RFK Racing Announces #Stage60 Entry; Debuting at Daytona 500 with David Ragan

RFK Racing will officially field a third NASCAR Cup Series entry in the 2024 season-opening Daytona 500. The entry will be dubbed #Stage60. Veteran racer David Ragan will pilot the No. 60 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the Great American Race.

The team had teased the #Stage60 team through social media posts in the days leading up to the official announcement. Here is the offical video announcement showing Ragan as the driver of the entry:

Ragan, 37, made his NASCAR Cup Series debut for RFK Racing back in 2006, and he drove for the organization through the 2011 season. In the 2011 Daytona 500, Ragan held the lead late in the event, but on a late-race restart, Ragan was black-flagged for changing lanes before taking the green flag, which ended his bid at the win.

This announcement serves as a reunion of sorts for the driver and team, and Ragan hopes to avenge his loss in the 2011 Daytona 500.

“It’s really exciting to be back in an RFK Ford,” said Ragan in a team release. “I spent some of the best years of my career driving for Mr. Jack (Roush) and the team at RFK. They really gave me my first opportunity in the sport and I have to thank BuildSubmarines.com for helping make this happen. We had a really strong run going in my last year at Roush at the 500, and hopefully, we can go back and finish what we started.”

According to a press release from the race team, there are plans to expand the #Stage60 program, but those plans will be announced at a later date. The team does state that the intent is to have the No. 60 team compete in additional events during the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.

For RFK Racing, #Stage60 represents the return of the organization's storied No. 60, which it utilized, to much success, in the NASCAR Xfinity Series ranks over the years.

Overall, RFK Racing scored 94 victories with the No. 60 entry in the NASCAR Xfinity Series ranks. The team will look to add more prestige to the history of the car number this season in the NASCAR Cup Series with #Stage60.

“The 60 car represents an opportunity for us to honor our past and look forward to the future of RFK Racing,” said Steve Newmark, President, RFK Racing. “We’re thankful to have partners like BuildSubmarines.com, who, like us, have a mission to grow and be best in class in all endeavors.”

Another key component for the No. 60 entry is sponsorship backing. The car will have key RFK Racing partner BuildSubmarines.com as the primary sponsor in the Daytona 500.

The company, which is owned and operated by BlueForge Alliance, is excited to be a part of The Great American Race.

“To be on the track at one of America’s premier sporting events presents an enormous opportunity to showcase amazing careers across the nation,” said Kiley Wren, Co-Founder and Chief Executive, BlueForge Alliance. “Since its announcement in May 2023, our engagement with RFK Racing has already proven to be a game-changer in pursuing our mission to reinvigorate the U.S. manufacturing industry in building next generation submarines for the U.S. Navy. Our involvement in the full 2024 NASCAR campaign will get off to a roaring start thanks to the RFK team, and we’re thrilled to welcome David Ragan to the mission.”

The #Stage60 mission will kick off at Daytona International Speedway and the first battle will be to lock the Ford Mustang into the field for the Daytona 500 in qualifying on February 14th.

Photo Credit: Russell LaBounty, NKP, Courtesy of Ford Performance