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A strong Watkins Glen finish could help push David Ragan into his first Chase
JIM UTTER
The Charlotte Observer
Thursday, Aug. 07, 2008
David Ragan says the spotlight is shining on him and his team right now.
The question remains whether it will stay on throughout the twists and turns of a road course this weekend - statistically among the second-year Sprint Cup Series driver's worst tracks.
After struggling through a difficult rookie year in Cup, Ragan has made great strides in his sophomore season. Following his fifth-place finish last Sunday at Pocono Raceway, the native of Kannapolis, N.C., is knocking on the door to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the first time.
Entering Sunday's race on the road course at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Ragan trails 12th place Clint Bowyer by 46 points with five races remaining before the Chase field is set.
Right now, two things stand in the way of Ragan's first bid to challenge for the series championship – Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth and a good finish on a road course.
Both obstacles are equally difficult but Ragan remains optimistic.
“It's close. We're racing good guys in front of us and good guys behind us and I think all we can do is just go out and do what we've been doing – try to get top-fives and top-10s, try not to make many mistakes that hurt us,” said Ragan, 22.
“Whatever happens is going to happen. But if we continue to do what we've been doing, we're going to win some races and make the Chase and everything is going to be great.”
In his brief NASCAR career thus far, road courses have been Ragan's Achilles heel.
He has three Cup starts – two at Sonoma, Calif., and one at Watkins Glen – and has a best finish of 24th to show for it. In five Nationwide Series road course events – at Watkins Glen, Mexico City and Montreal – Ragan has faired little better, with one top-20 finish, 14th at Mexico City in 2007.
Only Roush teammate Carl Edwards appears locked in the Chase so far, but Biffle is currently eighth and Kenseth has flirted in and out of the Top 12 in the past few weeks. Only Roush driver Jamie McMurray appears out of contention for a Chase spot.
Ragan says he does not take success for granted just because he drives for a championship-caliber organization.
“We always want to get better. Even if we had all five cars in the top five and just dominated, we'd still want to be better,” Ragan said. “It's a group effort from everyone back in Charlotte and Michigan and everyone at Ford Racing.
“We've just got to keep working hard. The second we think we've got everything under control, the door is knocking and someone else is there.”
A respectable finish Sunday will go a long way to helping Ragan secure a shocking turnaround from last season. After Watkins Glen come Michigan, Bristol, California and Richmond. Ragan finished eighth in the June race at Michigan and earned his second career top-five in the fall Richmond race one year ago.
“We've got some good tracks coming up,” he said. “I'm just happy to be here and have a shot.”
