Full Throttle

Glad you asked.

While the majority of NASCAR Nation was transfixed on central lower Michigan and MIS the sanctioning body’s northern cousin was in action Sunday at historic Mosport International Raceway.

The second of 12 NaCTS events was held Father’s Day and CCWS fans should recognize Sunday’s winner. After finishing tenth in the 2006 CCWS standings Andrew Ranger (and rideless in 2007) found himself a ride in the new Canadian stock car series.

To say he’s adapted quickly would be an understatement. He had a respectable fourth place on the oval at Cayuga Speedway Park last month and after taking the pole at Mosport and the win he leads the current point standings.

Ranger’s win wasn’t clear sailing though. His pole position was for naught as he incurred a drive through penalty for jumping the start. On a later pit stop he committed a cardinal error by stopping the #27 Wal-Mart/Tide Ford Fusion too close to pit wall costing valuable on track positions.

Ranger took the lead for good on lap 43 from second-place finisher J.R. Fitzpatrick. After flirting with a nearly three second lead, Ranger beat Fitzgerald to the line by 1.694 seconds.

Ron Beauchamp finished third, he was followed by Peter Gibbons and D.J. Kennington in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Mark Dilley, Jeff Lapcevich, Dave Whitlock, Derek Lynch and Brad Graham rounded out the top 10.

OTHER NOTES: Keep and eye out for a NaCTS feature to move south. On restarts the lead lap cars are double file at the head of the field with lapped cars lined up in order at the tail of the field. Busch East and West Series’ instituted the same procedure in 2006 with little to no complaints from fans or drivers.

This wasn’t the first tin-top event held at Mosport. In the early to mid-sixties USAC held events on the road course. Paul Goldsmith edged Indy winner Rodger Ward for the win in 1962. Parnelli Jones also won a USAC event in 1967.

Remember the “NASCAR Dad,” “NASCAR Mom” silliness that became part of political campaigns the last few years? The idea has migrated north.

The Conservative Party has shifted its advertising strategy into a new gear and slapped the party logo, a big blue Conservative “C”, on the #29 that raced yesterday.

Oh joy! As if NASCAR in any country needs to get more political.

UPDATE: CCR (Credence Clearwater Revival? Or am I just dating myself?) of Black Flag Blog notes it didn’t take long for the “haters” to come out of the woodwork with news the Conservative Party has used NaCTS as an advertising vehicle.

Would you be surprised to know one of the critics is of the “NASCAR-in-the-most-evil-wasteful-killer-of-the-EARTH,” on the earth?

Nah… I didn’t think so. But it proves one thing… it’s not the water that causes the same type of dementia in similar types living the the States.