With last week’s on-track run-in with Tony Stewart still fresh in his mind, David Ragan came to Atlanta with reconciliation on his mind. Knowing that it might be hard to get Stewart alone, Ragan bid $5,750 at Thursday night’s Speedway Children’s Charities auction to buy the pre-race ride around the track with Stewart.
“I’ve never spoken to Tony before; I’m kind of happy he knows my name actually, but not for these reasons,” Ragan said. “This will give us a chance to talk a little bit.”
Ragan, the son of former NASCAR driver Ken Ragan, triggered a three-car wreck last weekend in Martinsville, taking out Ken Schrader and Tony Stewart, angering both veterans. Stewart had a few choice words for the young driver after the accident, and Ragan knows that he can’t start his career in NEXTEL Cup making enemies.
“Tony, he criticized me a lot after last week, and when a champion does that, it’s good to go talk to him,” Ragan said. “I think I’ll ask him his thoughts, what I should have done different, just introduce myself so that if I step out of line in the future he’ll come and talk to me about it.”
Ragan was expected to attempt to qualify for both Saturday’s Easy Care Vehicle Service Contracts 200 Craftsman Truck race and Sunday’s Bass Pro Shops 500 NEXTEL Cup race, but NASCAR did not approve him to compete in the upper level event. He is still hopeful that he will be approved before next weekend’s race in Texas.
“I was disappointed, but at least I’ll be running the truck race here,” Ragan said. “I’m happy; I’m just 20 years old, and I’m here in the truck series.”
