Lorin Ranier

Lorin Ranier (born June 1965) is an American businessman and entrepreneur involved in professional auto racing, He is most famous for his ownership of Ranier Racing with MDM.

Biography
Ranier has been part of NASCAR for decades. Working with his father first before gaining a reputation as one of the top spotters in the sport, he led the way to bringing A-list drivers Davey Allison, Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson aboard.

Today, Lorin is all about finding talent that can someday drive competitively at the top level.

“The young talent seeks me out to help them,” he said. “It’s mainly the parents. I go to a lot of the tracks where the young drivers are racing.”

Misha Curnutte for several years oversaw the Ranier Racing exhibit.

“The real NASCAR fans who knew its history came to Prestonsburg just to see the history,” she said. “Lorin was so easy to work with and most appreciative of our town’s efforts to tell the complete story.”

Lorin hopes Prestonsburg will do its part in keeping his family’s connection to the town and NASCAR alive.

Career
Ranier helped bring A-list drivers such as Davey Allison, Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson into NASCAR. He also has groomed countless other motorsports prodigies.

“NASCAR is more than a job, it’s a lifestyle. And I live it every day,” Ranier said.

Ranier, 55, came to Abingdon on Feb. 1 with one of his rising stars.

Zane Smith, who finished second in the NASCAR Truck Series standings last year, is scheduled to compete in 6 to 8 Super Late Model events this season for the Highlands Motorsports team owned by Abingdon businessman Wade Lopez.

“I’ve been working with Zane for about three years and he’s an incredibly well-rounded talent,” Ranier said. “Zane can drive a race car with the best of them, plus he’s great with fans, sponsors and teammates.”

In addition to winning two Truck races last year, the 22-year-old native of Huntington Beach, California was voted as the most popular driver.

“How many drivers have ever been voted as the most popular in their first year competing in a series,” Ranier said. “That’s hard to believe when you consider veteran drivers like Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter have been in trucks for years and have big fan bases.”

Feud with other drivers
Ranier, who oversaw the team's driver development program, had an office next to Steve's. He knew talent, and Shane's ability had impressed Ranier years earlier.

One day, he asked Steve if Shane had any plans to race again. "The kid is too talented and too young not to be racing somewhere," Ranier told Steve.

Shane was working for truck series owner Billy Ballew at Ballew's race shop doing whatever was needed, from changing engines and running errands to cutting bumper bars and washing trucks. Racing full time wasn't something he was considering. Kicked out of NASCAR, what else was there?

"Race car drivers race," Ranier told Shane during their two-hour lunch meeting where they discussed Shane's future.

Ranier set up a three-race deal for Shane to race midget cars that spring in California as a test. Shane started working out at the gym at Ganassi's race shop to get into shape.

"I think the first couple of times he went over there, he actually worked out so hard that he threw up," Rainer said.

Actually, Shane says, it was the first three or four times.

Shane quickly dropped 20 pounds. Less than three months after meeting Ranier, he was set to race again.

"I was nervous," says Shane, who had never driven a midget car. "I didn't know if I was going to be any good."

Before Shane's first race, Steve called Shasta Raceway Park in Anderson, California, and asked the track photographer to send him a picture of Shane competing. Steve wanted a new photo of his son racing, one he could look at without regret.