For Roush Fenway Racing driver David Ragan a weekend off is not the chance to relax and kick back on the lake, instead it is the opportunity to go racing and try his hand at something new - modified racing.

The driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is scheduled to run this weekend's NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour season-opening race at the Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C. Jumping behind the wheel of the Darrel Krentz-owned No. 15, Ragan will make his modified debut during Sunday's Spring Classic 150.

"The opportunity to race this weekend at Caraway came up and with a rare off-weekend for both the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series, I decided it would be a lot of fun," the 23-year-old Ragan explained. "I've never driven a Modified, so I figured it would certainly be something interesting and fun to go do."

While this will be his first go-round in a modified, it will not be his first time around the .455-mile paced oval.

"I've run several late model races at Caraway Speedway over the years, but never a Modified race," Ragan pointed out. "It's the first race of the season there, so it should be a fun event."

Sunday's Spring Classic 150 marks the first race in the sixteen-race NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour. Defending champion Brian Loftin will be looking to make it two in a row, but will have to hold off the likes of Tim Brown, Andy Seuss, Jason Myers and L.W. Miller.

Qualifying for the Spring Classic 150 is scheduled for Saturday, March 14 at 4:30 p.m., with the race scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 15. This weekend also market the start to the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season with a 200-lap Late Model race and a 30-lap Limited Sportsman race.