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Continental Tire IMSA Driver Spotlight: Colin Braun

This week’s Continental Tire IMSA Driver Spotlight, Colin Braun…

Photo: IMSA

Photo: IMSA

Driver Spotlight: Colin Braun
Driver:, No. 54 CORE autosport Oreca FLM09
Follow: @ColinBraun

Congrats on winning the PC championship. Was this title one of the more difficult in your career, considering some adversity over the course of the season?

“This was a tough championship, but I have to say to win a championship at this level is always tough and that is what makes them great! We had to work hard in 2015 to win the championship – which makes me feel like the season we had in 2014 was such a special season. Those kind of years don’t come around too often and we capitalized on it and performed very well.

“In 2015, I felt we operated the same way we just didn’t quite seem to have things fall our way and when you have a ‘rougher’ season and still win the championship you know you are driving for a great team!”

What was your most satisfying race this year?

“That is an easy one!  COTA this year was very satisfying for me personally.  To win in my home state was awesome of course, but the main highlight was the fact that we were able to get up to the lead (which was fun in itself) but then the power steering failed and I had to drive the car for quite a while with no power steering.

“Certainly, when you are leading the race and the power steering fails it motivates you to keep pushing but I didn’t think I would be able to hold on for the rest of the race. Luckily, my time in the gym came in handy and I was able to.  So being able to win a race with no power steering and continue to pull out a lead was pretty satisfying!”

Are you excited for the small upgrades to the PC car for 2016 and how do you think it will impact the racing?

“I am excited for some small changes. I think in general the class is fantastic but having some new parts and pieces will be fun to sort out and understand what and how they affect performance and how we can maximize them. I always enjoy a new challenge and this will be no different. I think CORE prides itself on adapting quickly and maximizing performance!”

You’ve competed in a number of Chump Car races with your family. Any good/memorable stories from that?

“We have a blast racing in the Chump Car series. My dad and I are both 50/50 team owners.  It’s so much fun!  We have a 1994 Mazda Miata and I swear that thing is built like a tank – we just add oil and change brake pads!  It is a lot of fun to be able to go to the racetrack with no pressure and just enjoy racing – goes back to your roots a bit.

“My dad who drove a lot in his earlier days also drives this car, so it is fun for us to share stories about the events on track etc.  I have to say that having a top level engineer like that actually drive the car gives me a lot of joy, since he will get on the radio and complain about a lot of the same things I have complained about in the big races (the sun is in my eyes and I can’t see, I hit traffic so this is a bad lap, the setup is junk and I can’t go fast because of it, the brakes are fading away, etc…) and he has always told me in the past as an engineer just to suck it up and deal with it!  So it is funny to be on the other end now and get to tell him on the radio from the pits to just suck it up!”

What are your plans for the offseason?

“I will be competing in the NASA Thunderhill 25-hour race this year in a Ginetta LMP3 car, so I have been busy with testing that and trying to get it sorted out a bit better for the race.  It is a very nice car—just needs some polishing and testing.  Also I’ve been revamping and getting our Chump Car ready for the 2016 season!

“Of course I’ve been up to the usual of working out and cycling, although I am going to have bundle up with the colder weather. Jon Bennett and I also are competing in the Las Vegas Rock N Roll ½ Marathon again along with our better halves, so that will be a blast!”

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