Ranger Makes History in Monterrey
18-year-old Canadian Andrew Ranger became the youngest podium finisher in Champ Car history when he came home a sensational second in the Tecate/Telmex Monterrey Grand Prix
The Toyota Atlantic graduate is in only his third season of car racing but showed he has a wise head on his young shoulders by steering clear of trouble throughout an incident-filled, caution-plagued race in gruelling 44°C (111°F) heat.
Ranger has been on the pace all weekend and was disappointed to qualify only 14th after going backwards on the set-up of his Mi-Jack Conquest Racing Lola in final qualifying.
But he moved stealthily up the order during the race and gained three places amid the melee caused by Oriol Servia's big spin in the last corner in the closing stages.
His feat of finishing on the podium aged 18 years, 6 months and 2 days eclipses the previous record of 20 years, 9 months and 14 days set by Scott Dixon when he won at Nazareth in 2001.
"My second race in Champ Car, first podium, I think it's fantastic for me [and] for the team Mi-Jack Conquest," said Ranger. "You know, I'm very proud about the team; it's their first ever podium, and it's me.
"It's unbelievable for me - crazy!"
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