May 13, 2008
By Allen Madding
Unadilla, Georgia native Ken Ragan launched his NASCAR racing career in 1982 debuting in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series in the Transouth 200 at Darlington finishing 22nd. He competed in the Mello Yello 300 at Charlotte finishing 33rd. Ragan then recorded a 15th place finish in the Coca-Cola 200 at Rockingham and a 11th place finish in the Miller Time 300 at Charlotte.
Ragan launched the 1983 NASCAR Busch Series season competing in the Goody’s 300 at Daytona driving the No. 57 Ragan Chevrolet sponsored Pontiac recording a 26th place finish, 20 laps down.
Ragan began competing in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series during the 1983 season. He made eight starts in the Cup Series that year driving the No. 57, No. 97, and No. 77 Clinomint sponsored Buick and Chevrolet owned by his father, Marvin Ragan. His debut came at Atlanta Motor Speedway where he crashed out of the event on lap 281. He finished the event in 27th position and collected $1,210 for his troubles. Ragan’s best finish that year would be a 12th place finish in the July fourth Firecracker 400 at Daytona.
Ragan returned to the Cup Series in 1984 competing in ten events driving his father’s No. 77 McCord Gaskets sponsored Chevrolet. His best finish of the year was an 11th place finish in the Talladega 500. In 1985, Ragan drove Roger Hamby’s No. 17 McCord Gaskets / Hesco Exhaust Systems Chevrolet in six events and the No. 10 Research and Development Ford entry for DiGard Racing in the Miller High Life 500 at Charlotte. His best finish in 1985 was a 17th place finish in the Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan while suffering through three engine failures in Hamby’s cars.
In 1986, Ragan began the season driving Herb Adcox’s No. 77 McCord Gaskets Chevrolet in the Daytona 500 finishing 21st -- 16 laps down to the leader. He drove Bob Morris’ No. 45 Morris-Ragan Pontiac in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, but a crash on lap five ended the run. Ragan then drove his father’s No. 77 in five other events recording a season’s best 17th place finish in the Champion Spark Plug 400 at Michigan. In 1987, Ragan campaigned his father’s No. 77 Ford with a variety of sponsors in six NASCAR Winston Cup Series events. Crashes and mechanical failures plagued the team recording five DNFs. His best finish of the season was a 17th in the season opening Daytona 500.
1988 was another difficult season for Ragan. He competed in five NASCAR Winston Cup events driving his father’s No. 77 Bob Beard Ford but failed to record a finish higher than 30th. In 1989, Ragan entered three NASCAR Winston Cup events driving his father’s No. 77 Jasper Engines Ford. He failed to finish in the lead lap in a single event and at season’s end his best finish was a 27th showing in the All Pro Auto Parts 500 at Charlotte.
1990 was the last year for Ragan in NASCAR Winston Cup Series competition. He made four starts driving the No. 77 Jasper Engines Ford. He was involved in crashes in two events and suffered mechanical failures in the other two.
Ragan began involvement with the Legend Car Series and was named president for the Legends of Georgia. When his son David began racing in 1997, Ken was heavily involved, serving as a crew chief in the ARCA RE/Max Series for David prior to David moving into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Nextel Cup Series.
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