Colin Braun, Roush Fenway Racing team move to Nationwide ranks in 2010
CONCORD, N.C. – Not only will Colin Braun’s sponsor move to the NASCAR Nationwide Series for 2010, but so will his Camping World Truck Series team.
Sponsor Con-way Freight announced Tuesday that it would sponsor Braun’s No. 16 Ford in 18 Nationwide races next season as Braun moves full time to the series.
Braun also said Tuesday that crew chief Mike Beam and his Truck team will move up with him.
“Mike Beam and I work together so well,” Braun said. “We’ve gotten to become really good friends. I enjoy working with him, and I feel like he teaches me a lot and has a good understand of what I need to keep working on and what I need to keep learning. He’s such a good teacher. For us to keep working together is going to be great.”
Braun has raced two full seasons in the Truck series with Beam, winning once and posting nine top-five and 19 top-10 finishes.
But Roush Fenway Racing co-owner Jack Roush has decided to field full-time Nationwide teams for Braun and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. next year.
“Colin is going in this business to be as good as anybody’s been,” Roush said. “He’s certainly motivated. His family has raised him to be a race-car driver. He’s committed to it. And he’s well-schooled for his age. He’s ready.”
Braun turned 21 last month and has seven Nationwide races under his belt. He already has two poles and a top-five finish in the series.
“I’m excited to get the opportunity to get to run the full-time Nationwide Series,” Braun said. “It’s going to really teach me a lot, getting to work with Carl Edwards every week. Being a teammate of mine, it’ll be an opportunity to learn a lot. Definitely excited about that and the chance to keep moving up and checking off the lines on the accomplishments is cool.”
A team spokesperson said that Eddie Pardue, crew chief of the current No. 16 team, will remain with Stenhouse Jr. Roush said Stenhouse Jr. would drive the No. 6 entry next season.
