David Ragan
Encyclopedia
David Ragan, is an American
NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He has previously driven the #6 Roush Fenway Racing ford, but is currently looking for a ride for the 2012 season. He is known to reside in Huntersville, North Carolina
.
Ragan was born in Unadilla, Georgia
, the son of former racer Ken Ragan
, and began his racing career racing in the Bandolero Series at age 12. Four years later, he began competing in the Goody’s Dash Series with Cam Strader. After one year, he moved to the Legends Pro-Division to race for Mark Martin
. He concluded the season by finishing fourth in the point standings. At age 18, Ragan began racing in the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Series, and the ARCA Racing Series.
In 2007, he moved the Sprint Cup Series, driving for Roush Fenway Racing. Between 2007 and 2011, he has recorded 22 top-tens in the series.
On July 2, 2011, David Ragan won his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup series race, the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
in December 1985, the son of former racer, Ken Ragan. Ragan started his racing career in the Bandolero Series at age 12. During the following year, he managed to win twelve races and the National Championship. In 1999, he won the National Championship for the second time. In 2001, Ragan began racing in the Goody’s Dash Series with Cam Strader. During the season, the two built late model
s for Ragan to use in 2002. In 2002, he began racing in the Legends Pro-Division for Mark Martin
. At the end of the season, he finished fourth in the final point standings.
, where he qualified 28th and finished in the 20th position for Fiddleback Racing. During the season, he failed to qualify for one race, and failed to finished six of the ten races he participated in. Ragan also participated in one Busch Series race at Homestead Miami Speedway, finishing 31st, after starting 36th. In the following season, he participated in Roush Racing: Driver X
as the co-driver of the number 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford F-150 in the Truck Series. After participating in 19 events in the series, he recorded one top-five, eight top-ten finishes, and earned one pole position
.
Also in 2005, Ragan participated in three Busch Series events, as well as 19 ARCA Racing Series events, where he managed to win one race, and record three pole positions, eight top-five and 11 top-ten finishes. During the 2006 season, he participated in three Busch Series events, and two Nextel Cup Series (now Sprint Cup Series) events. He also participated in 19 Truck Series events, where he recorded two pole positions, one top-five and eight top-ten finishes.
standings in both Nextel Cup and Busch Series, where he managed to finished second in the Nextel Cup Series, while winning the award in the Busch Series. During the Cup season, Ragan recorded two top-five finishes, with one being in the 2007 Daytona 500
, and three top-tens, finishing 23rd in the point standings. During the Busch Series season, he earned two pole positions, four top-five and nine top-ten finishes, while finishing fifth in point standings. Also in 2007, he participated in one ARCA Racing Series event, where he managed to finish in the fourth position.
In 2008, he raced in the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series, as well as in two ARCA Racing Series events. In the Cup season
, he recorded six top-five and 14 top-ten finishes, while finishing 13th in the final point standings. During the Nationwide season
, he managed to get seven top-fives and 21 top-ten finishes. Ragan clinched fourth in the final point standings. One year later in 2009, he participated in only the Cup Series and the Nationwide Series. During the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
season, he recorded two top-ten finishes and finished 27th in the point standings. However, in the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series
season, he won two races, and earned five top-fives and 15 top-ten finishes, while finishing 18th in points.
During 2010
, he only participated in the Sprint Cup Series. He recorded only three top-five finishes and finished 24th in points once the season concluded. In 2011
, he began the year almost winning the Daytona 500, but he got penalized for moving lanes before he crossed the line on the restart with two laps to go. On May 21, 2011, he won the Sprint All-Star Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway
, passing Brad Keselowski
with two laps to go.
He won the Coke Zero 400 on July 2, 2011 for his first career Sprint Cup win. He was elgible to compete in the "wild card" to get himself into the chase. After bad finishes a few weeks before the final race before the chase at Richmond, he finished 4th but was 54 points away from 13th to put himself into a chase position.
As of November 20th, 2011, it is unlikely that Ragan will return with Roush Fenway Racing for next season. His full time sponsor, UPS, announced their departure from the #6 team earlier in the season. UPS will move over to the #99 car of Carl Edwards for 2012. Unless the organization can pick up a new full time sponsor for the car, they will likely run a number of part time drivers with part time sponsors. Those drivers could include Trevor Bayne and newly crowned Nationwide series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Sprint Cup Series race car driver. He has previously driven the #6 Roush Fenway Racing ford, but is currently looking for a ride for the 2012 season. He is known to reside in Huntersville, North Carolina
Huntersville, North Carolina
Huntersville is a large town in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus Counties, North Carolina, United States. The population was 46,773 at the 2010 census, which makes Huntersville the 19th largest city in North Carolina. It is located about 12 miles north of uptown Charlotte. It is thought that the town...
.
Ragan was born in Unadilla, Georgia
Unadilla, Georgia
Unadilla is a city in Dooly County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,772 at the 2000 census. The name is a native term for "gathering place."-History:The community was incorporated in 1891....
, the son of former racer Ken Ragan
Ken Ragan
Ken Ragan is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and the father of NASCAR Sprint Cup driver David Ragan. Ken made 50 Cup starts from 1982 to 1990, mostly for his brother Marvin, but also drove in the 1985 season for Roger Hamby. Ragan's best finish was an 11th place that he recorded at Talladega...
, and began his racing career racing in the Bandolero Series at age 12. Four years later, he began competing in the Goody’s Dash Series with Cam Strader. After one year, he moved to the Legends Pro-Division to race for Mark Martin
Mark Martin
Mark Martin may refer to:* Mark Martin , American racecar driver* Mark Martin , American cartoonist* Mark Martin , American judge* Mark Martin , British murderer...
. He concluded the season by finishing fourth in the point standings. At age 18, Ragan began racing in the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Series, and the ARCA Racing Series.
In 2007, he moved the Sprint Cup Series, driving for Roush Fenway Racing. Between 2007 and 2011, he has recorded 22 top-tens in the series.
On July 2, 2011, David Ragan won his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup series race, the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
1996–2002
Ragan was born in Unadilla, GeorgiaUnadilla, Georgia
Unadilla is a city in Dooly County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,772 at the 2000 census. The name is a native term for "gathering place."-History:The community was incorporated in 1891....
in December 1985, the son of former racer, Ken Ragan. Ragan started his racing career in the Bandolero Series at age 12. During the following year, he managed to win twelve races and the National Championship. In 1999, he won the National Championship for the second time. In 2001, Ragan began racing in the Goody’s Dash Series with Cam Strader. During the season, the two built late model
Late model
A "late model car" is a car which has been recently designed or manufactured, often the latest model. The term is broadly used in car racing, and often appears in common use, as in "The officer was driving an unmarked, late model sedan."There is no precise...
s for Ragan to use in 2002. In 2002, he began racing in the Legends Pro-Division for Mark Martin
Mark Martin
Mark Martin may refer to:* Mark Martin , American racecar driver* Mark Martin , American cartoonist* Mark Martin , American judge* Mark Martin , British murderer...
. At the end of the season, he finished fourth in the final point standings.
2003–2006
At age 18, Ragan moved to the Craftsman Truck Series (now Camping World Truck Series), as well as the Busch Series (now Nationwide Series) and the ARCA Racing Series. During his first career start in the ARCA Series, he qualified in the second position, but failed to finish the race after having tire failure. His first race in the Craftsman Truck Series was at Texas Motor SpeedwayTexas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
, where he qualified 28th and finished in the 20th position for Fiddleback Racing. During the season, he failed to qualify for one race, and failed to finished six of the ten races he participated in. Ragan also participated in one Busch Series race at Homestead Miami Speedway, finishing 31st, after starting 36th. In the following season, he participated in Roush Racing: Driver X
Roush Racing: Driver X
Roush Racing: Driver X is a television show on the Discovery Channel that documented the selection of NASCAR drivers for Roush Racing. During occasional years, Jack Roush, the owner of NASCAR's Roush Fenway Racing, auditions drivers from around the world to hire a driver in the NASCAR Craftsman...
as the co-driver of the number 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford F-150 in the Truck Series. After participating in 19 events in the series, he recorded one top-five, eight top-ten finishes, and earned one pole position
Pole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
.
Also in 2005, Ragan participated in three Busch Series events, as well as 19 ARCA Racing Series events, where he managed to win one race, and record three pole positions, eight top-five and 11 top-ten finishes. During the 2006 season, he participated in three Busch Series events, and two Nextel Cup Series (now Sprint Cup Series) events. He also participated in 19 Truck Series events, where he recorded two pole positions, one top-five and eight top-ten finishes.
2007–2011
For the 2007 season, Ragan moved to the Nextel Cup Series as the driver of the number 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. He also participated for the NASCAR Rookie of the YearNASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....
standings in both Nextel Cup and Busch Series, where he managed to finished second in the Nextel Cup Series, while winning the award in the Busch Series. During the Cup season, Ragan recorded two top-five finishes, with one being in the 2007 Daytona 500
2007 Daytona 500
The 2007 Daytona 500 was the first race of the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season, taking place on February 18, 2007 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Kevin Harvick won the race by .02 second over Mark Martin in the closest finish since the first race at Daytona...
, and three top-tens, finishing 23rd in the point standings. During the Busch Series season, he earned two pole positions, four top-five and nine top-ten finishes, while finishing fifth in point standings. Also in 2007, he participated in one ARCA Racing Series event, where he managed to finish in the fourth position.
In 2008, he raced in the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series, as well as in two ARCA Racing Series events. In the Cup season
2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began on February 9, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday, February 10, 2008 for the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17...
, he recorded six top-five and 14 top-ten finishes, while finishing 13th in the final point standings. During the Nationwide season
2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series
The 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series began on February 16, 2008, at Daytona International Speedway with the Camping World 300, and ended on November 15, 2008, at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 300. This was the first season in which NASCAR's second-tier series was known as the Nationwide...
, he managed to get seven top-fives and 21 top-ten finishes. Ragan clinched fourth in the final point standings. One year later in 2009, he participated in only the Cup Series and the Nationwide Series. During the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 61st season of professional stock car racing in the United States, which began at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, with the 2009 Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, a race for the top six teams of the four brands in the 2008...
season, he recorded two top-ten finishes and finished 27th in the point standings. However, in the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series
2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series
The 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series began on February 14, 2009 at Daytona International Speedway with the Camping World 300. The season concluded on November 21, 2009 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 300. With 25 top-five finishes, Kyle Busch was the season champion...
season, he won two races, and earned five top-fives and 15 top-ten finishes, while finishing 18th in points.
During 2010
2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 62nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States. Beginning at Daytona International Speedway, the season included 36 races and two exhibition races. The season concluded with the 2010 Ford 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway...
, he only participated in the Sprint Cup Series. He recorded only three top-five finishes and finished 24th in points once the season concluded. In 2011
2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 63rd season of professional stock car racing in the United States. The season included 36 races and two exhibition races, beginning with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway and ending with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The...
, he began the year almost winning the Daytona 500, but he got penalized for moving lanes before he crossed the line on the restart with two laps to go. On May 21, 2011, he won the Sprint All-Star Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
, passing Brad Keselowski
Brad Keselowski
Bradley Robert Keselowski is an American auto racing driver currently competing in the #2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger in the Sprint Cup Series and the #22 Discount Tire Company/Ruby Tuesday Dodge Challenger in the Nationwide Series for Penske Racing...
with two laps to go.
He won the Coke Zero 400 on July 2, 2011 for his first career Sprint Cup win. He was elgible to compete in the "wild card" to get himself into the chase. After bad finishes a few weeks before the final race before the chase at Richmond, he finished 4th but was 54 points away from 13th to put himself into a chase position.
As of November 20th, 2011, it is unlikely that Ragan will return with Roush Fenway Racing for next season. His full time sponsor, UPS, announced their departure from the #6 team earlier in the season. UPS will move over to the #99 car of Carl Edwards for 2012. Unless the organization can pick up a new full time sponsor for the car, they will likely run a number of part time drivers with part time sponsors. Those drivers could include Trevor Bayne and newly crowned Nationwide series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr.