Ragan Continues Busy Racing Schedule; Bristol Next
64;¦. Bristol, Tennessee (08-24-05) - - It’s been a busy couple of weeks for racing superstar David Ragan. In addition to his ARCA RE/MAX Series schedule, the 19-year old has been competing for a full-time 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ride in Roush’s Racing prestige event, the “Gong Showâ€???. With the “Gong Showâ€??? now complete; and the ARCA RE/MAX Series with an off weekend, Ragan has elected not to relax, but instead battle the bull ring of Bristol Motor Speedway for Friday’s, Food City 250, the 26th event on the 2005 NASCAR Busch Series schedule. Ragan will drive for Day Enterprises, the team that currently fields his No. 90 Ford Taurus in the ARCA division. Ragan will look to make his fourth NBS (NASCAR Busch Series) start of the season behind the wheel of the No. 16 31-W Insulation Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Earlier this year, Ragan has starts at Texas Motor Speedway, the Milwaukee Mile, and Gateway International Raceway. In those three starts, Ragan has produced a best starting position of 34th at Texas Motor Speedway and rallied to a season’s best of 32nd at Milwaukee. “I’m looking forward to running the NASCAR Busch Series event this weekend,â€??? said Ragan. “This is another chance for me to get some more experience not only in a racecar but in the NASCAR Busch Series as well.â€??? Not only will Bristol mark a chance for the second-generation driver to shine, but personally for Ragan it will be a test. “Bristol is a very physical race. This race is a test for me, not only physically but mentally too. I’ve won at a short track this year (Lanier Speedway, ARCA RE/MAX Series), but this Friday’s event will be a lot different. Bristol Motor Speedway is a very tough track. I want to make sure that I can give 100% behind the wheel of our racecar not only for myself, but our sponsors as well,â€??? explained the Unadilla, Georgia native. Last season, Ragan endured his first ever stock-car event at Bristol Motor Speedway by competing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event for Fiddle Back Racing. “Again the truck race was physical. After about 150 laps, I was starting to feel the fatigue, but we didn’t the end the night like we wanted to, as we were involved in a late-race wreck. That’s what we are looking not to do on Friday. I have to stay patient behind the wheel and be there in the end.â€??? Ragan, the son of former NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Ken Ragan knows that qualifying is all so crucial on the short tracks. “If you qualify upfront, you have a better chance of being out of the mess, and that’s my goal. There is a stout entry of competitors this weekend, and I want our No. 16 to be solidly in the field, and we’ll try to race clean the first half of the race, and then put the pressure on for the win.â€??? Following this weekend’s NASCAR Busch Series event, it will be back to work for Ragan in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Next week begins a week-long stretch of three-races in nine days for the diverse series. Ragan is expected to pilot his automobile at Toledo Speedway, Duquoin (dirt track), and topping the trip off with a Superspeedway trip at Chicagoland Speedway. “The ARCA RE/MAX Series will begin their march of three events in a close net of time. I’m looking forward to all three of them. We’ve had some success on the short tracks this year, and on the Superspeedways. The dirt will be a new challenge for me in the ARCA series, but I am looking forward to it. It’s all about the racing, and I’m loving it.â€??? The Food City 250 is the 26th of 34 events on the 2005 NASCAR Busch Series schedule. Practice and qualifying are on the agenda this Friday, August 26th with the race set to take the green flag that night. TNT will air the event live beginning at 7:30 PM EST, with PRN handling the airwaves starting at 7:25 PM EST. The race will also be available via XM radio channel 144 launching at 7:20pm For more information on racing’s newest superstar, David Ragan please visit his website at _http://www.davidragan.com_ (http://www.davidragan.com/)