Ragan Signs with Front Row Motorsports, Stays with Ford

Another free agent is off the market as David Ragan has signed a deal that will see him drive for Front Row Motorsports in 2012. Ragan’s signing essentially landed him the last competitive open seat available.
Ragan drove for Roush-Fenway Racing from 2006-2011, picking up a single victory at Daytona in June. The 26-year old leaves Roush-Fenway Racing having picked up 30 top-10s and a 21.1 average finish in 182 Cup Series starts.

Signing with Front Row will keep Ragan in the Ford family as FRM uses engines provided by Roush.

“Front Row has made great progress in the last few years, and I look forward to helping them advance to the next level,” Ragan said. “I think the team appreciates what I can bring to the table, and I think it’s a good opportunity for both of us. I’ve also enjoyed a long relationship with Ford and I’m glad that I’ll get to keep working with them.”

The signing maximizes each party’s strengths as both Ragan and FRM have shown considerable success at both Daytona and Talladega in recent years. David Gilliland will be Ragan’s teammate in 2012 and finished third in the Daytona 500 and ninth in the Aaron’s 499.

Gilliland drove the team’s no. 34 entry last season and will move to the no. 38 to make room for Ragan.

“We’ve gotten better year to year and even week to week in the time I’ve been with Front Row, so I’m excited to be back for a third year and to have David (Ragan) as a teammate,” Gilliland said. “It’s good to be back in the ‘38’ car, too. It was my dad’s number, and I’ve also had some pretty good days at the racetrack with that number on the door.”

Front Row Motorsports enters its fourth full-time season in the Sprint Cup Series. The team completed it’s best season in team history last year, earning one top-5, two top-10s, and three top-15s finishes in 2011.

How do you think Ragan will fare with Front Row Motorsports this season? Tell us in the comments section below!