In second year, Ragan puts rookie mistakes far behind him

David Ragan needed a little extra time, but he's showing that his sophomore year holds little resemblance to his rookie season.

Ragan heads into Charlotte 12th in the points standings - something few would have predicted based on his performance last year.

The 22-year-old Georgia native, who had limited stock car experience before competing in both Cup and the Busch series last year, was struggling a year ago. He was involved in seven accidents or spins in the first 11 Cup races.

After placing fifth in the Daytona 500, he did not finish in the top 15 in any of the next 10 races.

This season, that has changed. Ragan is more comfortable in his cars and avoiding trouble. He has been involved in just two accidents or spins and has three top-10 finishes, including a fifth-place finish last weekend at Darlington.

"I've always been confident, but I'm just getting the smarts to go with the confidence," Ragan said of his improvement this season. "Before, we had real fast race cars and I'd make five or six mistakes in a race and it would cost us. Now, I'm just able to be a little smoother and not make many mistakes during the race - and it's certainly paying off."

Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman is 13th, two points behind Ragan. Also behind Ragan are former champions Bobby Labonte (19th), Matt Kenseth (20th) and Kurt Busch (22nd).

Ragan said being 12th is "cool and something to talk about," but he knows he can't enjoy it too much.

"It can easily slip back and forth," he said. "This points deal is pretty tight.

"We don't have much breathing room in front of us and we don't have much behind us."

To say that Ragan is surprised would not be wrong.

"Something that was always in the back of our minds was staying in the top 35," said Ragan, who finished 26th in the points standings last year.

NEW RIDES

Ken Schrader will attempt to qualify a fourth Richard Childress Racing car for the Coca-Cola 600. He'll drive the No. 33 Chevrolet.

Petty Enterprises announced that Chad McCumbee and former champion Terry Labonte will drive for Kyle Petty, who will skip Dover for his daughter's wedding and miss the next six races to work as a television analyst for TNT.

Labonte will drive at Pocono, Michigan, Sonoma, New Hampshire and Daytona. McCumbee will drive at Dover and Chicago.

BURNING RUBBER

Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle and Jimmie Johnson are scheduled to participate in a burnout competition Saturday before the all-star event at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

PIT STOPS

Jamie McMurray, Mike Skinner and Elliott Sadler are scheduled to do a Goodyear tire test this week at Daytona International Speedway.... Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a development driver for Roush Fenway Racing, won last weekend's ARCA race at Kentucky for his first series win. The 20-year-old also took the points lead.