Driver Bruce Ranger posted his 9,000th career victory when he steered Anderlecht to the winner’s circle in the first race on Friday (June 14) at Bangor Raceway.
It was the first of four consecutive victories for the 59-year-old Ranger, who became the 24th driver in North America to reach the 9,000 career-win plateau.
Ranger’s career began in his native Maine in 1978. He enjoyed success in New England and the Delaware Valley before becoming the all-time leading driver at Pompano Park. He is in the Florida and New England halls of fame.
In 2015, Ranger decided it was time to retire from racing as the result of the wear-and-tear on his body. He returned to Maine with no thoughts of driving ever again. But last summer Ranger began driving the starting gate on the state’s fair circuit and soon found the competitive juices starting to flow.
“Nobody was more surprised than me,” Ranger told the USTA’s Ken Weingartner earlier this year about his return to the sulky. “After about three weeks at the fairs, I started to get the itch to race again. It definitely wasn’t in my plans. It was really something. I can’t say it hasn’t been fun. It gets the adrenaline going again.”
Ranger has won 44 times in 274 starts this year, with purse earnings of $162,336. He is the leading driver at Bangor Raceway with 31 wins, $79,179 in purses and a .436 UDR.
(USTA)