News
Braun, No. 16 Team Have Disappointing End to Promising Day
Talladega, Ala. (April 26, 2010) – Colin Braun qualified 13th for the Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway, which was run a day later than scheduled due to severe weather that plagued the area. After surviving right side damage in a multicar accident on lap 20 and then clawing his way back up through the field, Braun’s day ended just a few laps too early after contact from the No. 7 on lap 114 of the scheduled 117 laps. He finished 32nd.
Braun moved up to eighth at the conclusion of the first lap and was seeing how his No. 16 Con-way Freight Ford handled in the draft. This was Braun’s first time to the 2.66-mile track in a Nationwide Series car. NASCAR mandated a competition caution on lap 20, but the caution flag was shown instead for a wreck which was started at the front of the pack. Unfortunately, Braun received slight right-side damage from the spinning car of teammate Carl Edwards in the accident. Crew chief Eddie Pardue assessed the damage with the help of the No. 16 spotter and Braun brought the Con-way Freight car down pit road four different times for the crew to make repairs, change tires and add fuel. The rookie restarted in the 33rd spot on lap 28.
Braun then set out to move to the front of the pack and did just that. By the second caution on lap 46, Braun had moved into the 13th position and after quick service by the No. 16 Con-way Freight pit crew, Braun gained two more spots and restarted 11th on lap 50. He continued to work the draft, moving up and back through the field learning where his car worked best. By lap 56, Braun moved the Con-way Freight machine into the top-five and was scored fifth. Unfortunately, he was hung out of the draft by the No. 22 car, but quickly got back in line to try again.
Braun remained in the top-10 through a green-flag pit-stop on lap 87 and was scored 10th on lap 96. Competition got dicey on lap 103 as the field began to realize the laps were winding down and patience was scarce. While working his way back up through the field, contact was made between the Con-way Freight car and the No. 7 driven by fellow rookie Steve Arpin. This sent Braun across the track and onto the apron, finishing his day on lap 114, just three laps shy of the scheduled end of the race.
“Despite the early damage there, things were going pretty well for us,” Braun said after the race. “I was really learning a lot and getting more comfortable running in the draft with this car. It’s obviously frustrating for everyone to work that hard and then finish the way we did. I guess that is sometimes what happens when you come to a place like Talladega. I will just look forward to running the Con-way Freight car in Dover in a few weeks.”
Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag in a wild finish that saw multiple cars wrecking prior to crossing the start-finish line. Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Jason Keller, and Johnny Borneman III rounded out the top-five finishers. Braun sits fourth in the Rookie of the Year standings, six points behind leader Brian Scott.
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