Ranger, the 20-year-old driver from Roxton Pond, Quebec, earned an automatic berth in the Showdown by winning the national title in his No. 27 Wal-Mart/Tide Ford. His all-star appearance was assured earlier this week when Dick Midgley, the owner of Midgley Motorsports in Victoria, B.C., provided him with a car and crew to compete in the event known as "the Daytona 500 of the NASCAR Developmental Series."
"I'm really looking forward to this race, because it is a great chance to see how you can do against the top drivers, and it is also an opportunity to showcase your talent to a lot of people of influence in NASCAR racing," said Ranger. "To be able to do this with such a well-respected team as Mr. Midgley and his crew, I couldn't be happier with the way everything has turned out."
The Showdown, which is slated for 250 laps, brings together drivers that have won a Grand National race, along with champions of the NASCAR Developmental Series. The starting field for this year's race has been increased to 40 cars.
"This is a tough competition," said Midgley, who has considerable experience working with drivers in the All-Star Showdown. "Andrew has got 20-25 guys who are going to be real good out there. What he needs to do is get familiar with the car and the race track, then push it in the last 50 laps. One of the big things about a race of this sort is the exposure – a lot of NASCAR people are watching, and that's when they pick up the best drivers of each series."
While Midgley and his crew have never previously worked with Ranger, he welcomed the opportunity to hook up with him for the all-star competition.
"Andrew is the Canadian champion, and Midgley Motorsports is based in Canada, so it seemed like a natural fit," he remarked. "Andrew is pretty well known everywhere. I haven't met him personally, but I've seen a few of his races and I believe he is a very talented young driver."
About Andrew Ranger
At the tender age of 20, Andrew Ranger has already accomplished much in his racing career. He won the Formula A Karting championship, captured top-rookie honours in the Atlantic series and, in 2005, became the youngest driver in Champ Car history to finish on the podium. He continued his winning ways in 2007 by garnering the first ever NASCAR Canadian Tire Series championship. Ranger is just as prolific off the track: a spokesperson for the Victory Lap charity program since its inception in 2002, he has helped raise almost $700,000 for the Children's Miracle Network and its affiliated Canadian hospitals and organizations.
From Rachelle Khalaf / Torchia Communications
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