Kawartha: Goodyear Racing race notes

RANGER TRACKS DOWN CANADIAN TIRE SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP

FRASERVILLE, Ontario, Canada (Sept. 23, 2007) -- Andrew Ranger won the inaugural NASCAR Canadian Tire Series title Sunday when his finished sixth in the final race of the season at Kawartha Speedway here.

Not bad for a driver whose stock car racing experience was virtually nil before the start of the season.

Goodyear is the exclusive tire provider for the Canadian Tire Series. The bias-ply tires supplied to the NCATS come from the same line Goodyear supplied to the two series in NASCAR's Grand National Division, the Busch East Series and the West Series.

Scott Steckly won the race, his first victory of the 2007 season. Peter Gibbons finished second, followed by Ron Beauchamp, Derek Lynch and Dave Whitlock. Steckly averaged 51.790 mph for the 300-lap race.

Ranger's closest competition for the title, veteran D.J. Kennington, fell out of the race on the 98th lap around the 4/10-mile oval when the engine on Kennington's car failed. Ranger beat Kennington 1,896 to 1,793 in the final standings.

The championship means Ranger will get a chance to compete in the NASCAR Toyota Showdown at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, Calif.

Mark Dilley won the Budweiser Pole Award with a lap averaging 76.254 mph.

-credit: goodyear racing