page_title: David Ragan
section_title: 2017
hierarchical_section_title: David Ragan / Racing career / 2017
caption_attribution_description: English: David Ragan's No. 38 Overton's Ford at Dover International Speedway in 2017
context_page_description: David Lee Ragan is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 36 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing, and part-time in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, driving the No. 17 Ford F-150 for DGR-Crosley.
  Ragan was born in Unadilla, Georgia, the son of former racer Ken Ragan, and began his racing career racing in the Bandolero Series at age 12. Four years later, he began competing in the Goody's Dash Series with Cam Strader. After one year, he moved to the Legends Pro-Division to race for Mark Martin. He concluded the season by finishing fourth in the point standings. At age 18, Ragan began racing in the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Series, and the ARCA Racing Series.
  In 2007, he moved up to the Sprint Cup Series, replacing Mark Martin in the No. 6, and driving for Roush Fenway Racing. Between 2007 and 2011, he has recorded 30 top-tens in the series.
  On July 2, 2011, Ragan won his first career Sprint Cup Series race, the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
context_section_description: After departing BK Racing following his worst career points finish, Ragan returned to Front Row Motorsports, where he drove from 2012 to 2015, to drive the No. 38. His first race back at FRM resulted in a 25th place finish in the Daytona 500 after he was involved in a crash while running in the Top 5. His first Top 10 in over a year came at the GEICO 500 at Talladega, where he finished 10th after avoiding the Big One late in the race and making daring four-wide passes on Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, Ty Dillon, Clint Bowyer, and Chris Buescher all on the final lap. This result boosted him up five spots in the point standings to 28th. 
  Ragan continued his string of good momentum with a 17th place finish at the spring race at Kansas, his third consecutive Top 20 finish, boosting him to 27th in the point standings. While his Top 20 streak ended at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where he finished 23rd, it allowed him to maintain 27th in the standings. His momentum abruptly ended at Dover, where a late crash with five laps to go relegated him to a 30th place finish and sent him back to 29th in the overall standings. Ragan was up front with a handful of laps to go at Daytona in July in a position to score his third career win. He led the race with two laps to go, ultimately getting passed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who ended up winning the race. Ragan was the only driver to score both stage points in both stages and left Daytona with a Top 10 finish, where he finished 6th. 
  After a few subpar mid 20s finishes, Ragan bounced back with a 17th place finish in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race after running as high as 12th in the race. Ragan was headed for another Top 20 finish in the Bojangles' Southern 500, running as high as 15th early in the race, but fell to 25th after a spin and two cut tires. Ragan received quite some attention at Dover in the fall, benefiting from an early caution to race his way into the Top 5, then went on to finish ninth in Stage 1 for his first stage points since Daytona in July. Ragan remained on the lead lap for much of the event and finished the race in the 21st position. 
  Upon the series' return to Talladega in October, Ragan moved from his 33rd starting position to the front early. Despite involvement in several crashes throughout the evening, Ragan posted his 3rd Top 10 of the season, matching his Talladega result in the spring. Ragan ended the 2017 season with a 17th place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a 30th place finish in the point standings.
caption: Ragan's No. 38 at Dover International Speedway in 2017
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