#55-David Ragan is with his third team “¦ this season. Injury and illness to other drivers have taken Ragan from Front Row Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing to Michael Waltrip Racing. On Wednesday, Ragan and his MWR team were among those at Richmond International Raceway for a tire test. Ragan was gracious enough to hold a news conference after his morning practice session. “I know where you’re going,” he said. “It’s been a busy year. It’s so nice when you can get with one team and one group and build a little chemistry and get to understand everything. I’m glad it unfolded like that. I’m very happy at Michael Waltrip Racing.” Ragan, no doubt, would be happy anywhere as long as it involved a ride on the Sprint Cup circuit. Such employment is difficult to find. Ragan has been fortunate this season to be with two well-funded teams in JGR and MWR. His future, however, is far from certain. He’s the replacement driver for Brian Vickers, who is out because of issues with blood clots. Vickers wants to return. His doctors, and NASCAR, will decide if that’s possible and even advisable. As other spots become available, Ragan must compete with drivers on the rise whose potential seems impressive. Ragan has driven for more teams this season than he did in his previous eight full seasons in NASCAR. He began his career with #6-Roush Fenway Racing in 2007 and moved to #34-Furniture Row in 2012-14. Now he’s a Sprint Cup vagabond, a young man in demand as a replacement driver who wants a full-time ride to call his own. “When you’re consistently with the same team, same manufacturer, same group, you get to know one another easily,” Ragan said. “You spend time on and off the racetrack together. Some things are second nature. When you’re with a new group of guys, it forces me to go into detail a little more about the race car. It makes my job a little more difficult because you try to be more precise in describing the car, and even race strategy, things you take for granted once you’ve worked with someone for several months or years. I think I’m a better driver because of it. I’ve had to study and work hard and devote more time to my racing program. It’s been good. I’ve enjoyed it. I feel like I’m a smarter driver today than I was six months ago.” Whether that means Ragan will be in a more stable situation six months from now is another question.(Roanoke Times)(6-19-2015)
