Colin Braun joins Core for ALMS season
Young motorsports star and NASCAR standout Colin Braun will return to his sports car roots in 2012 with CORE autosport, the championship-winning American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patr¢n (ALMS) LMPC-class team.
Braun, 23, will co-drive the No. 05 Composite Resources ORECA FLM09 with Jon Bennett, CORE autosport team founder and owner, and second-place finisher in the 2011 ALMS LMPC driver standings.
Despite his age, Braun has more than 17 years behind the wheel of a racing machine, including seven years in sports car racing. He has competed in multiple 24-hour events and is the youngest-ever podium finisher at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (2007).
Braun`s talents extend from karts to quarter midgets to open-wheel racers to sports cars and most recently in NASCAR competition. He did make a few stops along the way in the ALMS, including running the 2011 Sebring event with Robertson Racing (GT class).
This is only the second season for CORE autosport in ALMS LMPC competition. In 2011, the South Carolina-based organization won the ALMS LMPC team championship and the drivers of the sister No. 06 machine won the LMPC drivers` championship.
Braun will make his debut with CORE autosport at the ALMS Winter Test at Sebring International Raceway on February 8 and 9, 2012. His competition debut in the No. 05 will be at the 60th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida on March 17.
Colin Braun, co-driver, #05 Composite Resources ORECA FLM09:
"My personal mantra is simple – I want to win races.
"After looking at a lot of different options for 2012 I knew that I wanted to drive a prototype in the ALMS. I spoke with a lot of teams and on a chance I called Morgan (Brady – CORE autosport team manager) to see if there was some availability for me. Luckily there was.
"CORE autosport won two championships in only its first season in the ALMS and I understand why once I got to know Morgan and Jon. For Jon to do as well as he did in 2011 for only his first year was very impressive and I know that between the two of us we can win a lot of races.
"I`ve spent a lot of time driving high-downforce machines like those in the LMPC class in the open-wheel and sports car worlds and I really enjoy it. I`m also a fan of Michelin race tires, which the LMPC cars use.
"I can`t wait for the ALMS Winter Test at Sebring and to really shake down the No. 05 machine, as well as spend more time with the team."
Jon Bennett, co-driver, No. 05 and owner / founder, CORE autosport:
"I`m thrilled to be partnered with Colin this season. I`ve spent a lot of time with him in the off-season and know that our chemistry will prove to be successful on the track. Colin has a lot of experience and I look forward to learning from him and working with him in 2012.
"Looking at the 2012 ALMS LMPC roster, competition is going to be pretty stout with some returning teams and a fair amount of new teams. We needed a professional driver to join me in the No. 05 car who is ready to take the top spot on the podium and repeat our 2011 championships, and Colin is just the partner to do that."
Morgan Brady, team manager, CORE autosport:
"Having a talent like Colin come to CORE autosport is a testament to the hard work of the guys and to what Jon created when he started the team. Colin is a professional in every sense of the word and I`m looking forward to working with him in the No. 05 car this year.
"We are still searching for the right combination of drivers for the sister No. 06 car, but we feel confident that the No. 05 is primed for the top spot on the podium."