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2009 In Review: Canadian Tire Series Final Wrap-Up

As the year 2009 comes to a close, a final adieu must be bid to the most recent edition of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1. The season was dominated by Andrew Ranger and his second series title in three seasons and now it's time to close the book on the year passed.

Weather Report
As with any outdoor sport, weather plays a large factor. In 2009, the Canadian Tire Series was subjected to an array of meteorological conditions from clear, sunny skies to snow flurries and everything in between. Oddly enough, the two extremes came just over a month apart. The mid-August trip to Trois-Rivieres, Que., was met by the most searing temperatures of the year - warmer than even Vernon, B.C., normally the warmest event of the year. On the flip side just five weeks later in Antigonish, N.S., a chilly morning turned rain drops into a light snow shower, but it was the rain that forced the Komatsu 300 at Riverside International Speedway to be run on Sunday afternoon as opposed to its originally schedule slot on Saturday evening. However, despite a pair of weather-related postponements to close the season, Mother Nature, by and large, was kind to the racers, teams and fans in 2009.

History Repeats
Roxton Pond, Quebec's Ranger, by winning two of the first three championships in Canadian Tire Series history, became the first multi-time title winner. While it may seem out of the ordinary to have a single driver display that sort of dominance in the early days of a series, a look at the record books shows that is not extraordinary at all. Lloyd Dane won three of the fist four NASCAR Camping World Series West championships in 1954, 1955 and 1957. Likewise, Jamie Aube collected three of the first four NASCAR Camping World Series East championships in 1988, 1989 and 1990. The trend doesn't end there, though. Jimmy Spencer won two of the first three titles (1986 and 1987) in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and Junior Miller quickly became the first multi-time champ in the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour by taking the first two titles in series history right out of the gate in 2005 and 2006.

Another Trend
While Ranger was following history in a favorable way, DJ Kennington continued his personal history in a not so positive manner. Kennington, out of St. Thomas, Ont., is a threat to win each and every race as evidenced by his four victories and all-time series best 26 top-five finishes in 38 events. Having been in the hunt for each of the three Canadian Tire Series championships, to date, Kennington has not been able to cash in that record of success for a ring. Even in a short season, most drivers are going to have problems, whether they are mechanical or the result of an accident, in a race or two. Kennington has been no exception to this rule, but the timing of these troubles has been the issue. The 32-year-old veteran has shown the uncanny knack for experiencing his bad luck early on in events which magnifies its impact on his points total.

Road Work
Many boxers credit their titles to the work they put in on the road building their stamina. The three NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 champions, too, can attribute their trophies to their own kind of road work. Ranger, in both 2007 and 2009, along with Scott Steckly in 2008 produced the highest average finish of all series competitors on the road-course portion of the schedule which equates to nearly a third of the events. In 2009, Ranger won three of the four road-course events and finished second in the fourth.

Assist To Kennington
In the midst of making the switch from custom-built motors to the NASCAR spec engine, Steckly found himself in a bit of pickle on a sun-drenched day in Saskatoon, Sask. The Milverton, Ontario-based driver had a solid piece underneath him - it was handling great in the turns and the motor was supplying the needed horsepower down the straights. After turning the fastest lap of the day as practice was nearing its conclusion, disaster struck for Steckly on the very next lap. The engine bellowed smoke and littered the .333-mile track with parts, pieces and fluid. The other motor in his team's hauler was a new NASCAR spec engine which is geometrically different from its custom-built counterpart. Therefore, simply swapping the two was not a viable option. Steckly would have to head out into the garage area and make a deal for a replacement. Still very much in the championship hunt, Steckly sought a competitive solution. Kennington happened to have a brand new Dodge engine on hand. After coming to financial terms, his crew began the process of installing the power plant. As a result of the engine change, Steckly would have to start the race from the rear of the field. He quickly made his way to the front of the field and went on to win the race - two places in front of Kennington.

New Faces
The 2009 season saw several new faces on the track. Statistically speaking, 32 percent of drivers earning points this year made their Canadian Tire Series debut in 2009 led by Joey Hanssen, who claimed top rookie honors. Not to diminish anyone's first-time efforts, three of the debuts proved noteworthy. First and foremost was that of Jacques Villeneuve. The amount of recognition the former Formula 1 and Indy 500 champion brought to this still young series was immeasurable. Just as historical was the participation of Cale Gale, the first American-born driver to compete in the Canadian Tire Series. While it had little significance from a historical perspective, the introduction of Patrice Brisebois to the series proved that the ability to compete at a professional level doesn't necessarily require years and years of experience. Talent and aptitude can overcome a lack of familiarity. The longtime NHL veteran defenseman more than held his own in the two events in which he competed.

The calendar will soon change and the 2009 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 season slides into the annals and becomes history. A new year brings renewed vigor for all the race teams along with high hopes and the dream of donning the crown in 2010.