David Ragan

David Ragan, No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford

Starting Position: 38

Finishing Position: 31

For days ahead of the Auto Club 400, the weather forecast was predicting a rainout.  So, as the 43 cars took the green flag on Sunday, they were all racing against the arrival of the rain as much as each other.

David Ragan started 38th in the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford.  After running several two-mile laps on the big, sweeping track, he reported to crew chief Jay Guy that his Ford Fusion started off a little "loose" on entry and exit and developed a "tight" condition in the center of the turns the longer he ran.

By the time the team was preparing for its first pit stop, Ragan was up to 30th.  He came down pit road on Lap 35 for the first of the team's three green-flag pit stops, and the MHP Pit Crew made air-pressure and trackbar adjustments to help with the car's handling.

As traditional at Auto Club Speedway, the field was spread out single file for much of the afternoon with little chance for passing, and a lack of cautions prevented much strategizing in the pits.  The race against the weather provided the most drama, as the rain clouds arrived at the track right about the same time that the race reached its half-way point, making it an official race.  After 100 laps, Ragan was in 29th.

The team continued to work on the handling of the car and Ragan experimented with different lines around the racetrack, as they looked for any opportunity to gain an edge.  But there wasn't much time left to gain any ground, as the rain moved in and brought the race under caution at Lap 117.  With the radar looking like it could be a quick shower, Guy brought Ragan down pit road under the yellow flag for tires, fuel and adjustments.  He returned to the track in 31st.

But the rain did not stop, and instead got heavier, and NASCAR waved the red flag and brought the cars down pit road after 129 laps.  After about half an hour of constant rain, the race was officially called.

Comments from Front Row Motorsports team driver David Ragan after the Fontana race:    

David Gilliland

David Gilliland, No. 38 1-800LoanMart Ford

Starting Position: 41

Finishing Position: 30

David Gilliland started Sunday's race in the 41st position, carrying the green-and-black colors of Southern California-based 1-800LoanMart.  Like his teammate, Gilliland reported in the early laps that his No. 38 Ford got "tighter" the longer he ran and needed help with grip.

By the first round of green-flag pit stops, Gilliland was up to 34th.  Pat Tryson called for air-pressure and chassis adjustments for their Ford Fusion as Gilliland pitted on Lap 32.  With each of the team's three green-flag stops over the course of the race, they continued to finesse the handling, while Gilliland worked on trying different grooves for the best grip.  At the half-way point, the team was in 32nd with few chances to advance due to the all-green-flag run.

The team was making progress on improving their car and looking forward to opportunities to advance in the second half of the race, but the rains arrived on Lap 117 to signal the end of racing for the day.  When the race was officially called after the brief red-flag period, Gilliland's 1-800LoanMart Ford sat on pit road in 30th.

Comments from 1-800LoanMart team driver David Gilliland after the Fontana race:

"It really was a race against the rain today.  We all just really wanted to get 100 laps in, so that the fans could see an official race and we wouldn't have to try again tomorrow.  We had our 1-800LoanMart Ford Fusion running pretty well.  Pat Tryson and the guys made some good changes over the course of the race and had us running pretty good.  But the whole race was one big green-flag run, so that doesn't give you much opportunity to gain any track position.  But it was good to race here at home, good to have 1-800LoanMart on board, and I'm glad we got the race in for everyone." 

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