Phoenix Post Race Report
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Front Row Motorsports Subway Fresh Fit 500 Race Report
Phoenix International Raceway, 1-mile oval, Avondale, Arizona |
David Ragan, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford
Starting Position: 24
Finishing Position: 38
For the second week in a row, "wrong place, wrong time" was the story of David Ragan's day. He and the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports team started Sunday's Subway Fresh Fit 500 in the 24th position and spent the first half of the race battling a loose car. But by Lap 154 of the 312-lap event, the team had improved the car's handling and Ragan was driving the best Ford Fusion he'd had all day.
He was running in 27th and chasing down the car of Danica Patrick during a long-green flag run when, on Lap 185, Patrick blew a tire and bounced off the wall. She caromed back into Ragan's path, causing an impact that wrecked both cars.
The damage sent the No. 34 team to the garage to work on repairing the front end for the second consecutive race. Eighty-nine laps later, after extensive repair and rebuilding, the team sent Ragan back on track to try to finish the race. His still-wounded Ford Fusion was only able to turn one more lap and he was forced to bring it to the garage and end his day. He was credited with a 38th-place finish.
Comments from Front Row Motorsports team driver David Ragan after the Phoenix race:
"We made a lot of improvements to our Front Row Motorsports Ford during the race and we were probably the best it had been the whole race long. A lot of people were having tire issues. I saw the 10 blew the tire, and I never thought she'd come across the track that fast. Typically when you cut a tire you kind of ride the wall. Just unfortunate being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but nothing we could do. We'll work on our cars and move on to Las Vegas."
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