Davis Opens 2011 with Semi-Final Finish
Written by Ian Tocher
SUWANEE, GA – Just a couple of weeks ago Ronnie Davis was relaxing with friends and family at the National Hot 
Rod Association’s (NHRA’s) Division 2 banquet in Jacksonville, Florida. Seated with girl friend Michelle Dearing, Mike and Lisa Greg of Tracstar Satellite Systems, Brent Fisher of Goodyear Tires and daughters Michelle and Bridget, who both flew in from Houston to join the celebration, the Suwanee, Georgia-based golf cart dealer was savoring his second NHRA Div. 2 Top Sportsman championship.
Not one to rest on his laurels, though, the man they call “The King” was back in action this past weekend in the Davis Golf Cart Sales Automatic Pro Mod class during the 7th annual U.S. Street Nationals at Bradenton Motorsports Park in south-central Florida, the first of five races he has planned over just six weekends.
“It’s a busy schedule, but nothing we haven’t done before,” says Davis, who unlike most of his top rivals races with only one crewman, Pete March, in preparing a pair of nitrous-oxide-boosted 1963 Corvette race cars, one set up for Top Sportsman and the other for Automatic Pro Mod. “We ran the Pro Mod car at Bradenton and it’ll be the Top Sportsman car at the next few races, but everything on both cars is fresh and ready to roll.”
After qualifying fourth for the U.S. Street Nationals with a 4.08-seconds pass at 181.74 mph over the Bradenton eighth mile, Davis made a bye run in the first round, then took down Kenny Kneece with a slightly quicker 4.07 in round two. Another 4.08 in the semis wasn’t quite enough, however, to hold off top qualifier Jose Morel, who fell to Robert Mathis in the final round.
“That was a pretty good performance for our first time out this year. The car was very consistent; it ran 4.07 or 4.08 every pass all weekend, so I’m pretty happy with that,” Davis says.
Next on his race schedule is the International Hot Rod Association’s (IHRA’s) Southeast Division 2 season opener Feb. 4-6, a little farther south in Florida at Immokalee Regional Raceway, signifying a possible run at a sixth IHRA divisional championship.
“I’m considering that very seriously,” Davis confirms. “I’ve just got a couple of things left to look at to make sure the schedule won’t collide with any of my NHRA Div. 2 or NHRA national meets.”
Davis stresses he’s focused on defending the series title in a class he helped establish in July 2002 with retired NHRA Div. 2 Director Bill Holt. His business also sponsors the Top Sportsman class and all competitors’ cars will carry new Davis Golf Cart Sales NHRA Division 2 Top Sportsman Series decals this season.
“I’ve never missed an NHRA Div. 2 Top Sportsman race since we started them, plus there’s going to be seven NHRA Top Sportsman national meets this year where there’s no points involved, but I’ll be running Z-Max in Charlotte, that’s the first one, and I’ll be running Atlanta for sure and possibly Houston,” Davis says.
Davis insists there’s no plan to slow down, at least not in the near future.
“You know, every year I look back at what was accomplished and this past year, 2010, would have been a great year to retire on because I won the NHRA Division 2 championship, won the last two races in two different cars and I’ve won seven Top Sportsman championships total. But I still feel great, have a clean bill of health and there’s still lots left to do.
“If I’m ever fortunate enough to win 10 Top Sportsman championships, that might be when I’ll be cutting back, but these things are very hard to win,” he states. “There are a lot of good racers out here now, so we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Ronnie Davis Racing greatly appreciates the sponsorship and support of Rock Batteries, J.H. Global Star Golf Carts, Hickory Enclosed Trailers & Race Performance Motor Coach, TracStar Satellite Systems, Goodyear, CSR, VP Racing Fuels, TCI, Moroso, Magnaflow, Hedman Hedders, Auto Meter, Torque Converter Services, Braswell Carburetors, MSD, Penske Shocks, Chapman Auto Body, Fulton Competition, and Tommy Mauney Race Cars.
