It is going to be a big year for David Ragan, as he and Front Row Motorsports will be returning for the 2018 season. He will be driving in the number 38 Speedco Ford in the 2018 Daytona 500 in a couple of weeks. “Front Row Motorsports has done a great job over the last 3 to 4 years growing in this sport on and off the track,” Ragan said. “Bob Jenkins has done a great job over the years with growing this team. Bob is a good friend of mine as I have been racing for him for a number of years. We were able to keep our same employees and bring some new ones on during the offseason. Everyone is anxious about getting back to the track and starting the season at Daytona,” Ragan continued.
2018 could be the biggest year that Front Row Motorsports has ever had. Front Row will have increased support from Ford Motor Company and Ford Performance along with increased support from Front Row’s technical partner Roush Fenway Racing. Ragan sees it as a big step moving forward for Front Row Motorsports. “It’s important to have manufacturer support,” Ragan said. “The race teams can only do so much on their own with simulation, building race cars and understanding what makes these race cars go fast. The manufacturers can only support so many teams, so we have established ourselves and won a couple races for Ford. The time was right for Ford to step up their performance and commitment level to Front Row Motorsports. We also have an engineering agreement with Roush Fenway Racing. It’s good for FRM and it is good for them as we work with them very closely. We are looking forward to having an uptick in speed and performance on the racetrack on a consistent basis,” Ragan continued.
Ragan will have a new teammate this season as veteran driver Michael Mcdowell joins Front Row Motorsports in 2018 after spending the last four years at Levine Family Racing. McDowell and Ragan have been friends on and off the racetrack the past several years. “It’s going to be a lot of fun to work with Michael,” Ragan said. “He brings a lot of energy to Front Row Motorsports. He is very passionate about his job. Michael has a good work ethic and that is always good to have on a race team. It’s important to have drivers that are really engaged and believe in one another but push one another to be better. I think he will do that with me and I will do that with him as well,” Ragan continued.
Every sport has their so-called big event. For NASCAR, it’s the Daytona 500 which traditionally is always where NASCAR kicks off its season. Ragan has had many good runs over the years but admits the 2011 Daytona 500 is the one he thinks about the most. The first green/white checkered of the 2011 Daytona 500. Ragan was black flagged because he changed lanes before the restart to hook up with Trevor Bayne who eventually won the Daytona 500 that year. “I think about that race a lot,” Ragan commented. “That was one of those events when you learn from bad situations more than you learn from good situations. I thought I was doing everything right in the way that NASCAR was calling that rule of someone in the front row was changing lanes on the restart. I still don’t agree with the rule but it’s one of those things that I’ve learned from. I won’t make that mistake again. It is something that I think about often. Hopefully, I am in that same position for this Daytona 500, and I will have my ducks in a row,” Ragan remarked.
David Ragan is entering in his 12th season in the Cup series this season. The 2018 cup drivers are a blend of rookies and veterans. When Ragan was in his first season as a cup driver, it was a time where drivers like Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, and Ricky Rudd retired when he was a rookie in 2007. In 2018, young drivers like William Byron, Chase Elliott, and Darrell Wallace Jr are entering the series when legends like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have just recently retired.
Ragan is excited about all the new talent coming into the sport. “It’s a great blend of veterans and rookies in the series in 2018. Over the years you have younger guys coming in and older guys leaving. I think we are seeing that again. It keeps everyone on their toes and it makes them work hard. I think we have a pretty good crop of rookies that are great drivers. They are smart and sharp for their age and the veterans are still healthy and good enough to go race with them. It makes for some fun competition,” Ragan said.
This could be a breakout year for Front Row Motorsports and Ragan thinks that the team has the potential to do some really big things this year. “I do expect Front Row to have its biggest season ever,” Ragan commented. We have been able to win some races and a pole here and there, but we need a little bit more consistency. We are still aways from racing for a championship, but the next step is to finish in the teens in points, getting a win, get more top 10’s and 15th’s, and improve on our starting and finishing position. Those are all items that are part of a natural progression to have our best year. Preparation for this year has been as smooth as any offseason that I can remember. Everyone has pretty high expectations for this year,” Ragan said.
The season kicks off on February 18th with the 60th running of the Daytona 500. The race will be at 2:30 on FOX and can be heard on MRN radio.