David had a successful practice session on Friday afternoon, spending most of his time inside of the top 15, and ending the session in seventh position.

“Our Cup car drives really well and we picked up some speed in qualifying,” said David after making his qualifying run. “We just needed a few more one-hundredths to be up there in the top two or three. Our UPS Ford was very fast right off the truck and I think it’s got some pretty good speed. It was as good of a first practice as we’ve had all year, so that’s just a product of some things we’ve been working on to unload better and be more comfortable. It helps bringing the same tire back, so we’ve got some notes from the spring to work on. Anytime we can come back with the same car and the same style of tire, it just helps out.”

The last time the UPS team raced in Texas, they were running inside of the top five and were on their way to a top-five finish before debris got caught on the grill of the No. 6 and overheated the engine.

Sunday will mark David’s sixth start at the 1.5-mile Texas track, and coverage for the race begins at 3:15 Eastern Time on ABC.

The No. 6 UPS/Boys and Girls Clubs of America Ford Fusion

We got out here early on Thursday since the Nationwide Series had tech at the track. We all fly together, so all of the Cup guys had the day off on in Texas to have some fun. Some of us did have to work as David had two sponsor appearances on Thursday, but it looks like some of the No. 6 team hit the golf course. I’m not sure what the rest were up to, but the weather was beautiful for the first day of the race weekend.

Last week we were in Talladega, Alabama. That was such a stressful weekend because things happen so fast there and you never know who is going to get caught up in a wreck.  We survived right up until the end when David got bumped and took a trip through the grass. We still finished okay and actually moved up a spot in the point standings. 

We also got to have a little fun in Talladega. I’m not sure if you’ve heard stories about the infield there, but it’s crazy. The wildest fans go to Talladega and camp out for the whole week! A lot of the crew guys make an annual trip to ‘cruise the infield’ to see what’s going on inside of the largest tracks on the schedule. The Zac Brown Band played a free concert to anyone with an infield pass on Saturday night before the race. Of course it had rained all day Saturday, but it stopped by late afternoon. Event though the weather cleared, it was definitely a muddy mess. The concert was really good and David even stopped by for the start of it. He left early since he had to get up and race the next day. 

Now back to Texas. We’ve got a really cool car this weekend and everyone is excited to see it on track. We’ve gotten to visit some Boys and Girls Clubs of America locations this year on behalf of UPS, and those visits are always a lot of fun. Our paint scheme this weekend is cool with a lot of the BGCA kids’ handprints on the car. I even tried to match up my hands with theirs on the car, and I actually fit a few. I’m not sure if they’ve got some growing into their hands to do or if my hands are just small!

Well, that’s about it from here for now. Hopefully we get a good run this weekend to make up for last time. David had such a good run going in the spring, but debris got caught on the grill and overheated our car…bad luck. Here’s hoping it’s all behind us!

- Nancy

DALLAS, Nov. 5, 2009 – NASCAR driver David Ragan and the UPS (NYSE:UPS) team will have an extra 4.5 million fans cheering them this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway when Ragan gets behind the wheel of his No. 6 Ford Fusion, which will sport a new paint scheme that reflects UPS and Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) UPS Road Code safe driving program.

The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS, introduced a national program this year in collaboration with BGCA to teach the company’s industry-leading safe driving techniques to teens. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, but UPS and its world-renowned drivers are making an effort to change that with the help of BGCA and Ragan.

“UPS drivers are among the safest on the road. The Road Code program gives us the opportunity to use our nationally recognized safe driving training to directly impact a need in our communities and prevent teenage deaths,” said Ken Sternad, president of The UPS Foundation. “This special paint scheme captures our commitment to driving safety, starting with teens at local Boys & Girls Clubs, and sharing it with UPS NASCAR fans.”

The new car design for the Texas race incorporates BGCA’s logo, along with handprints from members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas who are participating in the UPS Road Code program. The paint scheme was unveiled in a special trackside event featuring Ragan and these Club teens.

“Our entire race team is excited about the special Boys & Girls Clubs of America design we’re running this weekend,” said Ragan. “This is definitely a change from the normal look of our UPS car, and it’s always fun to give the fans something new to get excited about. This car is certainly going to stand out on track and hopefully help bring some awareness to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the UPS Road Code program.”

Ragan became a spokesperson for the UPS Road Code program this season, supporting the program through a series of video and audio public service announcements that are available online and have been broadcast on radio stations nationwide. He’s also been visiting some Boys & Girls Clubs near racing cities, speaking to the UPS Road Code teens about the importance of safe driving.

“Safety is a priority for me on and off the track, and being on the road is something that needs to be taken seriously,” continued David. “It’s easy to get distracted when you’re in the car, but you need to be really focused when you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle.”

 “We are extremely grateful to The UPS Foundation for bringing UPS Road Code to our teens, providing access to important safety training utilizing state-of-the-art simulators,” said Roxanne Spillett, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “The paint scheme for David’s car is outstanding. It truly captures the essence of our Clubs, our kids, and our dedication to their safety.”

Teens, parents, and others interested in learning more about safe driving and UPS Road Code should visit www.ups.com/roadcode. And for regular updates on UPS Road Code, safe driving tips and other UPS news, sign up for the UPS Twitter channel at twitter.com/ups_news.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has helped kids “BE GREAT,” providing hope and opportunity for those who need it most.  Today, more than 4,300 clubs serve some 4.5 million young people through club membership and community outreach.  Known as The Positive Place for Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs can be found throughout the country and on U.S. military bases worldwide, providing young people 6 to 18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff.  Clubs positively impact lives and help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens.  Key programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration;

community service; technology training; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach.  In a recent Harris Survey of club alumni, 57 percent said the club saved their lives.  National headquarters are located in Atlanta, Ga.

About The UPS Foundation

Founded in 1951 and based in Atlanta, Ga., The UPS Foundation’s major areas of focus include community safety, nonprofit effectiveness, economic and global literacy, environmental sustainability, and diversity.  The UPS Foundation pursues these initiatives by identifying specific projects where its support can help produce a measurable social impact.  In 2008, The UPS Foundation directed more than $100 million in philanthropy to charitable organizations worldwide.  Visit community.ups.com for more information about UPS’s community involvement.

The No. 6 UPS/Boys and Girls Clubs Ford Fusion

David with the 3204 SLIC at Talladega Superspeedway

Each week, the UPS ‘Maximum Center’ program recognizes a UPS operating facility or Freight Service Center for success in safety and service. Chosen facilities are recognized with its Standard Location Identification Code (SLIC) or Freight Service Center three-letter code on the wing of David Ragan’s No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion.

 

The Jacksonville South Center (SLIC – 3204) in the North Florida District was selected as the UPS Maximum Center for the race this past weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Out of the categories used to measure success, the center was the district’s top ranked group in eight sections.

Congratulations to all of the employees at the Jacksonville South Center for a job well done.

Jacksonville South Center Maximum Center Photos

This week is a very exciting week for UPS Racing and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). David Ragan and the UPS team will compete in the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway with a special BGCA design on the No. 6 Ford Fusion.

Earlier this season, the UPS Foundation and the BGCA launched a program together called Road Code. The program, which is run through BGCA locations throughout the country, teaches teens the importance of safe driving. With the help of UPS’s own drivers, and a few appearances by David Ragan himself, teens across the nation are learning what they can do to become safer drivers.

And while we can’t give away all of the details of the design just yet, check back to the site on Thursday when we’ll have photos of David unveiling the new look of  the No. 6 Ford with the help of some Dallas teens involved in the UPS Road Code program.

David will blog on-location from Texas Motor Speedway to keep you up to speed with all of the details of the car’s design, and about his plans to drive it into Victory Lane!

-UPS Racing

David racing through the field on Sunday

It almost looked as if the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was going to leave Talladega Superspeedway without the dreaded ‘big one’ happening, but the key word there is, almost.

David Ragan and the UPS team were able to stay out of most of the on-track incidents that happened on Sunday, and come away from the 2.5-mile Alabama track with a 17^th-place finish.

David didn’t have much to say on the radio during the race as far as how the car was handling, so pit stops for the UPS team were pretty much routine. Most stops were just for four tires and fuel, and the team only made minor adjustments to tighten the No. 6 up just a bit throughout the race.

The majority of the race saw the 43-car field racing single file, as NASCAR announced an hour before the race that bump drafting in the turns would not be tolerated. Teams also received smaller restrictor plates for the weekend to help slow down the cars and prevent them from going airborne after contact the way they did at Talladega earlier this season.

Once the laps began to wind down, David battled inside of the top 10, and made his way up to third position until there were eight laps left in the race. At that point, drivers began to change what lane they were driving in, so the draft switched and a good portion of the field flew by the lane David was racing in, pushing him down into the 20s.

With six laps to go, the race was red-flagged when Ryan Newman’s car flipped end-over-end in turn three. His car flipped onto its roof, but Newman was able to walk away from the accident without injury.

Once the race went back under yellow, the field was set for a green-white-checkered finish. But, because drivers were beginning to run out of fuel, NASCAR called off the green flag twice, forcing David into the pits to top his UPS Ford off with fuel. He made a very quick stop in the pits and was back inside of the top 20 when the race went back to green.

As the field was coming out of turn four on the final lap, multiple cars were sent spinning across the track. David was one of the cars caught up in that mess, and was sent spinning in the grass. He was able to avoid making contact with any other cars and crossed the finish line in 16^th position.

“Our UPS Ford was pretty fast, but we were just at the mercy of everyone around us,” said David after the race. “It was just kind of a terrible race today in general. There was a lot of single-file racing, and I know it’s exciting there at the end, but what happens is NASCAR slows these cars down. They’re too easy to drive and everyone just gets kind of crazy.  It’s a shame to tear up a lot of good race cars like that, but that’s restrictor plate racing. I’m glad we only have to do it three or four times a year.”

David and his teammate, Matt Kenseth, competed this weekend with the new Ford Racing FR9 engine for the first this season. Neither driver reported any issues and all seemed to go as planned with the engine’s debut.

“The new engine performed great, and we didn’t have any issues,” continued David. “We ran cool all day and had good power with great fuel mileage. It’ll be interesting to see when those guys get back to North Carolina. They’ll look at the valve train and the inside, but from where I was sitting it was pretty good.”

David and the UPS team head back to Texas Motor Speedway next weekend for the Dickies 500 on Sunday. Be sure to check back here later in the week for a special announcement about next weekend’s race.

Routine stop for the UPS crew

David on Friday during practice at Talladega

Rain came into the Talladega early on Saturday morning, and did not clear up in time for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to get through qualifying. So, because the session was cancelled, David Ragan and the UPS team will start 28^th on Sunday as the lineup for the Amp Energy 500 is based on owner’s points.

“We were really hoping to get out to qualify today and see how the new Ford engine would perform,” said David. “Yesterday we had two practice sessions and we were able to get some drafting practice in and also make our first laps on this track with the new engine. Our UPS Ford is really good on the superspeedways, so we’re looking forward to an exciting race here tomorrow.”

On Friday, David and the team had a little issue with the rear-end of the car, but the UPS crew was able to fix the issue and get David back out on the track for the final practice of the weekend. David was able to get some great laps in during last practice, ending the session in seventh position.

Coverage for Sunday’s Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway will start at noon Eastern Time on ABC.

Sam at work during a UPS pit stop

Sam Gibson is the front tire carrier for the No. 6 UPS team. Before leaving for Talladega, Sam took some time to talk with UPS Racing about his job at Roush Fenway Racing.

How did you get into the sport?

I knew a friend working for a different team that got me a job in 2000. Five years later, I started at Roush with the No. 6 Truck. From there, I moved over to the No. 17 Nationwide team before moving up to the No. 6 Cup team.

What’s your favorite part about being on a NASCAR team?

My favorite part would probably be the traveling and getting to see different parts of the country.

What’s your normal “run of show” during the week?

During the week I work in the shop tearing down cars, building suspensions, puttin in motors, and have pit crew practice.  When I’m not working I enjoy just relaxing and hanging out and going to the movies.

What are your normal responsibilities once arriving to the track each weekend?

Once I get to the track, I prep the tires for the race, get them to the pit box, lay them all out, and clean them. After all my work is done, I help anyone else out that may need it.

What are you responsible for during the actual race?

I’m the front tire carrier

Anything significant about the upcoming weekend?

It’s a restrictor plate track where I a lot can happen fast, but David runs really well there.

If you weren’t working in racing, what do you think you would be doing?

I would probably be a chef at a restaurant or working at an auto dealership.

Where did you grow up?

Boone, NC

What’s your favorite thing to do on an off-weekend?

On off weekends, I go to the lake to go surfing.

Something interesting about yourself?

I enjoy yoga even though the guys make fun of me about it.

Favorite Movie: Any Vince Vaughn movie

Favorite TV Show: Californication

Favorite Cartoon as a Kid: Curious George

Favorite Pizza Toppings? Greek pizza

Favorite Place to Eat? Fusion Bowl

Favorite Music: Dave Matthews, Metallica, Korn, Chevelle

Sam during pre-race with the rest of the UPS team

The Danville SLIC on the wing of the No. 6

Each week, the UPS ‘Maximum Center’ program recognizes a UPS operating facility or Freight Service Center for success in safety and service. Chosen facilities are recognized with its Standard Location Identification Code (SLIC) or Freight Service Center three-letter code on the wing of David Ragan’s No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion.

The Danville Center (SLIC – 2451) in the Virginia District was selected as the UPS Maximum Center for the Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Justin with the mini UPS package car at Martinsville Speedway

This past weekend at Martinsville Speedway, Justin Chaney was part of the UPS Trackside Services team. Justin took some time on Sunday to talk with UPS Racing about what he does both at and away from the track.

My name is Justin and I am an on-road supervisor out of the Danville, Virginia Center. I’ve been with UPS for five years and first started working with the company unloading trucks.

I was glad to be able to go out to the track this past weekend and work for the UPS Trackside program. I really like going out to the track because I like seeing the people involved in the sport and making sure they have what they need for the weekend. It’s fun to see everything that goes on at the track that regular race fans don’t get to see.

During my spare time, I enjoy riding mountain bikes, going camping and riding four-wheelers.

- Justin

For each of the next four Sundays, a new autographed helmet or hood will be placed up for auction on eBay. Race fans will have one week to bid on the item before the listing expires and the next item is made available for bidding.

Current item:

The second item up for bid is an autographed 2009 Carl Edwards replica helmet. The helmet was signed by Edwards and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Roush Fenway Racing

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320436372189

Remaining United Way auction items:

Sunday, November 8:                        Autographed Matt Kenseth DeWalt helmet

Sunday, November 15:                      Autographed David Ragan UPS helmet and hood

Past auction items:

Autographed Greg Biffle 3M helmet – $900

About United Way:

United Way is a worldwide network in 45 countries and territories, including nearly 1,300 local organizations in the U.S. It advances the common good, creating opportunities for a better life for all, by focusing on the three key building blocks of education, income and health. The United Way movement creates long lasting community change by addressing the underlying causes of problems that prevent progress in these areas. LIVE UNITED is a call to action for everyone to become a part of the change.

Remember, auctions end the Sunday following the item’s original posting date, so be sure to get your bids in before it’s too late.

Thanks for the support!

-UPS Racing

David during pre-race activities at Martinsville Speedway

David Ragan started Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500 from the 14^th position and was able to stay competitive around that spot for nearly the entire first 300 laps of the race. But after a receiving a late-race penalty in the pits forced David to the back of the field, the team had to battle their way back up through the field. David managed to miss multiple spins towards the end of the race to finish in 22^nd position.

“After we had that penalty, we lost all of our track position,” said David after the race. “I felt like our UPS Ford was a top-10 or top-15 car today. It was really good on the long run, but we just didn’t have enough of those long runs the first part of the race. It was unfortunate to get that penalty and have to go to the back of the field. From there, it was just real hard to pass and get any good track position. All in all, we finished and it was pretty exciting at the end with all of the beatin’ and bangin’ going on between everyone.”

The only real issue David had during the first part of the race was trying to get the car to cut better through the corners. The UPS Ford was also a little bit loose coming off of the corners. To fix those problems, Jimmy Fennig and the crew made some air pressure and track bar adjustments, which seemed to help with the handling of the car.

When a couple of back-to-back cautions during the middle of the race, Jimmy kept David out on the track to gain some track position. That strategy worked as David was able to move up inside of the top 10. But, because most of the leaders had pit for new tires while David stayed out on the track, those drivers eventually made their way back up to the front of the field.

David came into the pits on lap 304 for a routine stop, but the team suffered a penalty after the front tire carrier rolled the right tire back to the pit wall. Tire carriers must be in control of their tires at all times, and the tire was rolled too long of a distance back to the pit wall. Because of the penalty, David was forced to go to the tail end of the lead lap. This put him back in 31^st position after coming into the pits in 20^th position.

David battled hard to move back up through the field. He was able to avoid multiple spins, but did go a lap down on lap 357. For the remainder of the race, he tried to get in position to be the ‘Lucky Dog’ and get his lap back, but the cautions just didn’t end up working in the team’s favor. As a result, David finished one lap behind the leaders after the race came down to a green-white-checkered finish.

The UPS team heads south to Talladega Superspeedway next weekend for the 33^rd race of the season. Coverage for Sunday’s race starts at noon Eastern Time on ABC.

David making a move through the field at Martinsville Speedway

David during practice at Martinsville Speedway

David Ragan and the UPS team had a solid day of practice and qualifying at Martinsville Speedway on Friday afternoon.

After ending the only practice session of the day in 10th position, the UPS team put together a 14th-place qualifying effort for Sunday’s TUMS Fast Relief 500.

“It felt really close to the same lap that we ran for qualifying in practice,” said David after his run. “You’re always splitting hairs here at Martinsville. When it’s all said and done, a tenth probably would have put us 10-12 spots higher, but it was an okay lap. I thought we could have picked up a little bit more, but I think we’ve got a great UPS Ford for Sunday. We’re just gonna need a hair more speed in practice on Saturday to get this thing perfect for the race.”

Rain came into the area right before practice was scheduled to begin, so the day got off to a little bit later start than originally planned. But, once David got out on the track and made some initial baseline laps during practice, the team only had to make slight adjustments to the car to get it to move up on the speed charts.

David and the UPS team will have two more practice sessions on Saturday to fine tune their UPS Ford Fusion for Sunday’s race.

David during his qualifying run

DEARBORN, Mich., October 23, 2009 – The wait for Ford Racing’s new engine is over.

After months of anticipation, Ford Racing announced today that the “FR9” engine will make its debut under the hood of Matt Kenseth’s No. 17 DeWalt Ford Fusion and David Ragan’s No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion in next week’s Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

“I’m very excited about the debut of the FR9,” said Brian Wolfe, director, Ford North America Motorsports.  “All of us are anxious to see it in competition for the first time.

“Those of us who have been involved in this project agree that one of the biggest hurdles we’ve faced in making this transition to the FR9 this year has been the fact the current Ford engine is still so competitive, along with the economics of obsoleting the inventory of the current engine and parts.  This has been a tough year for us and our teams on the track, especially since we had such a strong 2008, and the priority for everyone this year has been solving the on-track performance, which has slowed down the rollout of the FR9.”

Code-named “FR9,” this new piece is the first purpose-built NASCAR racing engine to ever come out of Ford Motor Company.  Its design has been spearheaded and developed by famed engine builder Doug Yates and Ford Racing engineer David Simon.

“This puts us on a level playing field with the rest of the competition and it’s something we’re excited about working on,” said Yates, who has been involved with the project since it began three years ago.  “Right out of the box the engine is really impressive power-wise.

“We feel like it’s going to give us some advantages aerodynamically where, perhaps, we can tape the cars up more and run the engines hotter.  The oiling system is designed for a racing engine and, to this day, the current engine has done a great job for many years, but we’ve got to remember when I started 20 years ago the block was already in existence.  So a lot of things have changed,” continued Yates.  “The demands have changed.  The RPM and the power levels have changed tremendously, and to have an opportunity to have something new and move forward makes this an exciting time to be part of Ford.”

While having a blank sheet of paper to build a new engine from scratch was something the team embraced, it also meant those initial decisions had to be right.

“The biggest challenge was probably deciding on the framework of the engine – making the big decisions on port arrangement and valvetrain layout,” said Simon.  “In some cases we went and got data that we needed to make decisions, but that’s the most nerve-racking part. Once you set the course for the project and what the engine is going to look like, then you have to go with it. If you get that wrong, you’re going to be behind the 8-ball for the rest of the program.”

Some of those crucial decisions included an all-new platform for “FR9” with no carry over components or dimensions from the current production-based 351 engine.  Elements such as the induction exhaust, valvetrain, cooling, lubrication and sealing systems have all been improved for greater efficiency and performance.

“The potential of this engine going forward is far above the current engine, which is towards the end of its development curve,” said Simon.  “Another improvement with FR9 is it has been designed to improve manufacturability and serviceability, offering the engine builders savings in labor and cost.”

While the restricted version of the engine will debut next week, it has yet to be determined when “FR9” will hit the track at an unrestricted venue.  One thing, however, is for certain – the “FR9” is here to stay.

“It’s a reflection of the great effort by the Ford engineers, by Doug Yates and his people, by my guys, and a vendor or two that we consulted with.  Together they have brought cutting-edge technologies and cutting-edge thinking for casting layouts and torque loading, and for the way the stress and the fatigue will be carried throughout the structure,” said Jack Roush.  “We expect the castings to be more durable.  We expect the valve seat life and the piston life to be improved and we expect a better result from the drivetrain.  We look for decades of usefulness with the FR9.  I feel sure it will contribute greatly to our teams and to Ford’s future success in the sport.”

*Courtesy of Ford Racing

David had a good car until a tire going down hurt our track position, but ultimately, he ended on the lead lap in 20^th. This weekend is Martinsville, which is another race close to home. That is something that we always enjoy. Plus, it’s a short track, and David likes short tracks. Hopefully the weather will be warmer and we’ll get a good finish!

On Tuesday, David filmed an episode for CMT ‘Cribs.’ It’s funny how 5-7 minutes of what you see on the air takes about 10 hours to shoot. David wasn’t on camera that whole time, but he did take them on a tour of his house and his race shop. Once he was done, I stuck around with Alexis while the production crew took a lot of b-roll shots. It made for a pretty long day. I think it will all turn out really good and everyone will have to check it out in January when it airs. We don’t know what day it’s going to air yet, but we’ll keep you up to date when we find out.

Having 10 hours of filming creates some down time, so we had a little fun while waiting at David’s shop……check out some of our photos!

David with the Monroe Center SLIC in Charlotte

Each week, the UPS ‘Maximum Center’ program recognizes a UPS operating facility or Freight Service Center for success in safety and service. Chosen facilities are recognized with its Standard Location Identification Code (SLIC) or Freight Service Center three-letter code on the wing of David Ragan’s No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion.

The Monroe Center (SLIC – 2811) in the West Carolina District was selected as the UPS Maximum Center for the Charlotte race last Saturday night.

The center was recognized for its outstanding improvement across all major business elements. The center also demonstrated gains in the Financial, Customer, and People Perspectives.

Monroe Center Maximum Center Photos

TJ stretching in the UPS pit

TJ Hamilton is the rear tire carrier for the No. 6 UPS team. TJ took some time to talk with UPS Racing about his job at Roush Fenway Racing.

How did you get into the sport?

I took a welding class in high school. After I graduated, Roush needed someone to be a welder, and I got the job.

What’s your favorite part about being on a NASCAR team?

The adrenaline that comes with it.

What’s the coolest thing that you’ve gotten to do since being a member of the No. 6 team?

The PBR Bull Riding Event. The riders came to the shop and learned about what we do in the pits.

What’s your normal ‘run of show’ during the week?

It is always really busy in the shop.  Sunday is the big race day, typically. Monday is the resting day, and on those days, I love taking naps with my dog. On Tuesdays I try to make it up to the lake after work and do a little surfing. Wednesdays I hangout with my 11-year-old daughter, Makayla.  After that, the race cycle starts all over again.

What are your normal responsibilities once arriving to the track each weekend?

At the track, my main responsibility is cleaning tires and getting them ready to race.

What are you responsible for during the actual race?

During the race, I am in the pits as a tire carrier. The adrenaline you get from the race gets you focused and you can’t think of anything else but what you have to do during the next pit stop.

If you weren’t working in racing, what do you think you would be doing?

I think flying fighter jets would be pretty cool.

Where did you grow up?

Greensboro, NC

What’s your favorite thing to do on an off-weekend?

Go to the lake for wakeboarding and surfing.

Something interesting about yourself?

I am very superstitious.

Favorite movie: Rudy, Rocky Movies (except the last one), and of course, Days of Thunder

Favorite TV Show: I don’t really watch TV.

Favorite cartoon as a kid: Transformers

Favorite pizza toppings? Ham

Favorite place to eat? Mexican

Favorite music: Country

TJ during a UPS pit stop

David while running 11th at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Saturday night

David Ragan and the No. 6 UPS team started Saturday night’s race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 29th position. But, it didn’t take too long for them to move up inside of the top 20. The car was on the move until David felt something wrong with one of his new tires. After he came into the pits and the UPS team took a look, they determined he had a right-front tire going down, and as a result of losing a little bit of track position, ended Saturday’s race in 20^th-place finish.

The No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion was very good at the beginning of the race, and that, combined with quick pit stops by the UPS crew, put David up into 11^th place. David maintained a spot right around that position until experiencing the tire issue.

“Our UPS Ford was real good at the beginning of the race,” said David. “We started further back than we would have liked, but we were able to move up pretty quick. We didn’t have to make too many adjustments early in the race because the car was pretty neutral. Just around halfway, the car felt different after making a trip down pit road. It felt like there was something wrong with the tires, so we came in during the next caution period and switched them out. Jimmy said that it looked like our right front was going down, and that cost us track position because it was much more difficult to drive the car with a bad tire on it.

“We just couldn’t get back up in the field after that tire issue,” continued David. “Our UPS pit crew was great in the pits, but we just didn’t get the finish we wanted.”

David and the UPS team will compete in the Tums Fast Relief 500 next weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Coverage for the race begins at 1 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC.