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BY ELIZABETH LIBERATORE / PHOTOS BY BRAD SCHLOSS<br />
David Ragan, a NASCAR<br />
racer with a knack for giving<br />
back, makes a pit stop in<br />
town for the Barrett-Jackson<br />
Scottsdale Auction<br />
<strong>January</strong> is a bittersweet month for a lot of people. Festive decor<br />
is stripped down from homes, holiday sales near an end and —<br />
dun, dun, dun — resolutions loom overhead. While the bulk of us<br />
try to overcome post-holiday blues, car enthusiasts are singing<br />
a totally different tune. Why? Because <strong>January</strong> means Barrett-<br />
Jackson Scottsdale Auction. It’s that time of year where gearheads<br />
and enthusiastic spectators worldwide gather at WestWorld of<br />
Scottsdale to talk all things cars and giving back to the community.<br />
David Ragan is one of those making his way to the Valley this<br />
month in honor of the highly-acclaimed auction, which is now in its<br />
48th year. Ragan, a down-to-earth professional stock car race driver,<br />
will auction his car to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children.<br />
A COUNTRY BOY<br />
Ragan, originally from Unadilla, Georgia, and now residing in<br />
Concord, North Carolina, is a country boy at heart. He grew up on<br />
a farm, helping his parents tend to the land and animals. With a<br />
former Winston Cup driver as a dad (Ken Ragan), cars were definitely<br />
a part of his upbringing. Plus, the Atlanta Motor Speedway,<br />
a world-class NASCAR racetrack, wasn’t too far off from his childhood<br />
home. Racing found Ragan more than he found it.<br />
“As soon as I could start racing myself, I did that. I would go<br />
to school during the week and race on the weekends. That was<br />
<strong>Uptown</strong> <strong>January</strong> ‘19 25
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