NASCAR Canadian Tire Series: Andrew Ranger shines in the dark at Cayuga

Coke Zero 200: Andrew Ranger shines in the dark

 

Hagersville, August 31^st, 2008: We know that NASCAR likes to run races at night. And it was exactly that kind of race which awaited the drivers on Saturday night at Cayuga Motor Speedway. What we did not know was that part of the night would be spent in the dark, without lights! On lap 83, a power failure sent the track into darkness and forced all the competitors to  an involuntary stop which lasted more than an hour.

 

It would take more than that to shake Andrew Ranger's determination. 10^th after the qualifying session, he rapidly started to overtake his competitors from the beginning of the race. On lap 14, he was fifth and then third by lap 75. He stayed there until the pause in the race on lap 83. At the restart, he managed to keep his position until lap 98 when, bumped from behind, he found himself in fifth place again. On lap 129, he once again was in third place and was involved in a back-and-forth battle for second, the position which he would have when the chequered flag was waved. "I am extremely happy of the result tonight. The car was great; a big thanks to the team for all their hard work. This first oval race podium this year is excellent for the remainder of the championship."

 

The only Quebec driver to race for Jacombs Racing this weekend, Andrew Ranger had a young, 22 year-old Ontarian driver by the name of Pete Shepherd as his team mate. Qualified 13^th, he finished the race in an interesting 16^th after having spent most of the race in the top-10. "I am really happy with this result. I would have loved to finish in the top-10 but given the circumstances and the steering problems I had, this is a really great first experience. I want to thank the entire team and my partners to have offered me such an opportunity."

 

Absent from the 10^th round of the season, Alex Tagliani was in Michigan at the wheel of a Conquest Racing single-seate, taking part in the Detroit Grand Prix, an Indy Racing League event.

 

With four podiums, including two wins, in the last five races, Andrew Ranger confirms both his talent as a driver and his reigning champion title in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series. No doubt that the remaining three events on the 2008 calendar will be hard fought. Next race is on September 6^th on the oval at Barrie Speedway in Ontario.

 

 

The Victory Lap Charity Program

 

The Victory Lap Charity Program, affiliated to Opération Enfant Soleil in Quebec and to Children's Miracle Network in the rest of Canada, aims to raise funds to help sick children across the country. Since the program's inception in 2003, over $700,000 have been raised for 14 children's hospitals in Canada.

 

In 2008, the Victory Lap takes an even bigger leap forward and plans to break the $1,000,000 mark in donations since 2003. To do so, the program counts on the support of Wal-Mart stores in Canada, the participation of prestigious brands and on the generous input from Andrew Ranger and Alex Tagliani as program ambassadors.

 

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Source: Professional Sports Management