Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
Andrew Ranger finished third in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series points standings last year after winning one race last season, and the two-time champion is looking for more in 2016.
Ranger heads into the 2016 season with a new crew chief in Dave White after working with Bill Burns for several years, and having Burns as a crew chief since 2013. Ranger admits the change will be a big adjustment going into the season.
“It’s a big move for me, actually,” Ranger told RaceTimeRadio on Sunday. “I’d been with Burns for many years with many wins and two championships, so now to have a new crew chief in Whitey boy, it’s going to be fun. We tested at Mosport and it’s been good. We’ve made some changes and I think it’ll be good.”
The Pinty’s Series heads to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for its first race of the season. Ranger’s won at CTMP three times in the past, and was in contention for a win last spring at the track before being involved in a last lap crash resulting in a ninth-place finish. Ranger also finished sixth in the fall after leading 15 laps. Despite disappointing finishes in the last two outings at CTMP, Ranger will be one of the favourites heading back there on Victoria Day weekend.
“It’s a fun race track,” said Ranger. “I enjoy it every time I go there. it’s kind of track that challenging for the driver – lot of hills and cars move a lot. It’s great. I have a lot of fun and with the test that we did last week, we were fast and able to put a lot of speed in the corner. I just feel very comfortable so it’s a track that I really like.
“Every year, I am in the top five in practice and qualifying (at CTMP), but never finishing there, so I want to do well this year. It seems that something always happens in the last three laps, or like last year on the last lap with Scott Steckly. There’s a lot of cars on track so if you don’t do good there, you lose a ton of points so those two races there, I need to finish in the top-three or top-five.”
Ranger enters the season atop the all-time win list in the Pinty’s Series, and with four-time champion Scott Steckly decreasing his role as a driver, Ranger has the chance to increase over Steckly in the win column. Ranger believes that this could be his year to win more races, and win a third championship.
“I won’t lie – we proved two times that I am able to win a championship,” said Ranger. “I have more than 20 wins in the series and it’s a fun series to race in Canada and be supported by Mopar. They’re such a great sponsor to work with the team. I think I have all the equipment this year to win a championship. I will try. Every time I do a full-season in the series, I am in the top three at the end of the championship so I hope I can win another one.”
