Filed under: David Ragan, Roush Fenway Racing, Sprint Cup
David Ragan is ready to drive the truck.
Or, he's at least ready to drive the colors of the truck.
Roush Fenway Racing & UPS announced on Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway that Ragan would sport the brown and white colors of UPS on his No. 6 Ford starting in 2009 as the sponsor makes it's second high-profile move in three years.
Currently sponsoring Michael Waltrip Racing's David Reutimann, UPS jumped ship to MWR in 2007 to follow long-time personality Dale Jarrett as he moved to organization from Robert Yates Racing. The move especially leaves Reutimann -- who has shown some incredible flashes of brilliance on-track in the past two races -- and MWR with a huge void to fill in 2009 to keep the No. 44 Toyota on the track.
But for Ragan, the news is especially good and comes likely as somewhat of a reward for his leap in driver development so far in 2008. Ragan, a second-year driver from Unadilla, Ga., narrowly missed the Chase for the Sprint Cup despite racking up five Top-5's and 9 Top-10's in '08.
To me, Ragan has been one of the season's best stories, and to see a guy who came into the sport and struggle a little bit and finally get his footing is a throwback to NASCAR of old when drivers weren't always given a silver platter. Obviously, Ragan got his start with Roush Fenway Racing, but he's been able to manage that resource and show sizable improvement unlike many new drivers in the sport.
UPS is making a good decision to go with Ragan because he's going to pan out very positively for the company as a great spokesman and role model that has staying power in NASCAR.
