Every once in a while in this business, a press release or a photo comes across your desk that catches your eye quicker than the others for some reason or another.
It’s usually the content or the subject.
Such was the case of a recent photo submitted by Ken Ragan, the director of 600 Racing, and the one-time NASCAR Cup stock-car driver.
It was an instant eye-catching photo with three youngsters in it, all adorned in driver’s uniforms.
Examined more closely, the youngsters in the photos were Ragan’s son, David, Reed Sorenson and Joey Lagano standing in front of Dan Moore, a salesman for Legends cars parts.
The photo was taken in 1999 at Lanier National Speedway, near Gainesville, Ga., during the Winter Legends Series.
All three were top drivers in their respective Legends categories at the time — Ragan and Sorenson (Legends cars); Logano (bandoleros).
Ragan, from Unadilla, Ga., and Sorenson, who was from Peachtree City, Ga., both were 13 when the photo was taken. Logano, then 10, is from Middletown, Conn.
“All three were highly-successful Legends racers at the time and I just thought it was an interesting photo,” said Ken Ragan. “I told them I’d take another photo of the same three guys in 10 years and see who’s been the most successful since.”
David Ragan and Sorenson both are now NASCAR Nextel Sprint Car Cup Series drivers.
David Ragan, who drives the No. 6 AAA Fords for Roush Fenway Racing, was the Raybestos Rookie of the Year in the Busch Series in 2007, coming very close to winning the same honor in his Cup season, losing out to Juan Pablo Montoya.
Montoya is one of Sorenson’s teammates, driving Chip Ganassi Racing Dodges.
Sorenson begins his third season in Cup competition in 2008. Both David Ragan and Sorenson are strong contenders to win their first Cup races in 2008.
Logano won the NASCAR Busch East championship in 2007 as a 16-year-old. He is scheduled to make his debut in the Nationwide Series later this year.
“I can’t wait to get these three back together again in a couple of years and see which one’s done better than the other one,” said Ken Ragan.
“I think it’s gonna be close, just like it was in ’99.”