In his first act post-retirement from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition, David Ragan is returning to the Great American Race.
Ragan will drive the No. 36 in the season-opening Daytona 500 for Rick Ware Racing, he announced Friday, Jan. 10.
Ragan will be sponsored by Select Blinds and Speedy Cash for the race.
Despite being a RWR-fielded entry, Ragan’s paint scheme is reminiscent of his rides with Front Row Motorsports, potentially indicating a partnership for the event.
Really excited for the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the No. 36 @Select_Blinds Ford Mustang for @RickWareRacing at @DISupdates!
Thank you to both @Select_Blinds and @speedycash for coming on board for the 62nd running of the Great American Race. pic.twitter.com/56AbAPkH2R
— David Ragan (@DavidRagan) January 10, 2020
Ragan joins Joey Gase and JJ Yeley, who have previously been announced as RWR’s drivers for 2020.
He competed for FRM in 2019, driving the team’s No. 38. John Hunter Nemechek has been announced for that ride in 2020, and FRM’s No. 36, which was largely driven by Matt Tifft in 2019, will no longer be a full-time operation.
It’s currently unknown if Ragan’s entry has a charter attached to it that guarantees a spot in the Daytona 500 next month.
Rutherford is the managing editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2015 after serving on the editing staff for two years. At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.