Andrew Ranger and Jacombs Racing 13th in Full Throttle 200

Courtesy Linda Jones – LJM Marketing

BOWMANVILLE, ON – Andrew Ranger driver of the Jacombs Racing No. 27 Wal-Mart/Tide Ford Fusion posted their lowest finish of the season on August 11 with a thirteenth place. It was a night of frustration for the rookie driver who had up until this point in the season finished no worse than ninth and had posted five top five finishes and six top ten finishes in six events.

Ranger quickly caught on to the challenges that are the Mosport Oval with a tight turn one/two and a wider sweeping turn three/four as he was seventh on the practice charts after two hour-long sessions. The No. 27 Ford Fusion driver would back that up with an 8th quickest lap in qualifying to line up on the outside of row four for the start of the Full Throttle 200 later in the evening.

By lap eighty-five Ranger had worked his way up into the top five and a caution on lap 90 would see him head to the pits to the attention of the Jacombs Racing crew. While the team would eventually make quick work of tires and fuel for Ranger, it took several tries to get the No. 27 Wal-Mart/Tide car fully into the pit box so that the team could do the service. NASCAR rules that you must be fully inside the lines of your pit stall before making your changes or you will be penalized after the fact. Ranger rejoined the field in thirteenth where he would again have to start making his way to the front. By lap 165 Ranger had worked his way back up to fifth again but on a restart Ranger and the No. 02 car of Kerry Micks got together doing right front damage to the Ranger machine. On the ensuing caution period he brought the car again to the attention of the crew for repairs. The Wal-Mart/Tide Ford restarted again back in the field in twelfth. The car was just to damaged to make another run for the front and Ranger had to settle for a disappointing thirteenth place finish.

"We had a really good car out their tonight," stated Jacombs after the event. "There was a bit of rubbing and banging going on but that's what short track racing is all about. Andrew will rebound next week at Trois Rivieres on the road course and then we will have to work really hard for the last four ovals to stay on top in the points."

RESULTS: 1. #4 Don Thomson Jr.; 2. # 9 Mark Dilley; 3. # 02 Kerry Micks; 4. # 3 Jason Hathaway; 5. # 77 Derek Lynch.

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series point standings having tightened up again as the teams head to event #8 the Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres this weekend August 17-18 and 19. Ranger's lead in the points has been reduced to just 37 with five events remaining in the 12 race season.

Alex Tagliani will again join Ranger as a teammate this weekend at Trois Rivieres as he pilots the No. 8 Wal-Mart/Gain Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Robin Buck will make his final start of the 2007 season with Jacombs Racing this weekend as well. Buck finished in the top five last year at this event and is looking for another strong road race performance behind the wheel of the #88 Ron's Burner Service/Jennifer Ashleigh Foundation Ford Taurus.

Jacombs Racing prepares the No. 27 Ford Fusion that will be driven by Andrew Ranger in all twelve NASCAR Canadian Tire Series events in 2007. Wal-Mart sponsor of Ranger & Tagliani in the Victory Lap Tour program will also be the presenting sponsor of this weekend’s events at Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres.

For more information visit nascar.ca or Jacombs Racing please visit jacombsracing.ca.