J. R. Fitzpatrick

John Ryan Fitzpatrick (born May 9, 1988 in Cambridge, Ontario) is a Canadian stock car driver. He is currently the youngest driver to win the CASCAR Super Series championship. He drives the #84 Schick Chevy for his father in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and the #67 Ford for Go Canada Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Early career

John Ryan (J.R.) Fitzpatrick 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.

NASCAR Canadian Tire

He remained in his fathers #84 Chevrolet 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. While 2009, he drove the #84 for a part time deal winning Circuit Gilles Villeneuve leading the most laps. For 2010 he returned to the series full time with sponsorship from Shick 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 will run again in 2011.

Nationwide

Fitzpatrick made his mainstream NASCAR debut in the NASCAR Busch Series (now the NASCAR Nationwide Series) race at the Telcel-Motorola Mexico 200 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico. He came in 33rd place in that race^[1] due to an ill handling racecar. He finished 43rd in the NASCAR Busch Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Quebec on August 4, 2007,^[2] right after the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race at the same track where he won the race. He drove the famed #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 staling 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. in all three road course in his #7 team for 2010, he picked up his first Nationwide top 10 coming home 7th at Road America (Nationwide)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 sponsored by Schick. However, he finished 42nd in the race. J.R. will race for newly formed team Go Canada Racing at Nashville.

Camping World

On Feb. 13, 2009, Fitzpatrick finished fourth in his No. 7 Mammoet Chevrolet Silverado 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.^[3] After Martinsville his deal with Kevin Buckler at TRG Motorsports fell through and he was a free agent. He recently signed a deal with KHI to run the #4 truck in a handful of races starting at Dover International Speedway with minimal success.

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