Ranger to miss races

UPDATE #2 Ranger will drive in Denver. From the team press release – Andrew Ranger is back up to fifth in the Championship standings en route to Denver, despite suffering his first DNF of the season due to on-track contact at the last race. Leaving San Jose, Ranger had fallen to sixth, but following Champ Car's decision to take away seven points from Paul Tracy, because of on- and off-track events in San Jose, he has moved back up one position. In the last three races, the young Canadian has qualified in the top-eight and has finished in the top-ten twice. Last season in Denver, Ranger overcame all sorts of difficulties – black flag and slight contact at the start – to finish tenth.

08/07/06 Correction, Ranger is 5th in points, not 6th. His participation in the Denver race in four days from now has yet to be confirmed.

08/06/06 Fears that Canadian Andrew Ranger will not race the whole Champ Car season because of financial woes appears to be coming true. Ranger's No. 27 Mi-Jack/Conquest Lola was being driven by Italian Enrico Toccacelo at the team's test at Road America. Toccacelo previously raced in the F3000 and A1GP series and as a test driver for the Minardi F-1 team. Toronto Sun

[Editor's Note: Ranger is 6th in points and not very far out of 4th. He is Canadian and last time we checked, Champ Car has three races in Canada, and none in Italy where Toccacelo is from. With just 5 races to go, it makes zero sense to replace Ranger at this point, and if it's being done for money (i.e. ride buyer) then it is going to cast doubts in Champ Car's ability to come out strong in 2007. If some teams cannot afford to finish out this year how will they afford new cars in 2007? Of course just because Toccacelo was tested, it may not mean he will replace Ranger, as the team might have taken the opportunity to evaluate fresh talent for next year.]