David Ragan – Race Recap
Ford 400-Homestead, Fla. / November 18, 2007
Started 7th / Finished 10th

DAVID RAGAN CLINCHES TOP-10 FINISH AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
David Ragan and the No. 6 AAA Show Your Card & Save Ford Fusion

(November 18, 2007): David Ragan and the No. 6 AAA team brought one of their best race cars and high expectations with them to Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend for the running of the Ford 400. After qualifying seventh on Friday afternoon the team’s confidence grew even more that they would be able to finish off the 2007 season with a good run and a solid finish.

The field of 43 cars rolled off pit road just before 4:00pm ET on Sunday afternoon. Ragan immediately lost a few spots, but as he began to settle in he began to make up some ground.

Throughout the 267 lap race the field was forced to pit under green several times. The first came on lap 48 when Ragan was forced to come down pit road due to his fuel supply running low. He entered the pits in 10th position and reentered to the field 22nd.

While the field was cycling through stops a caution came out as a result of the No. 8 car, driven by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. running through the grass while entering pit road. This forced him to head back out on the track where he made contact with the No. 5 of Kyle Busch.

This caution put a good many of the lead lap cars to the tail end of the longest line. Ragan was included in this group. With the threat of being lapped by the lead lap cars that were in their mirrors Ragan and his team desperately needed another caution to follow the first. This would allow the cars on the tail end of the lead lap to catch up and race they’re way back to the front of the field.
Lucky for Ragan and a large number of his fellow competitors, that is exactly what happened. On lap 57 the No. 8 car lost control and hit the wall going down the front stretch. The caution was displayed and Ragan quickly caught up to the other lead lap cars before the green flag dropped again on lap 63. Ragan restarted in 15th position.

Ragan continued to run in the top-20 for the remainder of the race. He struggled with his AAA Ford becoming a little too free getting into the corner and a little too tight exiting the corners once he was 10 to 20 laps into a run. Crew chief, Jimmy Fennig helped alleviate his handling problems by making small adjustments to the track bar, air pressure and wedge during the pit stops.

The fifth caution of the day came on lap 157 when the No. 70 and No. 83 cars made contact. Ragan took this time to radio into his team. He told them that his AAA Fusion was a little free, but it was coming around. He felt that the car was really pretty good and was only going to get better.

With about 80 laps to go, Ragan made his final charge to the front. He was running in 10th position when the field began cycling through green flag pit stops again and before heading down pit road himself, Ragan led once for one lap. He returned to the race track in 11th place.

With the laps winding down quickly Ragan was on the outside of the top-10 and still working hard to make his way in. Suddenly, with around 15 laps to go the, No. 20 car, driven by Tony Stewart, lost control ahead of Ragan. Stewart had major damage to his race car after making contact with the outside wall. This opened up a spot in the top-10 for the AAA team.

Throughout the last 10 laps Ragan battled with many of his competitors who were desperate to break into the top-10 before the final laps of the race. He was able to hold them off and claim the 10th place spot when the checkered flag dropped on lap 267.

“It was a good race for us. I think we’ve had some cars capable of running like this the past month and a half. We just haven’t done it. This is something to learn on and work on. I felt like even our car was off a little bit and it’d be fun to contend for a top-five. The AAA pit crew did an awesome job. We came in 12th and came out 12th and stuff like that. They did a good job, just a lot of hard work. We can run like this. I’ve just got to be a little smarter and just got to be a little better.”

Ragan secured his third top-10 finish of the 2007 season and was declared the highest finishing Raybestos Rookie in the Ford 400.

Ragan finished the season 23rd in points, and is the runner up to the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title.

“My rookie season has been a year of ups and downs and many lessons learned. Some were learned the hard way, but the mistakes I made will make me a better race car driver in the future. I can not thank my team, AAA and Roush Fenway Racing enough for the opportunity to do what I love for a living. I am definitely looking forward to the 50th running of the Daytona 500 and my 2008 sophomore season.”