Ragan to drive No. 55 car for Michael Waltrip Racing beginning at Kansas
This weekend’s race at Talladega Superspeedway will mark Ragan’s final race as a substitute driver in the No. 18 car for Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing. Erik Jones is expected to take over the No. 18 car beginning at Kansas. JGR has not announced its plans.
Brian Vickers was to drive the No. 55 for MWR this season but missed the first two races as he recovered from offseason heart surgery and was sidelined two weeks after returning by recurring blood clots in his lungs. No timetable has been set for his return. Michael Waltrip is driving the No. 55 car this weekend at Talladega.
“Life has thrown a lot at MWR the first part of this racing season, but our team has stood tall and worked through it," Waltrip said in a statement. “Our original plans for the No. 55 team have been challenged since December, and we felt it was important for our employees and our sponsors to solidify the remainder of the 2015 season. The opportunity to bring David Ragan into the team is incredible for a number of reasons. He will bring experience, consistency and a lot of confidence based on how he has been running with our Toyota teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing. He also puts the No. 55 team and Aaron’s right back into the Chase for the Sprint Cup contention, which is a very positive turn of events for that team."
Ragan is 19th in the points standings. Dustin Long/NBC Sports