CHARLOTTE, N.C. - NASCAR on Tuesday approved David Ragan to run the Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Roush Racing had to withdraw its entry for Ragan at Atlanta Motor Speedway last week because NASCAR would not allow the 20-year-old driver to compete on the 1.5-mile superspeedway.

NASCAR driver Tony Stewart, right, and race driver David Ragan talk as they ride in a parade lap prior to the start of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Bass Pro Shops 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., Sunday, Oct. 29, 2006. [AP]

Ragan took the decision in stride, though, and spent time meeting with NASCAR officials during the Atlanta weekend to discuss his situation. He then went out and finished sixth in the Truck Series race.

He also posted a winning auction bid of $5,750 to buy a pre-race ride around the track with Tony Stewart, who had described Ragan as "a dart without feathers" following Ragan's crash-filled race at Martinsville Speedway two weeks ago.

"Tony criticized me a lot after last week, and when a champion does that it's good to go talk to him," Ragan said of his decision to buy the ride. "I think I'll ask him what I should have done different and just introduce myself so that if I step out of line in the future he'll come and talk to me about it."

NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said the series officials will be observing Ragan this weekend in Texas when he attempts to qualify the No. 60 Ford for Sunday's Cup race before determining at which other tracks he can compete.

Ragan was recently tabbed to replace Mark Martin in Roush's flagship No. 6 Ford next season. He is the son of Ken Ragan, who made 50 Cup starts from 1983-90.