MONTREAL — After narrowly missing the victory a season ago, Andrew Ranger sealed the deal this season in the NAPA 100 after passing J.R. Fitzpatrick on the white-flag lap for his first win of the 2008 season.
Ranger got to Fitzpatrick’s rear deck lid going into the turn eight and nine combination at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event when Fitzpatrick left a small opening and Ranger was able to drive his Ford through it.
“He opened the door a little and I was able to stick my nose in there and get past,” said Ranger.
After Ranger completed the pass, Fitzpatrick, in an effort to make up the lost ground, drove deep into the corner and was left spinning out of contention.
It was Ranger’s second-career win in the Canadian Tire Series. The defending series champion had not gone to victory lane since June 2007, a span of 16 races.
After Fitzpatrick made contact with the wall heading into the turn 10 hairpin, point-leader Scott Steckly moved into to second place, but was not in position to apply any pressure to Ranger.
Last year’s winner, Kerry Micks, finished third after starting the race on the pole. D.J. Kennington and Don Thomson, Jr. finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
The finish:
Andrew Ranger, Scott Steckly, Kerry Micks, D.J. Kennington, Don Thomson, Jr., Jeff Lapcevich, Mark Dilley, Robin Buck, Dave Whitlock, Brad Graham, Pierre Bourque, Peter Gibbons, Derek Lynch, Dave Connelly, Kent Nuhn, John Gaunt, Doug Brown, Joey McColm, John Fletcher, Jarrad Whissell, Ron Beauchamp, Jr., J.R. Fitzpatrick, David Thorndyke, Trevor Seibert, Peter Klutt, Jim Lapcevich, Didier Schraenen, Jason Hathaway, Alex Tagliani, Bryan Cathcart, Jason White, Ashley Taws, Anthony Simone.