Braun Aiming to Use LMP2 as Springboard for GTP Return

Colin Braun says he aims to use a season in the LMP2 class as a springboard to a return to the GTP ranks of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2025 following the end of the Meyer Shank Racing Acura program.

Braun shared the No. 60 MSR Acura ARX-06 with Tom Blomqvist in 2023, the pair finishing third in the standings after bookending their campaign with wins in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and Motul Petit Le Mans.

However, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti’s expansion to a second Acura for 2024 meant there was no room for the MSR program to continue.

Braun will move to the LMP2 class for 2024, sharing a Oreca 07 Gibson with George Kurtz for CrowdStrike Racing by APR.

But the 35-year-old Texan says he’s still holding out hope for a return to the GTP class in 2025 amid the current manufacturer boom.

“It’s obviously sad for everybody,” Braun told Sportscar365 when asked about the end of the MSR program. “Mike [Shank] and Jim [Meyer] put together a great team and we were executing really well, we had a great season.

“Of course you want to keep that momentum going, but it wasn’t the case. It was a bit disappointing because we were really just hitting our stride, getting good results from the mid-season to the end of the season.

“But I’m excited about this opportunity and the buzz is still so high in GTP with all the manufacturers, so we’ll see what shakes out for 2025 and beyond.

“I think this is a great environment to find a gig to get back in GTP for sure.”

Braun and Kurtz are sharing a car in the 2023-24 Asian Le Mans Series, joined by Malthe Jakobsen aboard the Algarve Pro Racing-run No. 4 CrowdStrike Oreca.

The trio sit second in the standings after the opening weekend of the season earlier this month at Sepang, where they took victory in the second race.

Braun says the strong start to the campaign has given him encouragement for next month’s Rolex 24 as APR seeks to avenge its heartbreaking defeat in the LMP2 class in this year’s running.

“I think we have everything we need to challenge for victory,” said Braun. “These guys finished second by the slimmest of margins last year, so I like to think we can find a second over the course of 24 hours!

“George has done a great job this season in LMP2 and evolved a lot, and for APR doing a second year in IMSA, they’ve learned a lot about this style of racing.

“I feel pretty confident about Daytona. I think it will be my 20th time this year, so I have good experience, we have the car, we have all the pieces of the puzzle I think. We just have to execute and have a bit of luck, which is never a given.”