David Ragan Spends NASCAR Week Off Racing Open Wheels at Local Track

Most NASCAR drivers will be savoring a rare weekend off from the hectic racing schedule by fishing, relaxing or just spending quality time with family and friends. But for others, like David Ragan, the allure of racing, especially at some of the local tracks, is just too strong to ignore.

Ragan is planning to race this weekend in NASCAR's Whelen Southern Modified Tour, driving an open wheel car, at the series' opener in Asheboro, North Carolina. The race will be held on March 15 at the Caraway Speedway.

Ragan has grown up racing stock cars, so the opportunity to drive a Modified car was just too good to pass up. 

"The opportunity to race this weekend at Caraway came up and I decided it would be a lot of fun," Ragan said.

Ragan is familiar with the Caraway Speedway, having run late model races there. 

"I've run late model races at Caraway over the years, but never a Modified race," Ragan said. "It's the first race of the season there so it should be a fun event."

The driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion needs to go and have some fun as his 2009 racing season has gotten off to a relatively tough start. Ragan currently sits 22nd in the points standings.

Ragan finished 19th in the most recent race at his hometown track in Atlanta. He was three laps down to race winner Kurt Busch.

At Las Vegas, Ragan had no luck at all, with an unusual engine failure. He finished a disappointing 42nd.

Although one lap down, Ragan finished 17th in Fontana, and had a great start to his season with a sixth place finish at Daytona.

Ragan had an exceptional race year in 2008, where he finished 13th in the points, just missing the Chase race for the championship. He also received the Most Improved Driver rating for the race year.

Ragan has come along way so far in his racing career. Son of retired Cup Series driver Ken Ragan, young David was discovered by Jack Roush during one of the "Gong Show" competitions.

Having raced bandolero cars at age 11, to steadily progressing to ARCA, Nationwide, and Cup Series racing, Ragan is indeed a force to be reckoned with on the full-time Cup circuit.

But this weekend, for just a few days anyway, Ragan will put all of that behind him. He will toss off the pressures of the Cup schedule, the disappointing start to his race season, and the craziness of his appearances and media obligations.

Ragan will instead climb into an open wheel car on a great little hometown track and go racing. And there is no doubt that he will deservedly just drive fast and have some fun.