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Ragan Survives the Rain in Historic Race in Canada |
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Montreal, Can. (August 2, 2008)
David Ragan and the No. 6 Discount Tire Ford Fusion
team survived the first NASCAR points race run in the rain
at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Saturday afternoon.
Ragan was able to make it to Montreal Saturday morning for
qualifying, after traveling from Pocono; site of the Cup
series race this weekend. The Discount Tire team struggled
early but stayed out of trouble as the rain hailed down and
track conditions worsened throughout the day. When all was
said and done NASCAR called the race 25 laps short of its
scheduled distance of 74 laps. Ragan brought home a
respectable 13 th-place finish. |
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The race began under a dark sky at Montreal. Ragan and the
Discount Tire team started in the 30 th position and were
optimistic about their chances at the vaunted road course.
Crew chief Mike Kelley preached the importance of staying
on the course and being patient. Ragan made his move quickly,
gaining three positions by lap four. The first caution flew
on lap six for rain. NASCAR ordered all crews to change to
rain tires and setup for running in inclement weather. Each
team was given three minutes to complete adjustments. The
race was then red-flagged to asses track conditions. Ragan
restarted the race on lap 13 in the 26 th position. |
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Ragan ran in the 26th position until the caution flew again
on lap 20. Ragan was ordered to the pit stall on the same
lap for fuel only. Green-flag racing resumed on lap 23. As
the skies darkened many drivers were having problems seeing
the tight turns ahead. Ragan stayed patient and communicated
with the multiple spotters required for a road course race.
He gained eight positions over the next 13 laps. By lap 38
Ragan was in the 14 th position. |
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NASCAR called a halt to the proceedings on lap 49 after cars
started wrecking under caution. Ragan was able to bring his
Discount Tire Ford Fusion home with a 13 th-place finish. |
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"It was interesting," said Ragan. "Certainly, I don't have
road course racing figured out on dry tracks, much less wet
tracks. It was a learning experience. We weren't fast by any
means, but we were pretty smart, conservative on the pit stops
and everything else. We just did the best we could with what
we had to work with. It was a learning experience. NASCAR did
what they had to do to get this race in. I credit them for
trying." |
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The 13th -place finish leaves Ragan fifth in the Nationwide
Series point standings. Ragan and the team will return to
action next Saturday, August 9 at Watkins Glen International. |
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About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR's largest team operating 13 motorsports teams,
five in NASCAR Sprint Cup with drivers Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, Greg Biffle,
Carl Edwards and David Ragan; seven in the Nationwide Series with Kenseth, Biffle,
Edwards, McMurray, Ragan, Erik Darnell and Colin Braun; and three in the Craftsman
Truck Series with Braun, Darnell and Joey Clanton; and one in the ARCA/REMAX Series
with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
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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