GRAND AM (DAYTONA) - Colin Braun Suspended From Grand-Am Competition Until September 1

Colin Braun, the 18-year-old driver of the No. 75 Krohn Racing Pontiac Riley in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Special Reserve, has been suspended by Grand-Am Managing Director of Competition Mark Raffauf following the latest in a series of on-track incidents during last Friday’s Crown Royal 200 at Watkins Glen International.

Braun, who is currently sixth in the Grand-Am Rolex Series Daytona Prototype standings, has been suspended until September 1, which will force him to miss the Armed Forces 250 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., August 25. He will be eligible to return to competition for the season-ending SunChaser 1000k at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, Utah, September 15.

Braun was advised by Raffauf prior to the Crown Royal 200 that any on-track incidents in which he was involved could result in suspension. In the race, he made contact with championship contender Max Angelelli’s No. 10 SunTrust Pontiac Riley as the pair battled for second in the race’s final laps. Braun had also met with Raffauf earlier in the year regarding on-track incidents in the Rolex Series events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Barber Motorsports Park and Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.

“Colin Braun is one of the brightest talents the racing world has seen in the last few years,” Raffauf said. “However, like other emerging stars before him, occasionally these young drivers need to be refocused. I have no doubt that Colin will emerge from this suspension as an even better driver and we look forward to his return in the SunChaser 1000.”

Braun has recorded five top-three finishes and two poles in Grand-Am Rolex Series competition this year after a breakout 2006 campaign that saw him capture a pair of victories with eventual Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype Champion Jörg Bergmeister. The first win in the Brumos Porsche 250 at Daytona gave Braun the distinction of being youngest winner of a major, modern era auto race at 17 years, nine months and seven days. He and Bergmeister followed that victory with a second consecutive win one week later at Barber Motorsports Park.