David Ragan Biography
David Ragan Biography
David Ragan (born December 24, 1985 in Unadilla, GA) is a stock car racer who drives the #6 UPS Ford in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series and the #6 Discount Tire Company Ford in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing and is the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of the Year. He is also the Official 2009 United Parcel Service race car driver. He has raced in ARCA, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the NASCAR Busch Series. His father, Ken Ragan, is a former Winston Cup journeyman.
David Ragan's Racing Career
Ragan graduated in 2004 from J.M. Robinson High School in Concord, North Carolina. He made his Truck debut at the age of 18 at Texas Motor Speedway in 2004 for Fiddleback Racing, finishing twentieth. He ran nine more races that year, finishing nineteenth twice. He also ran one Busch Series race that year for Sadler Bros. Racing, achieving a thirty-first place finish at the Ford 300. In 2005, he ran three Busch races for Day Enterprise Racing, his best finish being a thirty-sixth place at The Milwaukee Mile. In the ARCA series, he won his first race at Lanier National Speedway. He will next season be racing with sponsor, UPS for his sprint cup car.
In 2005, Ragan was also featured as a contender on Roush Racing: Driver X. Despite concerns from Roush executives about his trait as being outspoken, Ragan won a ride in the Craftsman Truck Series. In 2006, Roush originally intended Nextel Cup regular Mark Martin and Ragan to split duties in the #6 Scotts Miracle-Gro Company Ford F-150. Ragan would run the #50 Ford in several races that Martin was also scheduled to run. He made his debut in the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and started on the pole in his third start, when qualifying was rained out, but struggled in his four starts, crashing twice and never finishing on the lead lap. He scored his first career top-ten at Texas Motor Speedway, where he finished eighth, then had four consecutive top-tens, and won his first career pole at O'Reilly Raceway Park. He made his first Busch Series start at California Speedway, replacing Danny O'Quinn in the #50 World Financial Group Ford Fusion. He qualified for his first Nextel Cup race at Dover International Speedway driving the #06 3M Performance Ford Fusion. David finally got his first win at the 2009 Aaron's 312 where he made a last second pass on Ryan Newman for the win after Newman hade made contact with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
On October 11, 2006, Roush Racing named Ragan as the full time driver for 2007 in the #6 AAA Ford Fusion, replacing long-time driver Mark Martin.
Ragan attempted to run the remainder of the 2006 schedule under the #60 No Fear Racing banner (a Roush-affiliated team that receives its equipment from Roush), as the #06 team was limited to running a maximum of seven races under NASCAR rules limiting the maximum number of teams one owner can have.[1], and the 06 team had already attempted six races in 2006 (including a DNQ by Todd Kluever). He did not make a race in the 60. During the closing parts of the season, Ragan was restricted from running 1.5 mile ovals due to a poor performance at Martinsville Speedway where he was involved in several incidents and drew the ire of several of his fellow Sprint Cup competitors, including Tony Stewart, who called him "a dart without feathers."(Source:Article:Associated Press)
Ragan's first start in the #6 car was the 2007 Daytona 500, where he finished 5th. He finished 3rd in the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond, his best finish to date, and he finished runner up to Juan Pablo Montoya for Rookie of the Year. He also competed in a full season in the Busch Series, finishing 5th in points, and was named Rookie of the Year. Also, Ragan suffered more accidents than any other driver with 26 in 2007.(Source Jayski.com) David Ragan is one of a handful of drivers who wear their blood type on their uniform, Ragan's blood type is O positive. David Ragan won his first race, a Nationwide race at Talladega Superspeedway, by taking advantage of contact between Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr., and passing Newman coming to the checkered flag.
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Born: 12/24/1985 