EDITOR'S NOTE: I assume the reference to the "NASCAR Canada Series" is a reference to the "NASCAR Canadian Tire Series". Don't know if that's a french/english thing, or if Wal-Mart has an aversion to saying "NASCAR Canadian Tire Series" in its press release, because it views it as a competitor. Too funny. Either way, this is a big shot in the arm for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series to announce that a young Canadian racing star will be a full-time rookie in 2007.
Here is the release:
MONTREAL, March 29 /CNW Telbec/ - Enhancing their commitment to sick kids as part of a joint national fund-raising program for the Children's Miracle Network, Procter & Gamble and Wal-Mart Canada announced today their association with Canadian racers Alex Tagliani and Andrew Ranger for the 2007 season.
Along with partners Tide, Folgers, Kellogg's, Duracell, Gillette, Pringles, Old Spice, Jig-A-Loo, George(TM) and Fido, P&G and Wal-Mart Canada have joined forces to support the championship aspirations of Tagliani in the Champ Car World Series. They have also extended full-season backing to Ranger, who has decided to pursue his promising career in the NASCAR Canada Series
after two years in Champ Car.
Both drivers will be spokespersons for the Victory Lap Charity Program, a cross-Canada fund-raising effort on behalf of the Children's Miracle Network, an instrumental force in providing medical care and preventative education to help millions of youngsters overcome disease and injuries of all types. Now in its fifth year, the Victory Lap tour, which in 2006 included a special ticket-sales campaign for the Champ Car race in Montreal, raised some $209,000 last year.
"I am extremely fortunate to have P&G and its partners behind me as I take on this new challenge," remarked Ranger, of Roxton Pond, Quebec, whose 12-race season begins on May 26 at Cayuga Speedway Park near Hamilton. "I believe it's the right opportunity at the right time for my career. I enjoyed my two years in Champ Car, but I'm also looking forward to showing my skills behind the wheel of a stock car. If all goes well, it could lead to competing in the Busch Series race in Montreal this summer."
Tagliani, of Lachenaie, Quebec, was equally upbeat about his prospects in the Champ Car season, which starts in Las Vegas the weekend of April 6-8. "I really believe we can contend for the championship this year, and the support and confidence that Procter & Gamble, Wal-Mart Canada and their partners have expressed makes me even more motivated to succeed," he said. "Especially if my success on the track helps to raise more funds for the children."
Ranger, 20, has been associated with Procter & Gamble Canada since 2003, a span during which he won the Fran-Am Championship, captured top-rookie honours in the Atlantic series and posted consecutive 10th-place rankings in the Champ Car drivers' standings. Tagliani, 34, a seven-year Champ Car veteran who is one of the series' top contenders, is a first-time recipient of sponsorship support by P&G and its partners.
Tagliani, a driver for Rocketsports Racing, will be sporting the logos of the major partners throughout the season on his driver's suit and helmet, and his car will bear their branding for the series' three Canadian races - in Mont Tremblant, Toronto and Edmonton. Ranger will be adorned in the sponsors' colours while driving for the Mount Hope, Ontario-based Jacombs Racing Team in the NASCAR Canada Series.
Being able to support another talented Canadian driver and raising more funds for the Children's Miracle Network is a win-win situation in the view of Mark Pawliw, Senior Account Executive at Procter & Gamble Canada. "Andrew and Alex are both outstanding ambassadors for the program, not only from a visibility standpoint for its in-store charity component, but also from spending time with kids and their families at the track at selected events, helping to give them a day they will always remember," he stated.
Chantal Glenisson, Vice-President of Operations for Eastern Canada at Wal-Mart, said the company is delighted to provide its support to "an initiative that assists a pair of Canadian drivers in pursuit of lofty goals and strives to help fulfill some of the fondest dreams of youngsters waging a courageous battle in the face of serious illness."
Click here for the full release.
From Torchia Communications / via CNW
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9 comments:
Great news for Andrew Ranger and Jacombs racing! Hopefully they do well this upcoming season!
NASCAR in Canada? Here come the barbarians of racing. Well, there goes the national IQ.
There is now an article on the Toronto Star.
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/197384
First national news in months, and can tire doesn't get their rightful plug. Wonder how that goes over in the Nascar office.
This is good news for NCTS. Ranger is a very talented young driver. Very well known in Quebec. So what is Pete Shepherd doing now that T.J. Bell has bought his ride out from under him? I hope someone is trying to set up an NCTS ride for him.
I heard that Pete will be racing some acra races, and basically trying to get into anything with roush that he can.
let me get this straight. Proctor and Gamble and Wal-Mart are going to spend maybe a million dollars or so to raise a couple hundred thousand dollars for the childrens miracle network ? Sounds like a miracle or two for Alex and Andrew, but what about for the network ?
Any significance to the Proctor and Gamble involvement here and their previous work with Racesportz. Is Racesportz no longer backed by P&G in the NCTS?
I believe that Andrew and Alex are going to be spokes persons for the children miracle network. So by going to events and whatnot is now they will raise money for the events. I am not really to sure how they are going to do it. Its all about getting there name out there though so that people know about the children's miracle network and such.
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