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David Ragan
View on WikipediaDavid Lee Ragan (born December 24, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing, and is also an analyst for NASCAR on Fox on NASCAR Race Hub.
Key Information
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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 finished the season by finishing fourth in the point standings. At age 18, Ragan began racing in the Camping World Truck Series, the Nationwide Series, and the ARCA Racing Series.
In 2007, he moved up to the Sprint Cup Series, replacing Mark Martin in the No. 6, and driving for Roush Fenway Racing. Between 2007 and 2011, he recorded 30 top tens in the series. On July 2, 2011, Ragan won his first career Sprint Cup Series race, the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. His second win, the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway in May 2013, was also the first win for Front Row Motorsports.
Racing career
[edit]1996–2002
[edit]Ragan was born in Unadilla, Georgia in December 1985, the son of former racer Ken Ragan.[1] Ragan started his racing career in the Bandolero Series at the age of twelve. During the following year, he won 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 models 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.[1]
2003–2006
[edit]
At the age of eighteen, Ragan moved to the Craftsman Truck Series, as well as the Busch Series and the ARCA Re/Max Series. During his first career start in the ARCA Series, he qualified in the second position, but failed to finish the race after suffering a tire failure.[2] His first race in the Craftsman Truck Series was at Texas Motor Speedway, where he qualified 28th and finished in the twentieth position for Fiddleback Racing. During the season, he failed to qualify for one race, and failed to finish six of the ten races he participated in.[3] Ragan also ran one Busch Series race at Homestead Miami Speedway, finishing 31st, after starting 36th.[4] In the following season, he participated in Roush Racing: Driver X as the co-driver of the No. 6 Roush Racing Ford F-150 in the Truck Series. After participating in nineteen events in the series, he recorded one top-five, eight top-ten finishes, and one pole position.[2]
Also in 2005, Ragan participated in three Busch Series events,[5] as well as 19 ARCA Racing Series events, where he won one race, and recorded three pole positions, eight top-five finishes, and eleven top-ten finishes.[6] During the 2006 season, he participated in three Busch Series events,[7] and two Nextel Cup Series events.[8] He also participated in nineteen Truck Series events, where he recorded two pole positions, one top-five, and eight top-ten finishes.[9]
2007–2011
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For the 2007 season, Ragan moved to the Nextel Cup Series as the driver of the number 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Fusion. He also participated in the NASCAR Rookie of the Year standings in both the Nextel Cup and Busch Series, where he finished second in the Nextel Cup Series, while winning the award in the Busch Series.[1] During the Cup season, Ragan recorded two top-five finishes, one being in the 2007 Daytona 500, and three top-tens, finishing 23rd in the point standings.[10][11] During the Busch Series season, he earned two pole positions, four Top 5's, and nine Top 10's, while finishing fifth in the final point standings.[10][12] Also in 2007, he participated in one ARCA Racing Series event, where he finished in the fourth position.[13]
In 2008, he raced in the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series, and in two ARCA Racing Series events. In the Cup season, he earned six Top 5's and 14 Top 10's, while finishing thirteenth in points. During the Nationwide season, he got 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 zero top-fives and two top-tens and finished 27th in points. However, in the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series season, he won two races and earned five top-fives and fifteen top-tens, while finishing eighteenth in points.[10]
During 2010, he only participated in the Sprint Cup Series. He recorded zero top-fives, only three top-ten finishes, and finished 24th in points once the season concluded.[1] 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.[10] On May 21, 2011, he won the Sprint 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 after getting a late push from teammate Matt Kenseth.[14] He was eligible to compete in the "wild card" to get himself into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. After bad finishes a few weeks before the final race before the Chase at Richmond, he finished fourth but was 54 points away from thirteenth to put himself into a Chase position. At the end of the 2011 season UPS, Ragan's primary sponsor on the Roush Fenway Racing No. 6 Ford, announced that they would no longer sponsor the No. 6 and that the company would scale back its racing program next season, leaving the number 6 team without sponsorship and ultimately forced the camp to shut down, making Roush Fenway Racing a 3-car team for the 2012 season.
2012–2014
[edit]
In January 2012, Ragan signed with Front Row Motorsports to drive the No. 34 Ford for the team in 2012.[15] He drove for GC Motorsports International in the season-opening Nationwide Series event at Daytona.[16] Ragan got off to a bad start with FRM, crashing out on lap two of the Daytona 500 and finishing last. He would eventually go on to finish 28th in Cup Series points.
Ragan started the 2013 season with a rotating roster of sponsors. He started the season wrecked at the Daytona 500 (along with his two other teammates, David Gilliland and Josh Wise) and had no finish better than twentieth in the first nine races. However, during the Aaron's 499, Ragan started the green–white–checker restart in 10th-place. On the last lap, teammate Gilliland was able to help push him past Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards to win the race. This was his first win with Front Row Motorsports and the team's first Sprint Cup win,[17] as well as the first NASCAR win for his sponsor for that race, Farm Rich. The 34 team improved more in 2013, earning sixteen top-25 finishes, including the win, a twelfth-place finish at the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, and a sixth-place finish at the fall Talladega race. However, three consecutive engine failures during the Chase dropped Ragan to 28th in points.
For 2014, Ragan returned to Front Row Motorsports No. 34 to run the full season with sponsorship from Farm Rich and CSX. In the Nationwide Series, Ragan joined Biagi-DenBeste Racing in the No. 98 Ford for several races throughout the season.[18] Ragan got his first top-ten finish on a non-restrictor plate track with Front Row Motorsports in the 2014 Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway by gambling on track position with five laps to go in the race. It was his first top-ten of the season and came with a paint scheme paying tribute to the late Wendell Scott, who had also driven the number 34. Ragan finished 32nd in points.
2015
[edit]Ragan returned to Front Row Motorsports in 2015. Ragan's owner points were given to new teammate Cole Whitt, but Ragan raced his way into the Daytona 500, finishing seventeenth in the race.
Joe Gibbs Racing
[edit]After the 500, Ragan was tapped by Joe Gibbs Racing to take over the No. 18 Toyota for several races while Kyle Busch was out with leg injuries.
At Atlanta, Ragan nursed the No. 18 to an eighteenth-place finish. This was followed by a 22nd place finish at Las Vegas and a 21st place finish at Phoenix. At Auto Club, he made moves on several late restarts to take a fifteenth-place finish. At Martinsville, Ragan took the best finish of his stint with JGR with a fifth-place run. This was followed by a 13th-place finish at Texas.
At Bristol, Ragan started in eleventh place. However, he was caught up in a crash on lap 312 and finished 41st, 76 laps down. At Richmond, he started 10th and finished 23rd, two laps off the lead lap.
At Talladega, Ragan started in ninth place. However, he sustained severe damage in the Big One on lap 47 and finished 38th, 65 laps down.
The nine races in which Ragan participated entitled him to a one-fourth share (nine races) of Sprint Cup championship team bonuses, as the No. 18 team won the 2015 championship, worth $1,197,075 for his championship efforts.
With Erik Jones replacing Kyle Busch for the July Xfinity race at Daytona, Ragan drove the No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota and was running well until he was caught in an accident late in the race.
Michael Waltrip Racing
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Ragan was originally scheduled to return to Front Row after his stint at JGR was over. However, it was announced on April 28 that beginning at Kansas, the No. 18 would be handed to rookie Erik Jones until Busch's return, while Ragan would move to Michael Waltrip Racing and drive their No. 55 car for the remainder of the season, beginning at Kansas.
At Kansas, Ragan was involved in a two-car accident on lap 121 with Josh Wise and finished 33rd, four laps down. At the Coca-Cola 600, he started seventh and was running well until his engine blew up with 47 laps to go, leaving him with a 41st-place finish.
At Dover, he started fifteenth and finished thirteenth. At Pocono, Ragan started 21st and finished 23rd. At Michigan, Ragan fell off the lead lap and was scored 35th when the race was called for rain.
At Sonoma, Ragan started in ninth. He'd be involved in two wrecks during the day. On lap thirty, when coming out of turn seven, Martin Truex Jr. forced him into the grass. When Ragan's car got back onto the racing surface, he clipped Truex from behind, sending Truex into the tire barriers. Later, following a restart on lap 79, Ragan was racing alongside Carl Edwards for position when, coming through the esses in the same spot as Truex's crash, Edwards' car bounced over the outside curb, sending him into Ragan, and sending both cars into the jersey barriers on the inside of the track. Ragan finished 39th.
Returning to Daytona for the Coke Zero 400, Ragan started eighth. He was involved in a single-car spin on the back straightaway on lap 149 after contact with Landon Cassill, but was able to recover and finish twelfth. At Kentucky, he started 25th and finished eighteenth. This was followed by a 21st place finish at Indianapolis, a seventeenth place finish at Pocono, and a 23rd place finish at Watkins Glen. After the race at Homestead, in which Ragan finished 27th, MWR closed its doors, leaving Ragan without a ride.
2016
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On January 19, 2016, it was announced that Ragan would drive the No. 23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry for BK Racing.[19] The No. 23 team struggled mightily, as the team's engines did not have enough speed to be competitive every week. Ragan's best result with the BK team in 2016 was a sixteenth-place finish at the Coke Zero 400. During late summer, Ragan was thrown into the spotlight after Chris Buescher, driving Ragan's old No. 34 at FRM, won at Pocono while trailing Ragan for 30th in points. The battle between Buescher and Ragan for the thirty-first (and therefore Chase eligibility for Buescher) became a focal point of the lead-up to the Chase. Buescher ended up qualifying for the Chase, while Ragan dropped several spots to finish 33rd overall in Sprint Cup points, a career-worst, marking his first season without at least one top-ten finish. Ragan parted ways with BK Racing after the season.[20]
For the second year in a row, Ragan drove in relief for Joe Gibbs Racing in the July Xfinity race at Daytona, driving the No. 18 Toyota, replacing Matt Tifft, out on medical leave.[21] Ragan sat on the pole, but crashed on the last lap, and finished 21st.
2017
[edit]
After departing BK Racing following his worst career points finish, Ragan returned to Front Row Motorsports, where he drove from 2012 to 2015, to drive the No. 38.[22] His first race back at FRM resulted in a 25th-place finish in the Daytona 500 after he was involved in a crash while running in the top five. His first top-ten in over a year came at the GEICO 500 at Talladega, where he finished tenth after avoiding the Big One late in the race and making daring four-wide passes on Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Ty Dillon, Clint Bowyer, and Chris Buescher all on the final lap. This result boosted him up five spots in the point standings to 28th.
Ragan continued his string of good momentum with a 17th-place finish at the spring race at Kansas, his third consecutive top-twenty finish, boosting him to 27th in the point standings. While his top-twenty streak ended at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he finished 23rd, it allowed him to maintain 27th in the standings. His momentum abruptly ended at Dover, where a late crash with five laps to go relegated him to a thirtieth-place finish and sent him back to 29th in the overall standings. Ragan was up front with a handful of laps to go at Daytona in July in a position to score his third career win. He led the race with two laps to go, ultimately getting passed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who ended up winning the race. Ragan was the only driver to score both stage points in both stages and left Daytona with a top-ten finish, where he finished 6th.
After a few subpar mid-twenties finishes, Ragan bounced back with a seventeenth-place finish in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race after running as high as twelfth in the race. Ragan was headed for another top-twenty finish in the Bojangles' Southern 500, running as high as fifteenth early in the race, but fell to 25th after a spin and two cut tires. Ragan received quite some attention at Dover in the fall, benefiting from an early caution to race his way into the top-five, then went on to finish ninth in Stage 1 for his first stage points since Daytona in July. Ragan remained on the lead lap for much of the event and finished the race in the 21st position.
Upon the series' return to Talladega in October, Ragan moved from his 33rd starting position to the front early. Despite involvement in several crashes throughout the evening, Ragan posted his third top-ten of the season, matching his Talladega result in the spring. Ragan ended the 2017 season with a seventeenth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a thirtieth-place finish in the point standings.
2018
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On December 14, 2017, it was announced that Ragan would return to the team in 2018, with a new teammate Michael McDowell who previously was also a teammate in Watkins Glen 2013 when he drove the No. 34 and McDowell drove the No. 35 car.
After a crash in the Daytona 500, Ragan rattled off three consecutive top-25 finishes at Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Phoenix, the latter of which gave him his best start and finish to date, qualifying sixteenth and finishing 22nd. Ragan had a series of six consecutive top-25 finishes from Atlanta to Texas. The Bristol weekend was a big success for Ragan so far in 2018, where he was fastest in final practice and finished on the lead lap in twelfth place. Ragan was on pace to have another top-fifteen run at Richmond until a flat tire in the final ten laps sidelined him to a 33rd-place finish.
As always happens whenever the series visits Talladega Superspeedway, Ragan and his FRM team were expected to be contenders. He posted his best qualifying effort of the season by starting twelfth, then overcame an early speeding penalty to finish sixth, his first top-ten of the season. Two more top-twenties followed at Kansas and Pocono before his momentum was halted by an early race crash at Michigan, precipitated by Bubba Wallace. After a career-best 22nd-place finish at Sonoma Raceway, Ragan suffered numerous mechanical issues in the race at Chicagoland Speedway and struggled to a 38th-place finish, nearly eighty laps off the pace.
When the series returned to Daytona International Speedway in July, Ragan was immediately picked by many to be a dark horse for the win. However, a crash early in the race dashed Ragan's hopes for victory. His team still did an incredible job repairing the No. 38, and Ragan finished the event in fifteenth position. Ragan rebounded with a solid eighteenth-place run at Kentucky Speedway after driving up to as high as twelfth in the race and later getting a nineteenth-place finish at Pocono Raceway, a seventeenth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway, and an eighteenth-place finish at Darlington Raceway. After a couple of mediocre finishes, Ragan finished sixteenth at Charlotte Motor Speedway, nineteenth at Kansas Speedway, and eighteenth at Martinsville Speedway, rebuilding momentum for the end of the season.
After two consecutive twentieth-place finishes at ISM Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway, Ragan finished 25th in the overall 2018 standings, ranking 31 points ahead of teammate Michael McDowell in 26th and 42 points ahead of Ty Dillon in 27th. This is Ragan's best finish with FRM and his best overall since 2011, his last year with Roush Fenway Racing.
2019: Final full-time season
[edit]On November 27, 2018, it was announced that Ragan would return for a sixth season with FRM to drive the No. 38 in 2019. A strong run at the 2019 Daytona 500 for the No. 38 team was ruined by a late-race accident that relegated them to a thirtieth-place finish, but the team rebounded the next weekend at Atlanta with a sixteenth-place finish. The Las Vegas weekend gave Ragan his best starting spot in several years, as the No. 38 lined up on the outside of the third row in sixth after a stellar qualifying performance. At the 2019 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, Ragan and the No. 38 team enjoyed their best race in quite some time, running in the top-ten all race and leading in the late stages before fading to fifteenth at the finish after a late-race restart.
On August 14, 2019, Ragan announced that he would be retiring from full-time competition to focus on his family.[23] At Kansas, Ragan qualified second, his team's best qualifying effort on a non-restrictor plate track, behind pole-sitter Daniel Hemric.
2020–present: Part-time racing
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In his retirement announcement, Ragan affirmed he was still open to racing part-time.[23] On January 10, 2020, he announced that he would compete in the Daytona 500 with Rick Ware Racing, who partnered with Front Row Motorsports for this race to field Ragan's entry in the renumbered No. 36 Ford (usually the No. 53).[24] The No. 36 was previously run by FRM teammate Matt Tifft in 2019 until the team scaled back operations. As part of this deal, FRM then leased the charter for the No. 36 (which they had kept for Ragan at the Daytona 500, giving him a guaranteed starting spot in the race) to RWR to use for the No. 53 for the remainder of the season. Ragan would qualify thirtieth in the 500 and go on to finish fourth, his first top-five since 2015 and his best ever finish in a Daytona 500, despite damage from one of the Big Ones occurring during the race.
After retiring, Ragan transitioned into a test driver role for Ford Performance, which included simulator testing and assisting in the development of the Next Gen car. In June, he was on the entry list to make his first Truck Series start since 2006 when he joined DGR-Crosley at Atlanta; the attempt was initially planned for Richmond until it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] However, due to random draw and the entry list exceeding forty entries, the truck did not make the field. A second attempt at Michigan also failed for the same reason.[26] Ragan would finally appear in a Truck race in September at Darlington, where he finished 22nd.[27] He switched from Cup to Truck points prior to the following week's race at Richmond to be eligible to compete.[28][29]
Ragan returned to FRM in the No. 36 for the 2021 Daytona 500,[30] although this year it was not in a partnership with Rick Ware Racing or another team with a charter. This meant that Ragan instead had no charter and had to race his way in through his Duel qualifying race.[31]
Ragan returned to Rick Ware Racing in 2022, this time in their No. 15, attempting the 2022 Daytona 500, finishing eighth, his fourth career top-ten finish in a Daytona 500.
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On November 29, 2023, RFK Racing announced that Ragan would be driving the No. 60 Ford Mustang Dark Horse at the 2024 Daytona 500 as a part of their #Stage60 project. BuildSubmarines.com signed in to sponsor the ride.[32][33] He finished the race in twentieth position after leading two laps in the race.
On July 6, 2024, NASCAR announced Ragan as the test driver for NASCAR's first electric racecar, the ABB NASCAR EV prototype, at the Chicago Street Course.[34]
Broadcasting
[edit]Ragan has appeared as a rotating contributor on NASCAR on Fox's NASCAR Race Hub show for multiple seasons, both when he was driving for Front Row Motorsports[35] and after his retirement from full-time driving.[36] Ragan was open to doing more TV (or radio) work in 2020, the first year after his last full season in the Cup Series,[37] but he remained with Fox on Race Hub.
Personal life
[edit]He is married to Jacquelyn; they have two daughters.[38] He is also a Freemason;[39] he was raised to the Master Mason degree on May 22, 2012, at Williams Lodge in Cornelius, NC.[40]
Motorsports career results
[edit]NASCAR
[edit](key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Cup Series
[edit]Daytona 500
[edit]| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 35 | 5 |
| 2008 | 14 | 42 | ||
| 2009 | 33 | 6 | ||
| 2010 | 19 | 16 | ||
| 2011 | 34 | 14 | ||
| 2012 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 25 | 43 |
| 2013 | 35 | 35 | ||
| 2014 | 43 | 34 | ||
| 2015 | 28 | 17 | ||
| 2016 | BK Racing | Toyota | 29 | 29 |
| 2017 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 20 | 25 |
| 2018 | 15 | 30 | ||
| 2019 | 24 | 30 | ||
| 2020 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 30 | 4 |
| 2021 | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 18 | 37 |
| 2022 | Rick Ware Racing | Ford | 34 | 8 |
| 2024 | RFK Racing | Ford | 40 | 20 |
Xfinity Series
[edit]Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series
[edit]| NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | NGTC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||
| 2004 | Fiddleback Racing | 66 | Ford | DAY | ATL | MAR | MFD DNQ |
CLT | DOV | 32nd | 802 | [3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 67 | TEX 20 |
MEM | MLW | KAN | KEN 19 |
GTW 19 |
MCH 31 |
IRP 35 |
NSH 32 |
BRI 30 |
RCH 35 |
NHA 21 |
LVS 34 |
CAL | TEX | MAR | PHO | DAR | HOM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Rosenblum Racing | 28 | Chevy | DAY DNQ |
CAL | ATL | MAR | GTW | MFD | CLT DNQ |
DOV | TEX | MCH | MLW | KAN | KEN | MEM | IRP | NSH | BRI | RCH | NHA | LVS | MAR | ATL | TEX | PHO | HOM | N/A | – | [64] | |||||||||||||
| 2006 | Roush Racing | 50 | Ford | DAY | CAL | ATL 22 |
MAR 34 |
CLT 25 |
MFD | DOV | MCH 19 |
BRI 15 |
NHA 11 |
LVS | TAL 7 |
MAR 20 |
ATL 6 |
PHO 17 |
HOM | 24th | 2122 | [9] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | GTW 28 |
TEX 8 |
MLW 30 |
KAN 6 |
KEN 5 |
MEM 6 |
IRP 9 |
NSH 34 |
TEX 6 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | DGR-Crosley | 17 | Ford | DAY | LVS | CLT | ATL DNQ |
HOM | POC | KEN | TEX | KAN | KAN | MCH DNQ |
DRC | DOV | GTW | DAR 22 |
RCH 7 |
BRI | LVS | TAL | KAN | TEX | MAR | PHO | 48th | 372 | [65] | |||||||||||||||
* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points
2 Switched to Truck Series points prior to Richmond
ARCA Re/Max Series
[edit](key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
| ARCA Re/Max Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | ARMC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||||
| 2003 | Mark Gibson Racing | 56 | Ford | DAY | ATL | NSH | SLM | TOL | KEN | CLT | BLN | KAN | MCH | LER 12 |
POC | POC | NSH | ISF | WIN | DSF | CHI | SLM | TAL | CLT | 92nd | 285 | [66] | |||||||||||||||||
| Roger Williams Racing | 95 | Ford | SBO 23 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Sadler Brothers Racing | Ford | DAY DNQ |
NSH 19 |
32nd | 865 | [67] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | DAY 25 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Roger Williams Racing | 95 | Ford | SLM 19 |
KEN 37 |
TOL | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bobby Jones Racing | 88 | Dodge | CLT 19 |
KAN | POC | MCH 32 |
SBO | BLN | KEN 2 |
GTW | POC | LER | NSH | ISF | TOL | DSF | CHI | SLM | TAL | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Day Enterprise Racing | 90 | Dodge | DAY 32 |
14th | 3820 | [6] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chevy | NSH DNQ |
KEN 12 |
TAL 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ford | SLM 3 |
LAN 1 |
MIL 29 |
POC 26 |
MCH 27 |
KAN | KEN 17 |
POC 4 |
GTW 2 |
LER | NSH 30 |
MCH 4 |
ISF | TOL 2 |
DSF 10 |
CHI 2 |
SLM 16 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pontiac | TOL 4 |
BLN 6 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Roulo Brothers Racing | 39 | Ford | DAY 4 |
USA | NSH | SLM | KAN | WIN | KEN | TOL | IOW | POC | MCH | BLN | KEN | POC | NSH | ISF | MIL | GTW | DSF | CHI | SLM | TAL | TOL | 104th | 210 | [13] | |||||||||||||||
| 2008 | DAY | SLM | IOW | KAN | CAR | KEN | TOL 5 |
POC | MCH | CAY | KEN | BLN | POC | NSH | ISF | DSF | CHI | SLM | NJE | TAL | TOL 15 |
51st | 590 | [68] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Rolex Sports Car Series
[edit]Grand Touring
[edit](key) Bold – Pole Position. (Overall Finish/Class Finish).
| Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series GT results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | No. | Engine | Chassis | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | TPN Racing | 11 | Ford Mustang GT | DAY | HOM | BAR | VIR | LRP | WGL (23/11) |
ELK | LGA | NJ | WGL | MON | MOH | 83rd | 19 | [69] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes
[edit]- ^ Entry was prepared by Front Row Motorsports, fielded under RWR banner.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Biography". Davidragan.com. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
- ^ a b "Roush Fenway Racing – David Ragan Bio". Roushracing.com. December 24, 1985. Archived from the original on April 14, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
- ^ a b "David Ragan – 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "David Ragan – 2004 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "David Ragan – 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "David Ragan – 2005 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "David Ragan – 2006 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "David Ragan – 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "David Ragan – 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "David Ragan Career Statistics". Racing-Reference.info. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
- ^ a b "David Ragan – 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "David Ragan – 2007 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "David Ragan – 2007 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "DAVID RAGAN WINS THE 53RD ANNUAL COKE ZERO 400 POWERED BY COCA-COLA". Daytona International Speedway. July 2, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ^ Rodman, Dave (January 16, 2012). "Ragan signs with Front Row for 2012 Cup season". NASCAR. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
- ^ Butcher, Louis (January 20, 2012). "Villeneuve se rapproche de l'écurie Go Canada Racing". Le Journal de Montreal (in French). Retrieved February 1, 2012.
- ^ Hinton, Ed (May 5, 2013). "David Ragan wins for the underdogs". ESPN. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
- ^ Corrêa, João (January 10, 2014). "Ragan to make 100th start with Biagi-DenBeste at Daytona". Motorsport. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
- ^ Felder, Justin (January 25, 2016). "Exclusive: David Ragan Secures NASCAR Ride for 2016 Season". WAGA-TV. Archived from the original on July 25, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ "BK RACING SHUFFLE: RAGAN, DIBENEDETTO WON'T RETURN". NASCAR. December 9, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
- ^ "NASCAR Next driver Matt Tifft to undergo surgery to remove brain tumor | NASCAR.com". Retrieved July 3, 2016.
- ^ Weaver, Matt (December 16, 2016). "Front Row Motorsports taps David Ragan and Landon Cassill for NASCAR lineup". Autoweek. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
- ^ a b "Front Row's Ragan reveals he's stepping down from full-time competition at end of season". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
- ^ McFadin, Daniel (January 10, 2020). "David Ragan to compete in Daytona 500 for Rick Ware Racing". NBC Sports.
- ^ "David Ragan to Pilot No. 17 Select Blinds Ford F-150 at Atlanta". DGR-Crosley. May 29, 2020. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ Kristl, Mark (August 6, 2020). "Spencer Davis Tests Positive for COVID-19, Withdraws from Michigan". Frontstretch. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ Long, Dustin (September 8, 2020). "NASCAR entry lists for Richmond". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ Srigley, Joseph (September 4, 2020). "David Ragan Returning to DGR-Crosley No. 17 for Rescheduled Event at Richmond Raceway". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ Pockrass, Bob [@bobpockrass] (September 8, 2020). "David Ragan has switched his points-earning series to trucks so he is eligible to race Thursday night. No Cup drivers allowed the rest of the season (regular-season finale and playoffs). No Xfinity drivers allowed for the truck championship race at Phoenix" (Tweet). Retrieved September 8, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Anthony Alfredo joins McDowell in Front Row lineup for 2021; Ragan to run Daytona". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
- ^ "(Twitter post)". Twitter. Bob Pockrass. January 6, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
- ^ "RFK Racing Announces #STAGE60, BuildSubmarines.com to Partner for Team's Third Daytona 500 Entry". RFK Racing. November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ "RFK Racing announces #Stage60, BuildSubmarines.com to partner for Team's third Daytona 500 entry with David Ragan". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ "A green flag for clean power: NASCAR unveils its first electric racecar". Associated Press. July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ "Bobby Labonte Returns as Guest Analyst on FS1's NASCAR RACE HUB". Speedway Digest. February 5, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
- ^ "FOX Sports Opens 2020 NASCAR RACE HUB Season Live From Super Bowl Week in South Beach". Speedway Digest. January 24, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
- ^ "David Ragan open to TV or radio work after retirement". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. September 23, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
- ^ "Ragan family welcomes baby girl". NASCAR. June 12, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
- ^ "David Ragan: NASCAR Driver and Master Mason - YouTube". www.youtube.com. November 3, 2015. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- ^ Producer, 41NBC Web (September 8, 2012). "NASCAR Driver David Ragan Becomes A Shriner". 41NBC News | WMGT-DT. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "David Ragan – 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2020 NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2003 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2004 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "David Ragan – 2011 NASCAR Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
External links
[edit]
- Official website
- David Ragan driver statistics at Racing-Reference
David Ragan
View on GrokipediaPersonal life
Early life
David Ragan was born on December 24, 1985, in Unadilla, Georgia, a small town in the central part of the state.[2][6] He is the son of Ken Ragan, a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver who competed in the 1980s and also owned a Chevrolet dealership and body shop that serviced local race cars.[7] Ragan's uncle, Marvin Ragan, similarly pursued racing, including as an owner of cars that competed in the Cup Series, embedding motorsports deeply within the family from an early age.[8] Growing up in this racing-oriented environment, Ragan was exposed to the sport through his father's activities and the family's involvement in local racing scenes, fostering an early fascination with race cars and track events. Ragan was raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, with faith playing a central role in his family life and providing support throughout his racing career.[7] He frequently attended dirt track races and spent time around vehicles in the family businesses, sparking his interest in stock car racing before he turned to competitive driving.[6] In the late 1990s, Ragan transitioned into competitive racing, beginning with the Bandolero Series at age 11 under his father's guidance.[2][6]Family and philanthropy
David Ragan married Jacquelyn Butler in 2012 after a long-term relationship that began during his early racing career.[9] The couple welcomed their first daughter, Julia, in June 2014, followed by their second daughter, Meredith Leigh, on March 22, 2016.[10][11] Ragan and his family reside in the Charlotte, North Carolina area, where they have settled to prioritize a stable home life following his transition from full-time racing in 2019.[2] This shift has allowed Ragan to balance family responsibilities with selective racing appearances and other professional commitments, fostering a more grounded routine centered on his wife and daughters.[12] Ragan has been actively involved in philanthropy, with a particular focus on supporting children's health initiatives. He has maintained a longstanding partnership with Shriners Hospitals for Children since at least 2012, serving as a sponsor, advocate, and frequent visitor to facilities across the country as of 2025.[13][14] Through this collaboration, Ragan has hosted patients at races, participated in safety awareness campaigns, and helped raise significant funds, including over $300,000 by 2019 via car sponsorships and events.[15] Additionally, Ragan has joined the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America multiple times, starting around 2017, to support Victory Junction, a camp for seriously ill children founded by the Petty family; he and Jacquelyn rode in the 2024 event, which concluded at the camp in North Carolina, and Ragan promoted the 29th anniversary ride in 2025.[16][17][18] Outside of racing, Ragan operates David Ragan, Inc., a company based in Mooresville, North Carolina, that manages his personal branding, endorsement deals, and motorsports-related ventures.[19] The firm facilitates partnerships with brands in the automotive and performance sectors, including his ongoing role with Ford Performance in driver development programs.[2] This business arm has enabled Ragan to leverage his NASCAR experience for commercial opportunities while maintaining a low-profile operation focused on strategic collaborations.[20]Racing career
Early career (1996–2006)
David Ragan began his racing career at the age of 11 in 1997, competing in the Bandolero Series under the guidance of his father, former Winston Cup Series driver Ken Ragan.[2] In his first three years in the series, Ragan won two national championships, including 12 race victories in his second season.[6] He progressed to the Legends Cars Series as a young teenager, where he continued to build experience on short tracks.[2] By age 16 in 2002, Ragan transitioned to late model racing in the Southeast, running multiple events with the assistance of mechanic Cam Strader, who had helped prepare his early cars.[6] He also competed in the Legends Pro-Division for Mark Martin, finishing fourth in points among over 60 drivers that year.[6] Ragan's late model efforts continued into 2003 and 2004.[6] Ragan made his ARCA Menards Series debut in 2003 at Lake Erie Speedway. In 2004, he competed in 10 events, finishing 25th in the final points standings. In 2005, at age 19, he ran 19 races for Bill Venturini Racing, securing one victory at Lanier National Speedway, eight top-five finishes, and 11 top-10 finishes, finishing 14th in points and third among rookies.[21] Ragan entered NASCAR-sanctioned series in 2004 with a debut in the Craftsman Truck Series at Texas Motor Speedway, where he finished 20th for Fiddleback Racing; he competed in 10 Truck events that year, with a best finish of 16th at Charlotte Motor Speedway.[22] His NASCAR Xfinity Series (then Busch Series) debut came in 2005 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, starting 36th and finishing 31st after mechanical issues.[23] Returning to the Truck Series in 2006, Ragan ran 19 races for Roush Racing and Ultra Motorsports, earning one pole position, one top-five finish, and eight top-10s, including a fifth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway.[24] Ragan's strong performances in developmental series caught the attention of team owner Jack Roush, leading to a development deal with Roush Racing in 2006; he made his Cup Series debut that September at Dover International Speedway, finishing 22nd in the No. 06 Ford.[25][26] This paved the way for his full-time promotion to the No. 6 car in 2007.Roush Fenway Racing (2007–2011)
Ragan made his full-time NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2007 with Roush Fenway Racing, taking over the No. 6 Ford from retiring veteran Mark Martin. Sponsored primarily by AAA, he competed in all 36 races that season under the guidance of team owner Jack Roush, who had identified his potential through the Roush Racing Driver X development program. Ragan recorded two top-five finishes—including fifth-place results at Auto Club Speedway and Richmond International Raceway—and three top-10s overall, while completing 93 percent of the laps run. These efforts earned him 23rd place in the final driver points standings and the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award, marking a solid entry into the series despite mid-pack consistency.[27][28][29] Building on his rookie year, Ragan delivered a breakout performance in 2008, achieving six top-five finishes and 14 top-10s in 36 starts, which propelled him to 13th in the points standings—his best result during his Roush tenure. The No. 6 team, bolstered by sponsorship from UPS starting that year, showed improved speed and reliability, with Ragan leading 139 laps across the season. However, the 2009 and 2010 seasons brought challenges, as Roush Fenway grappled with broader performance issues amid NASCAR's car of tomorrow transition. In 2009, Ragan managed just two top-10s in 36 races, finishing 27th in points, while 2010 saw three top-10s and a 24th-place points finish amid mechanical woes and inconsistent qualifying. Throughout these years, Roush's mentorship emphasized patience and development, providing Ragan with access to the organization's engineering resources and veteran teammates like Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle for strategic insights.[27][30][31] Ragan's time at Roush Fenway culminated in 2011 with a career-defining breakthrough, highlighted by his first Cup Series victory in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 2. Stretching fuel mileage in the closing stages, Ragan led the final 15 laps to hold off challengers, aided by a late-race caution and push from teammate Matt Kenseth, in a win that validated Roush's long-term investment in the driver. He added two pole positions, four top-fives, and eight top-10s across 36 starts, rebounding to 23rd in points. The victory, Roush's first with Ragan after four seasons of support through ups and downs, underscored the team's emphasis on restrictor-plate track prowess and fuel strategy. Ragan also contributed to Roush's Xfinity Series efforts that year, though his primary focus remained elevating the No. 6 program's competitiveness.[32][27][33]Front Row Motorsports (2012–2014)
In January 2012, David Ragan joined Front Row Motorsports to drive the No. 34 Ford full-time, bringing experience from his previous stint at Roush Fenway Racing to help the smaller organization adapt to competitive demands.[34] The team, then fielding two cars with limited resources compared to factory-backed outfits, relied on opportunistic strategies at superspeedways where drafting could level the playing field. Ragan finished 28th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings that year, with his best result a fourth-place finish in the spring race at Talladega Superspeedway, one of two top-10 performances both occurring at restrictor-plate tracks.[35][36] The 2013 season marked a breakthrough for Ragan and Front Row, highlighted by his victory in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega in May, where he surged ahead on the final lap with a push from teammate David Gilliland to secure the team's first Cup Series win in a 1-2 finish.[37] This upset triumph, achieved through precise alliance-building on the 2.66-mile superspeedway, underscored the team's emphasis on restrictor-plate racing amid equipment constraints that hindered performance on shorter ovals. Ragan ended the year 28th in Cup points with one win and two top-10s, while also making select starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, including a 14th-place finish at Daytona International Speedway.[38][39] By 2014, Front Row had stabilized its two-car operation with returning sponsors like CSX and Farm Rich, allowing Ragan to focus on consistency as a veteran presence guiding crew adjustments and race setups.[40] Despite ongoing challenges with underpowered equipment that limited top speeds on non-plate tracks, Ragan notched one top-10 finish—a 10th at Martinsville Speedway in the fall—contributing to a 32nd-place points finish in Cup. He also competed in a single NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, finishing 15th while adapting to the road course layout.[41][42] Front Row's growth during this period centered on refining restrictor-plate tactics, where Ragan's leadership in drafting alliances yielded competitive runs, such as a 10th-place result in the spring Talladega race.[43]2015 season
David Ragan began the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season driving the No. 34 Ford for Front Row Motorsports, finishing 17th in the Daytona 500.[44] Following Kyle Busch's severe leg injury in a Daytona Xfinity Series crash, Front Row Motorsports loaned Ragan to Joe Gibbs Racing to pilot the No. 18 Toyota for nine races, from Atlanta through Talladega in May.[45] This interim role provided Ragan with access to top-tier equipment, yielding his season-best finish of fifth at Martinsville Speedway, along with consistent top-20 results in several events.[46] With Busch's anticipated return, Ragan transitioned to Michael Waltrip Racing's No. 55 Toyota starting at Kansas Speedway in May, again on loan from Front Row Motorsports, to fill in amid Brian Vickers' ongoing health challenges related to blood clots.[47] The move aimed to bolster MWR's Chase eligibility hopes through owner points accumulation.[48] Over 26 starts with MWR, Ragan achieved a career-highlight ninth-place finish at Sonoma Raceway and led laps in select races, such as five at Indianapolis.[49] However, the team struggled with performance inconsistencies, finishing outside the top 20 in most outings. Ragan's nomadic season across three organizations—Front Row, JGR, and MWR—spanned two manufacturers (Ford and Toyota) and culminated in a 27th-place points finish, with one top-five and eight top-20 results overall.[50] He also made one Xfinity Series start, finishing seventh at Daytona in the No. 20 Toyota for JGR.[51] The loans highlighted Front Row's cooperative strategy to elevate its drivers' exposure, but they occurred amid MWR's deteriorating stability. Plagued by the lingering fallout from the 2013 "Spongate" scandal—which cost primary sponsor NAPA Racing—along with financial pressures and reduced technical alliances, MWR announced in August 2015 that it would cease fielding full-time Cup cars after the season, effectively marking 2015 as its final year of operation.[52] Ragan's stint contributed modestly to the team's points but could not avert the closure, as MWR scaled back to part-time efforts in 2016 before dissolving entirely.[53] Reflecting on the year, Ragan described adapting to multiple teams as a steep challenge, requiring rapid integration with new crews and strategies while maintaining focus amid uncertainty.[44] He expressed gratitude for the high-profile opportunities at JGR and MWR, viewing them as career-boosting despite the "hard place" of racing for a faltering organization like MWR, where weekly instability tested his resilience.[54]Front Row Motorsports return (2016–2019)
Following a season with BK Racing in 2016, where he completed all 36 races and finished 33rd in the points standings with no top-10 finishes, Ragan returned to Front Row Motorsports in 2017 to drive the No. 38 Ford full-time.[55] This marked a homecoming for Ragan, who had previously driven for the team from 2012 to 2014 and secured its first Cup Series victory in 2013 at Talladega. In his first year back, Ragan showed consistency at superspeedways, earning three top-10 finishes, including a career-best sixth place at the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. He completed all 36 starts, finishing 30th in points with 458 total points, contributing to Front Row's ongoing development as a competitive mid-tier organization.[56][57] Ragan continued full-time with Front Row in 2018, again running the full 36-race schedule in the No. 38 Ford under crew chief Seth Barbour. His season highlighted steady improvement, with a best finish of sixth at Talladega Superspeedway and one top-10 overall, helping the team secure multiple top-20 results at restrictor-plate tracks. Ragan ended the year 25th in the driver points standings with 510 points, his highest position since 2011, while aiding Front Row in enhancing its resources and performance stability through better equipment partnerships and strategic alliances.[58][59][60] In 2019, Ragan's final full-time Cup Series season with Front Row, he drove the No. 38 Ford for all 36 events, posting a best finish of 11th at Martinsville Speedway and maintaining competitive runs at superspeedways like a 13th-place result at Daytona. Finishing 30th in points with 391 total points, Ragan emphasized his contributions to the team's growth, including mentoring emerging talent and supporting the acquisition of a Cup Series charter in 2018, which solidified Front Row's position in the sport. On August 14, 2019, at Bristol Motor Speedway, Ragan announced his retirement from full-time competition at the end of the season, citing a desire to focus on family while remaining involved in racing; he reflected on helping cultivate Front Row from a smaller operation into a more robust team during his tenure.[61][62]Part-time schedule (2020–present)
Following his full-time retirement at the end of the 2019 season, David Ragan transitioned to a part-time NASCAR Cup Series schedule, focusing on select high-profile events to balance racing with family priorities.[63] In 2020, Ragan made his only start of the year in the Daytona 500 for Rick Ware Racing, driving the No. 53 Ford sponsored by Select Blinds; he started 30th and finished fourth, marking his best career result in the event despite sustaining damage late in the race.[64] This performance earned him 51 points and highlighted his continued competitiveness at superspeedways. Ragan returned for the 2021 Daytona 500 with Front Row Motorsports in the No. 36 Ford, again backed by Select Blinds, starting 18th but crashing on lap 13 in a multi-car incident during Stage 1, which resulted in a 37th-place finish.[65] He did not attempt any other national series races that year, emphasizing his shift toward selective participation to prioritize time with his wife and two young daughters.[66] In 2022, Ragan expanded to four Cup Series starts, all with Rick Ware Racing in the No. 15 Ford sponsored by Select Blinds. He began with an eighth-place finish in the Daytona 500, starting 29th and avoiding major incidents to secure his second top-10 in the event.[67] At Atlanta Motor Speedway, he started fifth and finished 18th in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.[67] Ragan's Talladega Superspeedway appearance in the GEICO 500 ended 24th after involvement in an early-stage crash, starting 36th.[68] He closed the year with a ninth-place run in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, starting 28th and benefiting from late-race chaos to advance through the field.[69] Ragan did not compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series or Craftsman Truck Series during this period.[70] The 2023 season marked Ragan's first absence from all NASCAR national series events since his Cup Series debut in 2006, allowing further focus on family life and non-competitive racing activities.[71] Ragan resumed part-time competition in 2024, reuniting with RFK Racing (formerly Roush Fenway) for the Daytona 500 in the No. 60 Ford sponsored by BuildSubmarines.com as part of the team's #Stage60 program. He locked into the field by posting the second-fastest qualifying speed among non-chartered entries (181.128 mph), then started 40th after the Duels and finished 20th, two laps down after avoiding the race's final "Big One" crash on lap 189.[72][73] No additional Cup Series starts were announced for the year.[3] As of November 2025, Ragan has not announced any competitive NASCAR starts for the season, instead contributing to development efforts such as testing Ford's Mustang Mach-E EV prototype at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May and participating in a NASCAR EV showcase in Chicago in July.[5][74] These roles align with his post-retirement interests in innovation and family balance, allowing occasional racing without the full-time grind.[75]Broadcasting career
NASCAR on Fox
David Ragan joined Fox Sports in 2019 as a driver analyst following his full-time retirement announcement, initially contributing to the network's NASCAR coverage for the Cup Series and Xfinity Series through the NASCAR Race Hub program.[75] He provided insights drawn from his 14 seasons of NASCAR Cup Series experience, including two superspeedway victories.[2] Ragan's role expanded to include regular appearances on pre-race shows, in-race commentary, and post-race breakdowns, providing analysis on topics such as race strategy, car setups, and driver decisions. He continued these contributions consistently through the 2025 season, leveraging his background to explain complex on-track dynamics for viewers, primarily through NASCAR Race Hub until its conclusion in June 2024 and subsequently in other Fox Sports programming.[2][76] A highlight of Ragan's broadcasting tenure has been his expert commentary on superspeedway events like those at Daytona and Talladega, where his past wins informed discussions on drafting and late-race maneuvers. His part-time racing schedule since 2020 has enabled this flexibility, allowing him to alternate between the broadcast booth and occasional starts.[75] Following his full-time driving retirement in 2019, Ragan transitioned smoothly into media, taking on varied roles with Fox Sports early in the 2020 season and developing an on-air style focused on clear, experience-based explanations.[77]Other media appearances
Beyond his structured role at Fox Sports, David Ragan has engaged in various guest and informal media opportunities, including podcast appearances where he shares personal insights on his racing journey. In July 2024, he joined "The Racing Writer's Podcast" to reflect on life after full-time NASCAR driving, discussing how his perspective on his career has evolved and his continued involvement in the sport.[78] Ragan has also given interviews to motorsports outlets on topics like retirement transitions and testing activities. For instance, during Ford manufacturer testing at World Wide Technology Raceway in May 2022, he spoke about his career highlights and the track's potential in a discussion that touched on his post-full-time plans.[79] More recently, in a May 2025 interview with Frontstretch following an electric vehicle test at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Ragan detailed the performance differences of the prototype and its implications for NASCAR's future.[5] On social media, Ragan actively connects with fans through Instagram (@davidlragan) and X (formerly Twitter, @DavidRagan), posting about racing strategies, event updates, and glimpses into his family life to offer a behind-the-scenes view of his experiences.[80][81] Ragan has made occasional television appearances outside formal broadcasting, including cameos as himself on NASCAR on TNT episodes, such as the 2014 Coke Zero 400 coverage at Daytona International Speedway.[82] In 2024, Ragan contributed to YouTube content exploring his retirement decisions, including a November short-form video where he elaborated on the factors leading to his shift from full-time competition.[83]Motorsports career results
NASCAR Cup Series
David Ragan made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2006 with two starts before competing full-time from 2007 to 2019, accumulating 477 career starts through the 2024 season as of November 2025. He secured two victories, both at restrictor-plate superspeedways: the 2011 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway and the 2013 Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Ragan also recorded 16 top-5 finishes, 43 top-10 finishes, and two pole positions during his Cup career.[70][37] Ragan's points standings varied over his full-time years, beginning with a 23rd-place finish in his 2007 rookie season and peaking at 13th in 2008, when he achieved career-best marks of six top-5s and 14 top-10s. He placed 23rd in 2011 amid his breakthrough win, before settling into mid-pack results with finishes of 28th in 2013, 32nd in 2014, and 27th in 2015. His full-time tenure concluded in 2019 with a 30th-place ranking. Since transitioning to a part-time schedule in 2020, Ragan has averaged around 35th in limited appearances, including a 40th-place points finish in 2024 after one start.[70][27] Ragan demonstrated particular strength at Talladega Superspeedway, site of one of his two wins and eight top-10 finishes across 24 starts, with an average finish of 17.8. In contrast, he struggled on road courses, notably at Sonoma Raceway, where he recorded no top-20 finishes in 13 attempts and averaged a 28.5 finish position. Notable non-winning highlights include a career-best fourth-place finish in the 2020 Daytona 500 and multiple top-10s at Daytona, contributing to 16 of his 43 career top-10s at the two superspeedways combined.[32]| Year | Starts | Wins | Top-5s | Top-10s | Points Position | Notable Finishes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 36 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 23rd | 3rd at Michigan |
| 2008 | 36 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 13th | 2nd at Kansas |
| 2009 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 27th | 5th at Atlanta |
| 2010 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 24th | - |
| 2011 | 36 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 23rd | 1st at Daytona |
| 2012 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 28th | - |
| 2013 | 36 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 28th | 1st at Talladega |
| 2014 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 32nd | - |
| 2015 | 36 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 27th | - |
| 2016 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33rd | - |
| 2017 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 30th | - |
| 2018 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25th | - |
| 2019 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30th | - |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 4th at Daytona 500 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38th | - |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33rd | - |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40th | 20th at Daytona 500 |
| Total | 477 | 2 | 16 | 43 | - | - |
NASCAR Xfinity Series
David Ragan made 107 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series from 2004 to 2016, primarily with Roush Fenway Racing during his early career. His participation was concentrated in full-time schedules during 2007 and 2008, followed by a part-time effort in 2009 that yielded his only two victories, before transitioning to sporadic substitute and testing appearances. Overall, Ragan secured three poles, 17 top-five finishes, and 49 top-10 finishes, with a career average finish of 16.1.[85] In his rookie season of 2007, Ragan competed in all 35 races for Roush Fenway Racing in the No. 6 Ford, earning the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. He recorded four top-five finishes and nine top-10s, culminating in a fifth-place points finish with an average finish of 19.5. The following year, 2008, Ragan again ran the full 35-race slate, achieving seven top-fives and a series-high 21 top-10s for the season, which propelled him to fourth in the final standings with an improved average finish of 12.3.[27][85] Ragan's most successful partial season came in 2009, where he made 19 starts and claimed his lone Xfinity victories. On April 25, he won the Aaron's 312 at Talladega Superspeedway by edging Ryan Newman at the line in a photo finish, marking his first series triumph. Later, on August 21, Ragan captured the Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway, leading the final 56 laps in an overtime finish to hold off teammate Carl Edwards. These results included five top-fives and 15 top-10s, leading to an 18th-place points finish and an average finish of 10.6.[86][87][85] After 2009, Ragan did not run a full-time Xfinity schedule, instead using the series for occasional starts, driver substitutions, and testing duties amid his primary focus on the NASCAR Cup Series. He made three starts in 2010, one in 2011 (finishing 35th at Texas), two in 2012, six in 2014 (with one top-five at Iowa), one in 2015, and one in 2016—where he earned his third career pole at Richmond Raceway driving the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. These limited outings yielded no additional wins but maintained his competitive edge in select events.[85][51]| Year | Starts | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s | Poles | Avg. Finish | Points Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31.0 | 131 |
| 2007 | 35 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 19.5 | 5 |
| 2008 | 35 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 0 | 12.3 | 4 |
| 2009 | 19 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 10.6 | 18 |
| 2010 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20.7 | - |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35.0 | - |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24.5 | - |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 13.0 | - |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 | - |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10.0 | - |
| Career Totals | 107 | 2 | 17 | 49 | 3 | 16.1 | - |
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
David Ragan made 31 starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series across his career, spanning from 2004 to 2020, with no wins but nine top-10 finishes. His participation was primarily part-time, often serving as a complement to his NASCAR Cup Series schedule to maintain racing sharpness and provide team development opportunities. Ragan's most extensive involvement came in 2006, when he competed in 19 races for Roush Racing in the No. 50 Ford, recording eight top-10 finishes—including a career-best sixth-place result at California Speedway—and securing one pole position at Gateway International Raceway. That season, he finished 24th in the driver points standings with 2,122 points, demonstrating solid veteran-like consistency in a rookie year for the series.[88][3] Ragan's series debut occurred on March 17, 2006, at the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he started 16th and finished 22nd after completing 134 of 200 laps in the No. 50 Ford. Earlier, he had starts in 2004 at various tracks, finishing with no top-10s. After 2006, Ragan's Truck Series appearances became sporadic, with no starts between 2007 and 2019 as he focused on higher divisions. He returned in 2020 with DGR-Crosley, running two races in the No. 17 Ford and earning one top-10—a seventh-place finish at Richmond Raceway—while averaging a 14.5 finish position across those outings. These limited later efforts highlighted his enduring competitiveness as a seasoned driver, often finishing in the top 15 despite minimal preparation time.[89][90][91]| Year | Starts | Wins | Top-10s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 19 | 0 | 8 |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Career | 31 | 0 | 9 |
ARCA Menards Series
David Ragan entered the ARCA Menards Series in 2003 as an 17-year-old, competing in two events that served as his introduction to national-level stock car racing. Driving for Sadler Brothers Racing, he started 8.5 positions on average and completed 98.3% of the laps, though he recorded no top-10 finishes in those initial outings.[92] In 2004, Ragan expanded to seven starts, primarily with the same team, demonstrating steady improvement with an average finish of 21.9 and one top-10 result at Nashville Superspeedway. His efforts that year laid the groundwork for a more ambitious campaign, as he adapted to the series' demands on short tracks and ovals alike.[93] Ragan's breakthrough came in 2005, when he ran 19 of the series' 22 races for Venturini Motorsports in the No. 25 Ford, earning Rookie of the Year honors by finishing third in rookie points with 406. At 19 years old, he notched 11 top-10 finishes, including eight top-fives, and placed 14th in the overall driver standings. His season highlights included three pole positions—at Lanier Speedway, the Milwaukee Mile, and Toledo Speedway—and a victory at Lanier on May 28, leading 48 laps en route to the win against a competitive field. These performances underscored his rapid development and helped secure a developmental deal with Roush Racing for higher NASCAR divisions.[21][94][95] Ragan made sporadic returns to ARCA in 2007 and 2008, logging one start each year initially before adding a second in 2008 for Cunningham Motorsports. These four combined races yielded one top-10 finish and consistent mid-pack results, reflecting his shift toward primary focus on NASCAR's national series. Over his ARCA tenure spanning 2003 to 2008, Ragan amassed 31 starts, one win, three poles, 14 top-10s, and led 175 laps total, with an average finish of 15.2.[1]| Year | Starts | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s | Poles | Laps Led | Avg. Finish | Points Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17.5 | 92nd |
| 2004 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21.9 | 32nd |
| 2005 | 19 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 126 | 12.1 | 14th |
| 2007 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 104th |
| 2008 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 13.5 | 51st |
| Total | 31 | 1 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 175 | 15.2 | - |