NASCAR's Canadian-based series makes a stop just across the Washington state border in Vernon, British Columbia on July 31, 2010. The event features live pit stops and stars such as defending series champion and former IRL driver, Andrew Ranger.

Courtesy: NASCAR Media Relations

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR announced today the schedule for the fourth season of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1, which will take the series to some of the top racing facilities throughout Canada.

The schedule features 13 dates at 13 different tracks across six provinces. The slate includes tracks and events familiar to the series, but the addition of a shared date with the Indy Car Series in Toronto is new for 2010.

Andrew Ranger will commence his title defense when the season begins on Saturday, June 5 at Delaware (Ont.) Speedway. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series made its first visit to the half-mile oval last season at which DJ Kennington, competing on his home track, made his way to Victory Lane for the first time since September 2007.  The track is also part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

"This is our fourth year in Canada and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 just keeps getting better," said George Silbermann, NASCAR’s managing director of racing operations. "All of the facilities we visit are top notch which certainly enhances our product. I think the great race fans of Canada will enjoy another exciting season in 2010."

While the schedule has remained consistent since the series’ inaugural season in 2007, there have been additions each year to better position the series, drivers and teams in the marketplace. This year’s new component to the schedule is a Saturday, July 17 race in Toronto as part of the Toronto Indy weekend. Additionally, the 1.721-mile, 11-turn temporary track on the streets of Toronto also adds a fifth challenging road course to the slate of events.

Once again next season, the annual swing through Western Canada will consist of three dates. However, in a subtle change the order of the stops is different for the upcoming year.

The first western event will take place on Sunday, July 25 on the demanding 1.973-mile Rexall Speedway in Edmonton, Alberta. In a return to the 2008 format, both the Indy Car Series and the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will race on the same day at the Rexall Edmonton Indy.

From there, the series makes its way to the speedy half-mile tri-oval of SunValley Speedway in Vernon, B.C., on Saturday, July 31. Last season, Ranger earned his first oval-track victory in front of a standing-room-only crowd.

The final stop on the western swing is set for Wednesday, Aug. 4 at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway in Saskatoon, Sask. In 2009, the series made its debut at the track in the first ever NASCAR-sanctioned event in the province of Saskatchewan that sold out weeks in advance. Scott Steckly overcame a blown engine in practice and a start at the rear of the field to collect the historic victory.

The signature event on the schedule takes place on Sunday, Aug. 29 on the legendary Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, a 2.71-mile temporary street course, on Montreal’s IÎe Notre Dame. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series again will join the NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series for the very popular event. JR Fitzpatrick picked up the win last season to spoil Ranger’s bid to win all four road-course events on the 2009 schedule.

In what has become a tradition, the season will close and a new champion will be crowned at Kawartha Speedway, a .375-mile oval near Peterborough, Ont., on Saturday, Sept. 25. Last year, Kennington picked up his fourth series-career win in the event while Ranger celebrated his second title.

Other 2010 highlights include:

• The schedule includes races on eight ovals: Auto Clearing Motor Speedway, Autodrome St. Eustache, Barrie Speedway, Delaware Speedway, Kawartha Speedway, Mosport Speedway, Riverside Speedway and SunValley Speedway; and five road courses: Circuit de Trois-Rivieres, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Mosport International Raceway, Rexall Speedway and the temporary street course in Toronto.

• On June 12-13, the series will run at Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville, Ontario at the facility’s 2.459-mile, 10-turn road course. The race is part of an eventful weekend at the 750-acre facility. The series will also visit Mosport’s half-mile oval on Saturday, Aug. 21, which is a little later in the calendar than it traditionally has been.

• The popular visit to Quebec’s Autodrome St. Eustache is scheduled for Saturday, July 3. A huge crowd is always on hand at the .4-mile flat oval located northwest of Montreal. Steckly won this event last season while Canadian racing hero Jacques Villeneuve made his series debut.

• The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Quebec is on tap for Aug. 13-15. Last season, Ranger thrilled the fans of his home province with his second straight victory on the 1.53-mile temporary street course. Joining the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series in Trois-Rivieres will be the Grand-Am KONI Sports Car Challenge.

• The Barrie (Ont.) Speedway date is set for Saturday, Sept. 11. Each of the past three trips to Barrie on this weekend has resulted in overflow crowds. The .333-mile tri-oval always produces one of the most exciting and action-filled events of the season.

• The trip east to the Maritime Province of Nova Scotia for a Saturday, Sept. 18 event at Riverside International Speedway is a popular stop for the competitors. Tackling the high-banked turns of the .333-mile scale version of the legendary Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway is always a thrill for both competitors and fans. Ranger collected his sixth win of the season in this event in 2009 to cap off his dominate season.

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