Braun Gets First Career Win and Roush Fenway’s 50th at Michigan
June 13, 200911:17 PM
Brooklyn, Mich. (June 13, 2009) – After 35 starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Colin Braun finally found Victory Lane Saturday in the Michigan 200 at Michigan International Speedway. The win will go down in the history books as his first, and Roush Fenway Racing’s 50th. The win was even more special for Braun since it came at MIS which is the home track for Jack Roush, Con-way Freight and Ford Motor Company.
With over 250 Con-way Freight guests in the grandstands and a truck sporting a new “True LTL” logo, Braun started the 100-lap race in 12th place. It did not take him long to work his way through the field as he moved into sixth place in the first three laps. An early caution on lap 10 brought the leaders to pit road for fuel. Braun pitted also and returned to the track in fourth place on lap 14.
Within a few laps he moved into second place behind Kyle Busch and told the team the Con-way Freight Ford was a little free in and tight through the center of the corners. The crew planned its next set of adjustments and was able to pit under caution for tires and fuel on laps 29 and 30. With a fast pit stop Braun beat his competitors off pit road, but did not have the lead since two trucks only took fuel. He restarted third on lap 33.
Halfway through the race on lap 50 Braun had settled into third place and needed a few more minor adjustments to his truck for the end. A caution on lap 60 for debris was just what he needed as he was able to pit for the last time for tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment on laps 60 and 61. The 14-second stop for tires helped Braun take the lead on pit road, but his lead was short-lived as Busch passed him on the restart on lap 64.
This time Busch did not pull away from Braun. He was able to stay close to Busch and when the opportunity came on lap 77, with some help from a lapped truck, Braun seized it. For the next 24 laps he led the field and maintained a good distance from Busch. As the checkered flag fell Braun claimed his first NASCAR victory and the 50th Camping World Truck Series win for Roush Fenway Racing with a 1.79-second margin of victory over Busch.
“I cannot think of a better place for this to happen,” Braun said. “There are so many people to thank who have stood by me and supported me through a lot of ups and downs in the past year and a half. To win in Michigan, the backyard of Con-way Freight, Ford and Jack Roush, is a pretty special place to get your first win. I have to thank my family and everyone at Roush Fenway Racing, especially the body shop. Those guys have put a lot of trucks back together for me, including this one we won with today that got torn up at Lowe’s last month. I knew we were getting close to this first win. We’ve been so close the last few races. We put ourselves in a position to win at Lowe’s and Dover, but it finally paid off today.”
With the win the No. 6 Con-way Freight team gained six positions and is now 12th in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series point standings, only 30 points out of 10th place. The next race will be on Friday, June 19 at The Milwaukee Mile. It will be live on SPEED at 9:00 p.m. (ET).
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