David Ragan started 20th in Friday night's 150-lap race at Phoenix International Raceway and fought handling issues all night to bring the Purpose Money Ford home in the 17th position. While the race did not go as he hoped, Ragan was able to hold on to score his 12th top-20 finish of the 2006 season.

Trouble began as soon as the race started when leader Johnny Benson was spun by teammate Mike Skinner on the second lap. The race went back to green and Ragan quickly reported that his Ford was tight in the center and was loose off the corners. A caution period at lap 34 allowed Ragan to bring the No. 50 down pit road to the attention of his crew, where he got four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment to help the handling of the Purpose Money Ford.
Ragan restarted the race in the 19th position at lap 40.

Ragan reported early in the run that the truck would not rotate through the corners at all as he continued to struggle with his Ford. He was unable to pick up positions and did what he could to hold on to the 19th spot. A lap 98 caution for debris provided Ragan the opportunity he badly needed to bring the Purpose Money Ford to pit road. The crew sent him back on track in the 15th position with four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment.

Ragan found trouble at lap 108 when the No. 46 of Kraig Kinser broke loose and made contact with Ragan's right front. The crew determined that the damage was not enough to call Ragan to pit road, deciding to leave him out and hold on to their track position. Ragan reported at lap 121 that his truck was super tight and would not turn. Ragan was forced to settle for a 17th place finish in his final Craftsman Truck Series start of the 2006 season.

"It was a disappointing night," said Ragan. "I'm glad that we finished on the lead lap. We had a few high spots. We know what we need to do different when we come back here. There are a few things that we just took a gamble on just trying to make things happen, and it didn't work. I'm definitely very proud of the Purpose Money team. We had awesome pit stops and I feel like I let them down a little bit on the race track, but we just didn't have the truck to get up there in front and have fun with those guys."