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Ragan Displays Patience And Brings No. 6 Discount Tire Ford Fusion Home Without a Scratch |
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HAMPTON, GA (March 17, 2006)
David Ragan fought a battle with the No. 6 Discount
Tire Ford throughout the Nicorette 300 on Saturday
afternoon. What started off as a very loose race car
slowly developed into a neutral, but awkward handling
machine. Ragan finished up the day one lap down and
in 20th position. |
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Ragan rolled off pit road in the 18th spot for the
3:00pm start Saturday's event. Once the green flag
dropped the No. 6 Discount Tire Ford quickly fell
back to the 27th spot at which time Ragan radioed
to his team that the car was real loose. |
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By lap five there was already some pretty intense
three wide racing going on. When Ragan found himself
in 34th position he once again radioed to the team
that he was running the freest through the center of
the corners and through the last part of his entry
into the turns. |
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The caution flew on lap 12 and immediately crew chief,
Mike Kelley, summoned Ragan to come down pit road for
a quick wedge adjustment to help with the handling of
the Ford Fusion. Ragan reentered the field in 32nd
position, gaining two spots in the pits. |
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The field went green again on lap 17. The change in
the car was visible right away, not only by Ragan,
but also his spotter who mentioned the he looked much
better in turns three and four. |
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There was a mandatory competition caution for lap 35
of the race. This would be the first opportunity for
any team to put fuel in their race car. The No. 6
Discount Tire pit crew took this time on pit road
to not only get fuel but also to give Ragan four
fresh tires with a air pressure adjustment in the
right rear. Ragan and his Discount Tire pit crew
gained five positions during this stop. |
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By lap 40 Ragan had moved back up to 28th position and
was once again struggling with the handling of his Ford
Fusion. He radioed that his race car was a little loose
getting in, tight on exit and tight in traffic. He
desperately needed some clean air. |
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Ragan also told his crew chief that the air pressure
adjustment that was made in the right rear tire was making
the car feel "a little goofy" getting into the corner. He
felt like the back end of his race car was bouncing off of
the track. |
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The team made their third pit stop of the day on lap 69.
Ragan was outfitted with four new tires, including air
pressure adjustments in the right side tires and fuel.
Ragan entered the pits in 25th position and gained three
spots on exit. |
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When the caution flag flew for the fourth time Ragan took
a moment to discuss his race car with his crew chief. "I
feel like it is bouncing around and moving side to side.
I don't feel like it is going to wreck or anything. I just
have to get used to it." Ragan struggled with the movement
of his Ford in turns 1 and 3 more than anywhere else on
the track. |
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Prior to his next pit stop on lap 129 Ragan informed his
team that that the car had become a little bit aero tight
and that he was feeling the right rear sit down on the track
on entry into the corners. |
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Ragan came down pit road under the green flag taking four
tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. He reentered the
field in 28th position and one lap down. |
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As Ragan struggled to hang on to this position his race car
continued to be uncooperative in traffic. |
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There was a final caution on lap 166 which the No.6 Discount
Tire team took advantage of. Kelley brought the Ford down pit
road for one final stop of the race. Four tires and fuel was
the order and Ragan headed back out in the 19th spot to
complete the race. |
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Ragan crossed the finish line in 20th position and without a
scratch on his Discount Tire Ford. |
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"It was a pretty average day," said Ragan. "The car was a
little sensitive in traffic, but once we got single file our
Ford Fusion was pretty good. I have to say thank you to my
Discount Tire pit crew. They did an awesome job. The main
thing is that we completed the race, our car is still in
one piece and I learned a lot. Hopefully this will help
improve our performance on these mile and a half tracks." |
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Ragan will compete next at Bristol Motor Speedway on March
24th in the Sharpie Mini 300. Ragan is currently 18th in
Busch Series Championship points and 3rd in the Raybestos
Rookie of the Year race. |
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About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR's largest team operating 13 motorsports teams,
five in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle,
Carl Edwards and David Ragan; five in the Busch Series with Kenseth, Biffle,
Edwards, McMurray, Ragan, Todd Kluever, Michel Jourdain Jr. and Danny O'Quinn Jr.;
and three in the Craftsman Truck Series with Edwards, Peter Shepherd, Travis Kvapil
and Erik Darnell. For more information on any of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log onto
www.RoushFenway.com.
For sponsorship inquiries please contact Robin Johnson at 704.720.4645. |
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