s clear he’s being groomed for the Cup series in the near future.

By 2010, Roush will have to be down to just four teams. Speculation is that Greg Biffle, who only signed a one-year contract extension prior to this season, will not be back with RFR next year.

At the other end of the spectrum is Jamie McMurray, who has yet to live up to expectations since joining RFR two years ago. McMurray currently sits 36th in the standings.

But even though Biffle could leave, bringing the Roush stable down to four without any cuts being made, McMurray could be the odd man out if Braun continues to develop.

“I’m really happy with the test we had at Martinsville a few weeks ago,” said Braun. “Hopefully this race will turn out better than the last truck race I ran there last fall in my very first start.”

Right now, all he’s focused on is Martinsville. But that will soon change.