Continental Tire IMSA Driver Spotlight: Colin Braun

Driver Spotlight: Colin Braun
Driver, No. 54 CORE autosport ORECA FLM09 (PC)
Follow: @colinbraun

You’re currently the PC points leader with wins at Daytona and Sebring. What’s it going to take to win the championship?

“It’s a tough field. We’ve got a lot of good guys that have been working for quite a few years now to beat CORE when it comes to team championships and when you have a target on your back like that, you tend to work harder. My guys have been doing a really good job of putting the extra effort in and we’ve seen success just based on the hard work everyone is putting in. You just keep working away and try to constantly improve and get better and I think that’s the way you win a championship. You can’t really count points and wait for points, especially the way the points system is this year. It’s important to have some consistent finishes and race wins.”

What can we expect to see at Kansas Speedway this week?

“It’s going to be very interesting to see what Kansas looks like and races like for us. We’ve got a lot of new things that IMSA has given us from a format and race standpoint. We’re out there with the IMSA Lites cars, which we’ve never been on track with before. So it will be interesting to see how they work, where they’re fast and where we’re fast. There’s quite a wide-range of driving abilities in IMSA Lites so it will be interesting to see all the different drivers and how it will all work together.

“As far as Kansas, I’m definitely looking forward to going there. I think it’s going to be a unique track. Looks like quite a few hairpins and then of course, the oval. It doesn’t look overly complicated or technical but looking forward to getting out there and seeing how it all shakes out.”

What do you think of the new race format at Kansas?

“It’s definitely a unique format. I think we were all anxious to see what IMSA came out with as far as these race formats. I think we all expected it to be two separate races, which is what IMSA indicated at the start of the year. It’s kind of shaping up to be a qualifying and almost pre-final race that sets the grid for the last 45 minute race. It will be interesting to see how it shakes out. It’s different having a big break in between the two races, and of course, no driver change since the Pro-Am drivers will be driving the first 45 minutes and the Pros drive the second 45 minutes. The break allows teams the opportunity to re-fuel, put Continental tires on and discuss strategy. But as far as I know, we will still do a single-file restart in the second race so it’s kind of an interesting mix of kind of doing two races, but also kind of doing one race with a break in the middle. Not really sure what to expect but I’m sure it will work out.”

You’re co-hosting the “Sports Car Insider” radio show on MRN. How does it feel to be on the other side of the microphone?

“It’s been fun to take a stab at doing that. It’s been a little interesting because I kind of walked in there thinking it was going to be like all my media interviews I’ve done in the past. I’ve done quite a few of them so I feel pretty comfortable. But once we got going, it was a little more challenging than I thought because I don’t have to answer questions. I’m having to come up with the questions to ask the guests. I definitely have to put a little forethought into it but it’s fun. It gives me an appreciation for all the great work the media guys do out there. It’s not an easy job.”

Tell us about your ’72 VW Beetle and where you would road trip with it?

“I really enjoy driving my 1972 Volkswagen Beetle. It was a fun restoration project that started when I was about five years old with my dad and my brother and I finally got it finished up about a year ago. It kind of took a back seat when my racing career got really busy. It was a really fun project and I really enjoy driving it. I recently got some new Continental TrueContact tires on it and I’ve had a really good time with it.

“As far as a road trip, I think a trip up to the mountains later this fall is something I’ll try to do. Without air conditioning and being an air-cooled engine, the VW’s aren’t a big fan of road trips around the Charlotte area in the summertime. So hopefully this fall when the leaves change I’ll be able to head up to the Boone area or something.”