John Ryan Fitzpatrick (born May 9, 1988) is a Canadian professional

stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of Auto racing, automobile racing run on oval track racing, oval tracks and road courses. It originally used Production vehicle, production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifical ...

driver. Fitzpatrick was the youngest driver to ever win the now defunct CASCAR Super Series championship, winning in the series' final season of 2006 at the age of 18.

Early career

John Ryan (J. R.) Fitzpatrick was born in

Cambridge, Ontario Cambridge is a city in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, located at the confluence of the Grand River (Ontario), Grand and Speed River, Speed rivers, in the central part of the Ontario Peninsula. The city had a population ...

, and got his first taste of racing in karts at the age of six, moving quickly to the Canadian Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (CASCAR) junior ranks and then on to Late Model stock cars by the time he was 13 years old. Racing in the CASCAR Super Series what is now the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at age 16, Fitzpatrick finished 11th in the point standings and second in the Rookie of the Year standings in 2004. Then at 17, he achieved three top-five and five top-10 finishes, scoring his first win. At age 18, he became the youngest driver to become a Canadian Tire Series National Champion with one win, five podium finishes and two pole awards.

Racing career

NASCAR Canadian Tire Series

He remained in his fathers No. 84

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after CASCAR was acquired by NASCAR; In 2007, Fitzpatrick earned two wins, four top-fives, seven top-10s and three pole awards in the Canadian Tire Series where sponsorship came from Milwaukee Tools. In 2008 he had one victory (Mosport), five top-fives, six top-10s and two pole awards. During 2009, he drove the No. 84 for a part-time deal winning

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, also spelled ''Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve'' (), is a motor racing Race track, circuit on Notre Dame Island in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the venue for the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA Form ...

leading the most laps. For 2010 he returned to the series full-time with sponsorship from Schick he picked up his first win of the season at Mosport on the road course layout on June 13 and also won the event at Edmonton, he swapped the points lead with D. J. Kennington for over five times during the year going on to finishes second in the points. He ran again in the series in 2011, finishing third in points. He returned to the Canadian Tire Series in 2012 and won the seasons first event at

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formerly Mosport Park and Mosport International Raceway) is a multi-Race track, track motorsport venue located north of Bowmanville in Clarington, Ontario, Canada, approximately 75 kilometers (47 miles) east of To ...

he also won the Series's largest even Montreal and finished second in points.

Sprint Cup Series

In early 2012 it was announced that Fitzpatrick would compete in the Sprint Cup Series' Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen race in August 2012 at

Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International, nicknamed "The Glen", is an automobile race track in the Northeastern United States, northeastern United States, located in Dix, New York, just southwest of the village of Watkins Glen, New York, Watkins Glen, at the ...

for Turn One Racing. Fitzpatrick and Turn One Racing would cut ties in early 2012, and the deal never materialized.

Nationwide Series

Fitzpatrick made his mainstream NASCAR debut in the Busch Series race at the Telcel-Motorola Mexico 200 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. He came in 33rd place in that race due to an ill handling racecar. He finished 43rd in the NASCAR Busch Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

on August 4, 2007, right after the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at the same track where he won the race “I was very tired” stating J.R. He drove the famed No. 4 KHI Chevy at both of the road courses in 2009. He Finishing 19th at Watkins Glen after getting in a wreck on the last lap. In Montreal he was on pace for a top 10 finish before stalling the car after going off course leading to a poor finish one lap down. It was announced that J.R. will drive for

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. (born October 10, 1974) is an American professional stock car racing driver, team owner, and broadcaster. A third-generation driver, he is the son of the late 7-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt and relative ...

in all three road course in his No. 7 team for 2010, he picked up his first Nationwide top 10 coming home 7th at Road America on June 19 and his second top 10 with a 7th in Montreal. Fitzpatrick returned to the Nationwide Series with Baker Curb Racing at

Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, Daytona Beach, Florida, United States, about north of Orlando, Florida, Orlando. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, the most prestigious race ...

sponsored by Schick. However, he finished 42nd in the race. He competed in six further races during the year for Go Canada Racing.

Camping World Truck Series

On February 13, 2009, Fitzpatrick finished fourth in his No. 7 Mammoet

Chevrolet Silverado The Chevrolet Silverado is a range of trucks manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand. Introduced for the 1999 model year, the Silverado is the successor to the long-running Chevrolet C/K model line. Taking its name from the to ...

at Daytona International Speedway during the NextEra Energy Resources 250 Camping World Truck Series Event. Fitzpatrick led 17 laps in the event, his third race in the series and first at a restrictor plate track. After Martinsville his deal with Kevin Buckler at TRG Motorsports fell through and he was a free agent. After driving several races for Kevin Harvick, Inc. and Chase Mattioli in 2009 and 2011, he was scheduled to drive full-time in 2012, driving the No. 60

for Turn One Racing, although he would be released after the first two races.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

( key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. ''Italics'' – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Nationwide Series

Camping World Truck Series

Canadian Tire Series

Season still in progress
Ineligible for series points

CASCAR

Castrol Super Series

Parts For Trucks Prostock Tour

Parts For Trucks Pro Stock Tour

Gallery

File:JR Fitzpatrick Fitzpatrick Motorsports Chevrolet Toronto 2010.jpg, Fitzpatrick's 2010 Canadian Tire Series car File:7JRFitzpatrick2010Bucyrus200RoadAmerica.jpg, 2010 Nationwide car at

Road America Road America is a motorsport Road racing, road course located near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Wisconsin Highway 67. It has hosted races since the 1950s and currently hosts races in the IndyCar Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship, Sports Car Club ...

File:Nationwide 67 JR Fitzpatrick 2011 Road America Bucyrus 200.jpg, 2011 Nationwide car at Road America

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fitzpatrick, J. R. Living people 1988 births Sportspeople from Cambridge, Ontario Racing drivers from Ontario NASCAR drivers Canadian sportspeople of Irish descent CASCAR Super Series drivers JR Motorsports drivers Canadian racing drivers