David Ragan
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series: Pepsi 400
Saturday July 7
6:30 PM Eastern - TNT/MRN
Fast Facts
David Ragan got his first start at Daytona International Speedway in February 2007. He started 35th and finished fifth in the 500 mile race.
Three Raybestos Rookies have led the 2006 Pepsi 400, the most rookies to ever lead the summer race at Daytona. The 2006 race was the first Pepsi 400 since 2004 where a Raybestos Rookie led a lap in the event.
Since 1975, only three Raybestos Rookies have scored a top-five finish in the Pepsi 400: 1979 - Dale Earnhardt, third; 1993 – Jeff Gordon, fifth; 2003 – Greg Biffle, first
Ragan also competed in the Busch Series race at Daytona International Speedway in February 2007. He started 17th and finished 43rd after being involved in an early race incident.
Ragan is currently second in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Race. He trails Juan Pablo Montoya by 14 points.
David Ragan
Team: No. 6 AAA Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Jimmy Fennig
Chassis: RK-382 Previous ran in the Daytona 500 in February 2007; finished 5th, and Pepsi 400 at
Daytona in 2006; finished 31st
RK-433 Previously ran in the Gatorade 150s in 2007, finished 28th
Ragan on racing at Daytona International Speedway:
“We are definitely looking forward to getting back to Daytona. It was our best finish of the year at the Daytona 500 earlier this season and we are taking the same car back with us so hopefully we will be right up there again. We have had success at the track, but that doesn’t mean that I am not aware of all the messes you can get caught up in there too. I have had a lot more seat time since the 500 so hopefully that will show during Saturday night’s race. I am also racing a Busch car on Friday night which should help out quite a bit to help get reacquainted with the track.”
Crew Chief Jimmy Fennig on racing at Daytona International Speedway:
“David has done well on the superspeedways so far this year. We will be taking the same car that we had at Daytona earlier this year, so that will be a big help with the set up now that we know how the car handles on that track. Another top-five would be nice, but at this point we are racing for points and making certain that we keep a good positioning in the top-35. We have AAA Travel on our car this weekend and the National AAA office is in Heathrow, FL not far from Daytona so we are excited that so many AAA folks will be able to make it out this weekend. All the guys in the shop have been working hard to get things ready and we are all looking forward to a good weekend.”
