Looking forward to the next race season is always exciting. 2010 should prove to be a great year for many upcoming stars in NASCAR. Next season, the Nationwide series will be the new playground for Colin Braun. The young driver will pilot the No. 16 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing with Con-Way Freight as his main sponsor.  Braun's crew chief for the 2010 Nationwide season will be Eddie Pardue, who has been the crew chief for the No. 16 car since 2006.

But, who is Colin Braun? Where is he from? Why will he be the next big star? To answer these questions, one simply has to look at what Braun has done in the past.  Growing up, he was introduced to racing by his father Jeff Braun, a professional race engineer. At the tender age of 5, the Texan from Ovalo, climbed in to his quarter midget car which had more high tech equipment on it than the average family vehicle. He put on his helmet, buckled the seat belt, mashed the gas, and shot straight into the future. Braun has competed in many series since he was five, including quarter midgets, go-karts, Formula TR 1600, Grand-Am, and Camping World Trucks.

Last year, Braun finished fifth in the Camping World Truck Series point standings after only two years of running a full season; he earned a 13th place finish at the end of his first season in 2008. Braun drove for Roush Fenway Racing in the No. 6 Con-Way Freight Ford F-Series both years while in the Camping World Truck Series, raking in one win, 12 top-5's, and 22 top-10's.

But, will he be ready to go Nationwide racing next year? 

“I feel like since we did get in the top five in points we can kind of put this race behind us, and work on building the Nationwide car and get ready to go Nationwide racing next year. I'm sure it will be pretty different,” says Braun.

Yeah, I think he's ready!

Braun is reportedly sharing the car with other drivers such as Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He will be running for Rookie of the Year honors in 2010 along with his teammate Stenhouse Jr. Even though Braun will be fighting for time in the seat, I am sure that by the end of this 2010 Nationwide series Roush Fenway Racing will have found their next Nationwide driver who will be ready for the Sprint Cup Series in only a couple of years. 

With several championships under his belt in several series and lots of seat time it is unclear just how far this young man will reach, but certainly the sky is the limit. Braun is 21 years old and has now been racing for more that three quarters of his life. With many years of racing still lying in wait, could we see history made again, this time by Braun? Only time will tell, but what we do know is that he is an extraordinary young man capable of contributing much to the sport and its fans.

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