David Ragan

American racing driver
The basics

Quick Facts

IntroAmerican racing driver
PlacesUnited States of America
isRacecar driver
Work fieldSports
Gender
Male
Birth24 December 1985, Unadilla, Dooly County, Georgia, U.S.A.
Age39 years
Family
Father:Ken Ragan
The details

Biography

David Ragan (born December 24, 1985) is an American professional stock car racing driver. Residing in Huntersville, North Carolina, he currently competes full-time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 38 Camping World Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports.

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, replacing Mark Martin in the No. 6, and driving for Roush Fenway Racing. Between 2007 and 2011, he has 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

1996–2002

Ragan was born in Unadilla, Georgia 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 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.

2003–2006

Ragan's No. 6 in 2007

At age 18, Ragan moved to the Craftsman Truck Series (now Camping World Truck Series), as well as the Busch Series (now Xfinity 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 Speedway, 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 finish 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 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.

2007–2011

Ragan's car in the garage preparing for the 2009 Pep Boys Auto 500

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 for the NASCAR Rookie of the Year standings in both Nextel Cup and Busch Series, where he managed to finish 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 zero top fives, 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 zero top fives, only three top-ten 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 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. 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 4th but was 54 points away from 13th 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

Ragan at the 2013 Sprint All-Star Race.

In January 2012, Ragan signed with Front Row Motorsports to drive the No. 34 Ford for the team in 2012. He drove for GC Motorsports International in the season-opening Nationwide Series event at Daytona. Ragan got off to a bad start with FRM, crashing out on lap 2 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 20th 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, 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 12th-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 the 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. Ragan got his first top-10 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 5 laps to go in the race. It was his first top-10 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

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 17th in the race.

Joe Gibbs Racing

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 18th-place finish. This was followed by a 22nd-place finish at Las Vegas and 21st-place finish at Phoenix. At Auto Club, he made moves on several late restarts to take a 15th-place finish. At Martinsville, Ragan took his 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 11th-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

Ragan at the 2015 Irwin Tools Night Race

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 15th and finished 13th. 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 30, when coming out of Turn 7, 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 12th. At Kentucky, he started 25th and finished 18th. This was followed by a 21st-place finish at Indianapolis, a 17th-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

On January 19, 2016, it was announced that Ragan would drive the No. 23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry for BK Racing. The No. 23 team struggled mightily, as the team's engines did not have enough speed to be competitive on a weekly basis. Ragan's best result with the BK team in 2016 was a 16th-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 30th (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, and marking his first season without at least one Top 10 finish. Ragan parted ways with BK Racing after the season.

For the 2nd 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. Ragan sat on the pole, but crashed on the last lap, and finished 21st.

2017

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. 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 5. His best result to date in 2017 has been a 10th at the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, his first Top 10 finish in over a year, 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 20 finish, boosting him to 27th in the point standings.

Personal life

He is married to Jacquelyn; they have two daughters.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Monster Energy Cup Series

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series results
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536MENCCPts
2006Roush Racing06FordDAYCALLVSATLBRIMARTEXPHOTALRCHDARCLTDOVPOCMCHSONDAYCHINHAPOCINDGLNMCHBRICALRCHNHADOV
42
KANTALCLTMAR
25
ATL63rd88
No Fear Racing60FordTEX
DNQ
PHOHOM
DNQ
2007Roush Fenway Racing6FordDAY
5
CAL
16
LVS
37
ATL
33
BRI
26
MAR
15
TEX
39
PHO
41
TAL
17
RCH
20
DAR
27
CLT
37
DOV
14
POC
26
MCH
21
SON
29
NHA
15
DAY
12
CHI
25
IND
16
POC
33
GLN
32
MCH
18
BRI
41
CAL
12
RCH
3
NHA
19
DOV
25
KAN
16
TAL
34
CLT
40
MAR
26
ATL
33
TEX
37
PHO
32
HOM
10
23rd3251
2008DAY
42
CAL
14
LVS
7
ATL
23
BRI
21
MAR
11
TEX
13
PHO
27
TAL
4
RCH
17
DAR
5
CLT
12
DOV
15
POC
24
MCH
8
SON
24
NHA
40
DAY
5
CHI
8
IND
14
POC
5
GLN
30
MCH
3
BRI
10
CAL
13
RCH
32
NHA
28
DOV
28
KAN
8
TAL
3
CLT
10
MAR
13
ATL
8
TEX
11
PHO
10
HOM
24
13th4299
2009DAY
6
CAL
17
LVS
42
ATL
19
BRI
27
MAR
27
TEX
37
PHO
22
TAL
12
RCH
23
DAR
38
CLT
24
DOV
24
POC
26
MCH
15
SON
33
NHA
38
DAY
13
CHI
25
IND
24
POC
22
GLN
24
MCH
30
BRI
14
ATL
33
RCH
33
NHA
33
DOV
24
KAN
35
CAL
7
CLT
20
MAR
22
TAL
17
TEX
17
PHO
23
HOM
34
27th3252
2010DAY
16
CAL
23
LVS
23
ATL
37
BRI
29
MAR
16
PHO
19
TEX
15
TAL
6
RCH
24
DAR
14
DOV
26
CLT
24
POC
26
MCH
34
SON
25
NHA
20
DAY
38
CHI
12
IND
20
POC
14
GLN
25
MCH
11
BRI
32
ATL
19
RCH
23
NHA
22
DOV
24
KAN
16
CAL
32
CLT
10
MAR
17
TAL
21
TEX
8
PHO
25
HOM
20
24th3599
2011DAY
14
PHO
36
LVS
22
BRI
16
CAL
22
MAR
8
TEX
7
TAL
39
RCH
4
DAR
21
DOV
28
CLT
2
KAN
13
POC
17
MCH
20
SON
29
DAY
1
KEN
8
NHA
14
IND
23
POC
34
GLN
28
MCH
14
BRI
20
ATL
35
RCH
4
CHI
11
NHA
7
DOV
21
KAN
20
CLT
11
TAL
28
MAR
33
TEX
12
PHO
33
HOM
38
23rd906
2012Front Row Motorsports34FordDAY
43
PHO
25
LVS
21
BRI
23
CAL
31
MAR
24
TEX
35
KAN
30
RCH
32
TAL
7
DAR
28
CLT
35
DOV
21
POC
27
MCH
23
SON
27
KEN
29
DAY
26
NHA
34
IND
28
POC
28
GLN
22
MCH
23
BRI
32
ATL
28
RCH
32
CHI
22
NHA
29
DOV
30
TAL
4
CLT
34
KAN
20
MAR
26
TEX
28
PHO
33
HOM
31
28th622
2013DAY
35
PHO
38
LVS
31
BRI
21
CAL
24
MAR
30
TEX
26
KAN
30
RCH
20
TAL
1
DAR
39
CLT
25
DOV
22
POC
37
MCH
25
SON
33
KEN
26
DAY
22
NHA
19
IND
34
POC
21
GLN
21
MCH
24
BRI
12
ATL
23
RCH
29
CHI
26
NHA
29
DOV
25
KAN
36
CLT
30
TAL
6
MAR
43
TEX
42
PHO
35
HOM
29
28th633
2014DAY
34
PHO
28
LVS
32
BRI
31
CAL
27
MAR
28
TEX
35
DAR
32
RCH
30
TAL
35
KAN
38
CLT
31
DOV
36
POC
18
MCH
38
SON
36
KEN
31
DAY
22
NHA
25
IND
35
POC
19
GLN
19
MCH
24
BRI
23
ATL
27
RCH
33
CHI
31
NHA
42
DOV
31
KAN
27
CLT
34
TAL
30
MAR
10
TEX
32
PHO
25
HOM
30
32nd531
2015DAY
17
27th701
Joe Gibbs Racing18ToyotaATL
18
LVS
22
PHO
21
CAL
18
MAR
5
TEX
13
BRI
41
RCH
23
TAL
38
Michael Waltrip Racing55ToyotaKAN
33
CLT
41
DOV
13
POC
23
MCH
35
SON
39
DAY
12
KEN
18
NHA
18
IND
21
POC
17
GLN
23
MCH
18
BRI
40
DAR
40
RCH
17
CHI
15
NHA
41
DOV
22
CLT
37
KAN
25
TAL
30
MAR
25
TEX
23
PHO
18
HOM
27
2016BK Racing23ToyotaDAY
29
ATL
32
LVS
32
PHO
24
CAL
22
MAR
21
TEX
33
BRI
39
RCH
23
TAL
34
KAN
29
DOV
17
CLT
31
POC
23
MCH
22
SON
32
DAY
16
KEN
22
NHA
30
IND
37
POC
32
GLN
33
BRI
21
MCH
29
DAR
21
RCH
34
CHI
35
NHA
32
DOV
30
CLT
23
KAN
36
TAL
24
MAR
37
TEX
33
PHO
31
HOM
29
33rd455
2017Front Row Motorsports38FordDAY
25
ATL
23
LVS
29
PHO
35
CAL
31
MAR
24
TEX
28
BRI
23
RCH
19
TAL
10
KAN
17
CLT
DOVPOCMCHSONDAYKENNHAINDPOCGLNMCHBRIDARRCHCHINHADOVCLTTALKANMARTEXPHOHOM-*-*
Daytona 500
YearTeamManufacturerStartFinish
2007Roush Fenway RacingFord355
20081442
2009336
20101916
20113414
2012Front Row MotorsportsFord2543
20133535
20144334
20152817
2016BK RacingToyota2929
2017Front Row MotorsportsFord2025

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435NXSCPts
2004Sadler Brothers Racing95FordDAYCARLVSDARBRITEXNSHTALCALGTYRCHNZHCLTDOVNSHKENMLWDAYCHINHAPPRIRPMCHBRICALRCHDOVKANCLTMEM
DNQ
ATLPHODARHOM
31
131st70
2005Day Enterprises16ChevyDAYCALMXCLVSATLNSHBRITEX
39
PHOTALDARRCHCLTDOVNSHKENMLW
36
DAYCHINHAPPRGTY
32
IRPGLNMCHBRI
DNQ
CALRCHDOVKANCLTMEMTEXPHOHOM97th168
2006Roush Racing50FordDAYCALMXCLVSATLBRITEXNSHPHOTALRCHDARCLTDOVNSHKENMLWDAYCHINHAMARGTYIRPGLNMCHBRICAL
41
RCHDOV
18
KAN92nd204
6CLT
36
MEMTEXPHOHOM
2007Roush Fenway RacingDAY
43
CAL
18
MXC
14
LVS
24
ATL
20
BRI
13
NSH
36
TEX
5
PHO
35
TAL
4
RCH
14
DAR
13
CLT
25
DOV
32
NSH
7
KEN
8
MLW
12
NHA
18
DAY
34
CHI
19
GTY
5
IRP
18
CGV
19
GLN
21
MCH
21
BRI
6
CAL
10
RCH
39
DOV
32
KAN
34
CLT
6
MEM
3
TEX
17
PHO
23
HOM
33
5th3739
2008DAY
9
CAL
12
LVS
10
ATL
16
BRI
8
NSH
21
TEX
8
PHO
5
MXC
22
TAL
18
RCH
4
DAR
27
CLT
9
DOV
29
NSH
5
KEN
7
MLW
4
NHA
6
DAY
9
CHI
13
GTY
10
IRP
9
CGV
13
GLN
9
MCH
36
BRI
25
CAL
9
RCH
5
DOV
9
KAN
3
CLT
12
MEM
8
TEX
5
PHO
14
HOM
23
4th4525
2009DAY
8
CAL
5
LVS
26
BRI
19
TEX
4
NSH
7
PHO
6
TAL
1
RCHDARCLT
7
DOV
30
NSHKENMLWNHADAY
9
CHI
34
GTYIRPIOWGLN
8
MCH
4
BRI
1
CGVATL
9
RCHDOVKANCAL
9
CLTMEMTEX
8
PHO
6
HOM18th2632
2011Randy Hill Racing08FordDAYPHOLVSBRICALTEXTALNSHRCHDARDOVIOWCLTCHIMCHROADAYKENNHANSHIRPIOWGLNCGVBRIATLRCHCHIDOVKANCLTTEX
35
PHOHOM133rd01
2012GC Motorsports International27FordDAY
27
PHOLVSBRICALTEX
27
RCHTALDARIOWCLTDOVMCHROAKENDAYNHACHIINDIOWGLNCGVBRIATLRCHCHIKENDOVCLTKANTEXPHOHOM118th01
2014Biagi-DenBeste Racing98FordDAY
DNQ
PHOLVS
17
BRICAL
13
TEXDARRCHTAL
4
IOWCLTDOVMCHROAKENDAY
23
NHACHIIND
13
IOWGLNMOHBRIATL
8
RCHCHIKENDOVKANCLTTEXPHOHOM89th01
2015Joe Gibbs Racing20ToyotaDAYATLLVSPHOCALTEXBRIRCHTALIOWCLTDOVMCHCHIDAY
7
KENNHAINDIOWGLNMOHBRIROADARRCHCHIKENDOVCLTKANTEXPHOHOM94th01
201618DAYATLLVSPHOCALTEXBRIRCHTALDOVCLTPOCMCHIOWDAY
21
KENNHAINDIOWGLNMOHBRIROADARRCHCHIKENDOVCLTKANTEXPHOHOM115th01

Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
YearTeamNo.Make12345678910111213141516171819202122232425NCTCPts
2004Fiddleback Racing67FordDAYATLMARMFD
DNQ
CLTDOVTEX
20
MEMMLWKANKEN
19
GTW
19
MCH
31
IRP
35
NSH
32
BRI
30
RCH
35
NHA
21
LVS
34
CALTEXMARPHODARHOM32nd802
2005Rosenblum Racing28ChevyDAY
DNQ
CALATLMARGTYMFDCLT
DNQ
DOVTEXMCHMLWKANKENMEMIRPNSHBRIRCHNHALVSMARATLTEXPHOHOMN/A-
2006Roush Racing50FordDAYCALATL
22
MAR
34
CLT
25
MFDDOVMCH
19
BRI
15
NHA
11
LVSTAL
7
MAR
20
ATL
6
PHO
17
HOM24th2122
6GTY
28
TEX
8
MLW
30
KAN
6
KEN
5
MEM
6
IRP
9
NSH
34
TEX
6

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

Rolex Sports Car Series

Grand Touring

(key) Bold – Pole Position. (Overall Finish/Class Finish).

Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series GT results
YearTeamNo.EngineChassis123456789101112PosPts
2011TPN Racing11Ford Mustang GTDAYHOMBARVIRLRPWGL
(23/11)
ELKLGANJWGLMONMDO83rd19
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