Conservative approach working for Ragan - but not this weekend
By Jared Turner - SceneDaily Staff Writer
Friday, May 16, 2008
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David Griffin / NASCAR Scene
CONCORD, N.C. - David Ragan has admittedly taken a more conservative approach to his duties as the driver of Roush Fenway Racing's No. 6 Ford this Sprint Cup season.
Unlike 2007, when Ragan was involved in more than his share of on-track skirmishes, the 22-year-old is finishing better and running more consistently as he focuses on collecting points and the big picture of trying to make The Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup.
That's evident by Ragan's current 12th-place points standing and the fact that he's finished no worse than fifth in two of the last three races.
But make no mistake about it: Ragan won't be holding back in Saturday night's Sprint Showdown, a race in which only the top two finishers transfer into the more prestigious Sprint All-Star Race.
"Certainly in most races you have 4[00] or 500 next weekend 600 miles to get the job done, and you're thinking about the last 50 laps or the last 100 miles of the race trying to make your car the best and basically just survive until that point," Ragan said on Friday at Lowe's Motor Speedway, site of the Sprint Showdown and the all-star race that follows.
"The all-star race is something that you have to go out, to drive hard every lap, [and] you have to get the job done quick from the drop of the green to the end of the race."
Ragan knows that time and preparation will be of chief importance for the all-star challenge, an event that features just two 20-lap segments.
"You don't have 10 pit stops throughout the race to make your car better, so you better make good adjustments and your crew chief's got to make good adjustments on your car to be ready to go from the drop of the green," said the Georgia native, who is hoping to make his first start in the main event.
"So from my point [of view], I'll just make sure that we have a car that I can drive hard on sticker tires full of fuel early in a run, try to get some good track position and just be out front."
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