David Ragan

In October 2006, Roush Racing selected Craftsman Truck series driver David Ragan to take over the reins of the AAA No. 6 car from the legendary Mark Martin. The driver during AAA’s inaugural NASCAR season, Martin had a successful run in the AAA car, earning a spot in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. After the end of the 2006 season, Martin left Roush to pursue other racing plans, while Ragan began his Nextel Cup career.

Ragan knows he has legendary shoes to fill. “It’s really special,” Ragan said. “This is a team that has been racing for more than 20 years, and it’s been at the top, winning races in the top NASCAR division. It’s great just being part of it.”

Born Christmas Eve, 1985, in Unadilla, Ga., Ragan began racing in the Bandolero Series at age 11. However, his father, former NASCAR driver Ken Ragan, wasn’t sure racing was the hobby he wanted for his son.

“For a few years it was a hobby, but then my father made it clear I had to make it my first priority if I really wanted to do it. By age 13 or 14, I had decided this is what I enjoyed doing. I was young, but I knew I had to put 110 percent into it.”

In his second year of competition, Ragan won 12 races and the Bandolero National Championship. Ragan continued to race in the Bandolero division for the next two years, winning the National Championship again in 1999.

Eventually, Ragan partnered with Dash Series driver Cam Strader, going to work in his shop, which made him appreciate what the guys in the shop do to get cars on the track. “After my days inside [the shop], I can talk the same language,” Ragan said. “It gave me a good outlook. It’s team spirit. You can’t do it alone. You have to have a lot of respect for everyone — the tire guy, the crew chief, the engineer — everyone has a certain job.

At 16, Ragan was still too young to run in NASCAR, so he began running in late model races across the southeast. It was then that he began his relationship with Mark Martin, driving for him in the Legends Pro-Division and finishing fourth in points out of more than 60 drivers.

“Mark really helped me,” Ragan explained. “He helped me build the good foundation that got me to where I am today. He’s somewhat like my dad; he’s ‘been there, done that.’ He’s shown me what to do and what not to do.”