back to News

Las Vegas Run Shows Braun’s Potential Despite Disappointing Finish

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (February 27, 2010) – Colin Braun qualified the No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion in the 11th position for the Sam’s Club 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  The event was delayed two hours for rain, but Braun showed a great deal of patience and potential as he moved through the field during the first two-thirds of the race.  After running in the top-10, the team’s day was cut short when contact from the No. 66 sent Braun into the outside retaining wall with 30 laps to go.  The highest finishing rookie of the race, Braun finished 28th.

Braun survived two cautions through the first 40 laps of the event and radioed to crew chief Eddie Pardue that his car was tight coming off the corners and that he needed overall grip.  The team made a green flag pit stop on lap 56 for a wedge and air pressure adjustment, along with four tires and fuel.  The adjustments helped a great deal as Braun began to run lap times with those in the top-10.  Leader Kyle Busch passed him right before the caution flag was shown on lap 83, putting him in position to receive the Lucky Dog award and his lap back.  Braun brought the No. 16 down pit road, asking for more of the adjustment from the stop prior and restarted in 14th. 

Braun continued to move up through the pack, breaking into the top-10 on lap 123.  He radioed back to the crew that his car continued to be tight off the corners.  A lap 144 caution gave the No. 16 team a chance to change four tires and add fuel, and gained Braun two spots to restart in 10th on lap 150.  Braun continued to showcase his talent, moving up to the ninth spot just four laps later.  He remained in the top-10 through a lap 165 caution and restarted in ninth on lap 170. 

As Braun entered turn one as the field took the green flag, he was hit from behind by the No. 66 of Steven Wallace which sent him into the outside wall in the center of turns one and two.  The car came to rest down on the apron, ending a very promising day prematurely for the No. 16 team.

 “It’s disappointing,” Braun said after the race.  “I feel bad for all these guys.  They brought me a really good race car.  That No. 16 Roush Fenway Ford was really fast.  We struggled a bit early on with the car being a bit tight, but Eddie and the guys worked on it all afternoon and we were really making progress.  I thought we were going to be in good shape and have a good, solid run.  I just drove down in the corner and was under Paul (Menard) when my tires came off the ground and I spun out.  I didn’t lift or anything.  Not much you can do in that situation.  I guess that’s part of racing though.” 

With the 28th place finish at Las Vegas, Braun remains third in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings behind leader James Buescher.  The Nationwide Series is off for two weeks and will race again at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 20th.