Another American on way to NASCAR
The defending champion of the Porsche 250 at Barber Motorsports Park spent much of this racing season deciding not what girl to date or what college to attend but what major racing team and racing series will get his services.
Braun returns to Barber Motorsport Park Sunday for the Porsche 250. The Texas native first raced here two years ago when the ink on his first driver's license was barely dry. Last year at the tender age of 17 he out-dueled some of the world's top drivers for his second Daytona Prototype win in a month.
On Sunday he comes to Barber's knowing he may never be back.
Braun decided earlier this year that at season's end he will step away from the Rolex Daytona Prototype Series where he has found so much success. Next season he'll roll the dice as a developmental driver for Roush/Fenway Racing in the ARCA/Remax Series.
"The Grand Am Series is a fantastic series," Braun said from inside his hauler in the paddock at Barber's Friday. "It has been great at my age to race against people like (Max) Papis, (Scott) Pruett and (Max) Angelelli and learn from them.
"But NASCAR is American racing in its most popular form. Fourteen races a year aren't enough races for me. I'm looking forward to racing 36 races a year or whatever it is."