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Ranger Claims Toronto Win

Earns third road-course win in the last month

TORONTO -- Andrew Ranger continued his mastery of road courses, taking the Jumpstart 100 Saturday in the first visit for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 to the Toronto street course.

It is the 10th career series win and seventh on a road course for Ranger. The two-time series champion, who is not running for the title this year, has also captured a pair road-course wins in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series in the last month.

In his last nine Canadian Tire Series road-course starts, the 23-year-old out of Roxton Pond, Que., has finished on the podium every time and has six victories. Then, factor in the two K&N Pro Series wins and the third-place effort last August at Montreal in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the numbers become almost staggering.

“I don’t know what to think. I think I am comfortable on the road courses,” said Ranger in an understatement.

POS	CAR	DRIVER
1	27	Andrew Ranger
2	11	Jason Bowles
3	17	DJ Kennington
4	4	Don Thomson Jr.
5	02	Kerry Micks

By winning Canadian Tire Series events in Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto and Trois-Rivieres, Ranger has been at the forefront on some of the largest stages ever for Canadian stock-car racing since leaving open-wheel racing in 2007.

“I love racing for the fans in Canada. I’m from Montreal, but I think all Canadians are my home fans,” he said. “I prefer stock cars. It’s not that it is better than open wheel, it’s just different and I love NASCAR racing.”

With a pair of oval track triumphs in last year’s run to his second series title and solid showings in just a handful of opportunities this season in the K&N Pro Series on ovals, Ranger seemingly is becoming one of the top talents within the NASCAR Developmental Series ranks.

To get this victory, Ranger had to hold off the field on a green-white-checkered finish. A caution on the final lap for an accident ended the race under yellow.

Ranger won the pole Friday and was out front all day Saturday, spending most of the time fending off the challenges of JR Fitzpatrick, who was right on Ranger’s rear deck lid for much of the race as the two broke away from the pack by nearly five seconds at one point. Fitzpatrick, however, got loose following the final restart and lost several positions to finish eighth.

Also an accomplished road racer, Jason Bowles, the reigning NASCAR K&N Pro Series West champion out of Ontario, Calif., finished second, and now has a pair of podium finishes in his two series starts despite not having a great deal of time behind the wheel of a Canadian Tire Series car which are different from the equipment to which he is accustomed.

“I’m still learning these cars and it’s the first time I’ve raced here in Toronto, so it was a good day for us,: Bowles said. “We tried a lot of different stuff in practice and the crew did a great job of preparing the car. I think we’re in good shape for the next time out.”

After finishing third at Mosport International Raceway in June and second in Toronto, Bowles looks to continue that progression upward next month in Montreal, his next series outing.

Points leader DJ Kennington, racing out of St. Thomas, Ont., finished third, but, in effect, picked up his third series win of the season with only the two part-time competitors in front of him.

“This was a win for us in my book in terms of the big picture,” said Kennington. “We got the most points among the full-time guys. (Ranger) is so talented on these road courses. I just look to stay close and keep up.”

Don Thomson Jr. and Kerry Micks finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Trevor Seibert, Jeff Lapcevich, Fitzpatrick, Peter Klutt and Brad Graham rounded out the top 10 on the 1.765-mile temporary course at Toronto’s Exhibition Place.

In the point standings, Kennington stretched out his lead over Fitzpatrick to 41 points with Micks 82 off the pace.

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will return to the track Sunday, July 25 for the Canadian Tire 100 when it races at Edmonton City Centre Airport, the 1.973-mile temporary road course in Alberta.

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Andrew Ranger (27) and JR Fitzpatrick coming to the green flag in the Jumpstart 100. Matthew Manor/NASCAR