Harry Ranier

Harry Hale Ranier (February 25, 1937–June 21, 1999) was a for Ranier Racing with MDM, who won 39 poles and 24 races, including three Daytona 500s, in 11 years. His drivers included Lennie Pond, Buddy Baker, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison and Davey Allison.

Biography
After selling his team to engine-builder Robert Yates, Ranier disappeared from the racing scene. He said he just needed to spend more time looking after his non-racing businesses.

He returned at the start of the 1996 season as part of Ranier-Walsh Racing, campaigning a Ford Thunderbird for rookie Tony Stewart in the Busch Grand National Series.

Now Ranier says the team, which still is negotiating for a sponsor and a team manager, is ready to move up to the Winston Cup series, although Stewart’s results as a BGN rookie have been no better than average.

"Winston Cup was always our goal,″ Ranier said. ``We are Winston Cup racers and we planned on getting there as quickly as possible.

"With Tony, I think that he should be running the cars that he is going to be in permanently. We would rather have a poor Winston Cup year than a banner Busch year to get him started.″

Stewart, the only driver to win the top three USAC short track championships _ midgets, sprint cars and championship dirt cars _ in a season, is currently recuperating from a broken shoulder blade and fractured pelvic bone from a crash during an Indy Racing League event two weeks ago at Las Vegas. The 25-year-old racer is expected to make a full recovery in time to do some offseason testing in the team’s new Thunderbirds.

"It’s been sort of a mixed bag with Tony because we agreed to let him run the IRL series this year, and he wanted to do that because that has been a lifelong dream for him,″ Ranier said. "We have been totally inconsistent (in the Busch series), but we just wanted him really to use this year to get him used to driving a heavier car. We didn’t expect anything. We just wanted to let him get used to the transition and to know kind of what he’s got to look forward to in Winston Cup.″

Ranier grins when Stewart is compared with Jeff Gordon, who already is a Winston Cup champion and superstar at age 25.

``I definitely agree he has that potential,″ Ranier said. ``Tony’s statement about being the next Jeff Gordon is always that, `No, I want to be the first Tony Stewart.′ Tony definitely has the ability to become a superstar. It will take him some time, but that’s what we’re here for, to give him whatever time is necessary for him to reach that plateau.″

Ranier, who will also run 21-year-old Toby Porter in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series next season, said nobody involved with the team is expecting anything spectacular at the start.

"We are definitely going into ’97 with hat in hand," Ranier said. "We would be delighted if Tony could just make the races and just get some good seat time with the people he is going to be racing with. And we would be totally delighted if he gets a good run somewhere and happens to have a good finish.

"I think that probably the last half of the second season that we run Tony in Winston Cup, I’d say that we can expect him to show a little brilliance from time to time. From there, we expect him to take some steps forward."

Other information
Ranier, a coal mine operator from Prestonsburg, Kentucky, won 24 Cup races in 276 races. That mark includes three Daytona 500 victories, including two with Cale Yarborough and one with Buddy Baker.

Ranier's entry into the sport predates magnates such as J. D. Stacy and Billy Hagan.

Lorin also took notes from legendary Ranier Racing titans such as crew chiefs and engine builders Waddell Wilson and Robert Yates. Harry Ranier died in 1999 at age 62.

“I learned all about racing from the absolute best people in the business,” Lorin said. “Dad was as fine of a car owner as there ever was. His percentage of wins, pole positions and top-five finishes is just amazing.”

The success rate for his son, Lorin Ranier is equally impressive. His list of clients ranges from Allison and Stewart to seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series champion Sheldon Creed.