Highlights

Roush driver not cleared to run Atlanta

(AP)
Updated: 2006-10-25 08:51

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - David Ragan failed to gain clearance from NASCAR to race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and Roush Racing withdrew its entry for him on Tuesday.

Sterling Marlin (14) spins out in front of Jeff Burton (31) in turn four as Joe Nemecheck (01), Mark Martin (6), Jamie McMurray (26) and Kasey Kahne (9) pass by during the Subway 500 NEXTEL Cup race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, Oct. 22, 2006. [AP]

Ragan, recently tabbed to replace Mark Martin in Roush's flagship No. 6 Ford next season, had been scheduled to run in both the truck series and Nextel Cup events this weekend in Atlanta. But he first had to be approved to race on superspeedways, and NASCAR declined to give him the go-ahead.

"The committee met and decided his level would remain at tracks 1 mile in length or less," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said. "We look at things like experience and qualifications, and his status will continue to be reviewed."

NASCAR did, however, approve A.J. Allmendinger to run the Cup race at Atlanta, even though Allmendinger has only two truck series starts on his resume.

Ragan, on the other hand, has 26 truck starts, seven Busch Series races and two Cup events. But he's wrecked in both of his Cup races, including a three-car accident last Sunday at Martinsville Speedway that infuriated veteran Ken Schrader and other veterans.

"We had a rookie out there that was kind of a dart with no feathers out there, but other than him everything was pretty much sane," Tony Stewart complained.

Schrader picked up a piece of his car following the accident and angrily threw it down before walking to his pit stall.

Ragan, the 20-year-old son of former Cup racer Ken Ragan, was remorseful after the accident.

"(My dad) is probably going to tell me, 'Man, you have got to call Schrader and talk to him,'" Ragan said after the race. "You don't want to make any enemies."

Ragan finished 25th and was on the lead lap at Martinsville. In his first start, in Dover, Del., last month, he completed just 46 laps and finished 42nd.