In again for Kyle Busch, can David Ragan lift JGR at Fontana?
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series completes its new "West Coast Swing" with a trip to the Golden State this weekend.
For David Ragan, the visit to Auto Club Speedway in Southern California represents nothing less than a golden opportunity.
Ragan, who was tapped by Joe Gibbs Racing to sub for injured Kyle Busch beginning with the season's second race, will compete for the same JGR team that Busch took to the Winner's Circle at the 2-mile Fontana track in each of the past two seasons.
So if Ragan, who has been solid but unspectacular in three starts in Busch's No. 18 Toyota, wants to make a big splash -- and possibly even earn himself a berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup -- Fontana may be his best chance to get it done.
"I knew Kyle had won there recently at California, but didn't know it was each of the last two years," Ragan said. "That puts some pressure on the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Camry. It also gives you some confidence that your team has run well and your teammates have run well there. A lot of things change from year to year. Every track I've gone to so far with the 18 bunch, I've learned something and have experienced something a little different, and California could be a lot of the same.
"It's going to be a lot of fun driving the Interstate Batteries car."
Busch, who remains sidelined after suffering a compound fracture of his lower right leg and a mid-foot fracture of his left foot on Feb. 21, beat rookie Kyle Larson to the checkered flag last year at Fontana after taking the lead from brother Kurt Busch on the final lap.
Busch's win at ACS in 2013 also came in dramatic fashion, as he passed teammate Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano for the lead in the final corner when the two drivers collided.
"I'll definitely try to talk to Kyle," said Ragan, whose best finish in three races as Busch's fill-in is 18th. "I've reached out to him every week I've been in the car, really, just to see the tricks and some of the things that have worked well for him in these cars. He's had a different Sprint Cup crew chief in the past but, still, a lot of stuff carries over."
Coming off a weekend at Phoenix where the highest-finishing JGR driver was Carl Edwards in 13th, the organization could certainly stand a boost in California.
"It would be big for myself, but also for the team and Kyle," he said. "The momentum that they're going to have when Kyle comes back is going to be important. It's important that I help Kyle's team work well together over the next however many weeks it is so, when he gets back, the team can hit the ground running with him in the car."
