Ronnie 'The King' Davis Enjoys Familiar Role as Top Sportsman Champion|

February 18, 2022 Post a Comment

For the 8th fourth dimension in his illustrious career Ronnie Davis volition spout the number one and reign every bit Tiptop Sportsman Champion. By capturing the 2015 PDRA MagnaFuel Top Sportsman World Championship, Davis earned his 8th divisional or national level championship across three organizations (PDRA, IHRA, NHRA).

At the PDRA Earth Finals at Virginia Motorsports Park in October of 2015, Davis had what he calls a "clean sweep" by winning the issue and securing the Earth Championship in the same weekend. Amazingly, this wasn't the first time this happened for the owner of Davis Golf game Cart Sales.

PDRA_Davis_2 "In 2010 I was third in NHRA Division ii points going into the last race of the year we could merits," storied Davis. "I believe Billy Vaughn was leading points and Jeff Pittman was second. I don't retrieve anybody gave me a chance since I was in third place. My strategy for that race was to qualify number ane and get a bye commencement round if there was 1 and and so win the race. I figured the points out, if I won the race I would win the title by one indicate. I qualified number one, drove skilful and won the race. I beat Billy Vaughn for the championship by one bespeak.

"So that was the first time I e'er won the race and the championship in the same weekend. Winning the PDRA World Championship was my main focus in 2015, and something I really wanted. Racing in a 16 car really fast field is what it'southward all about to me and I dearest it. It's Top Sportsman's baddest of the bad.

"My primary objective [at Virginia] was to win the World Championship. Since I'm non getting whatever younger, I felt like I really needed to pull that off. I really wanted to win the race because it was the Brian Olson Memorial Race. He and I had grown very close over the last 3 or four years, and I wanted to honor his memory with a win. I also wanted to get the monkey off my back from that track, because I've never done well there. Clinching the World Championship and winning the race in the same weekend was pretty absurd for me."

Although his yr ended in incredible way, the road to his eighth championship wasn't a walk in the park. Two cardinal back to back wins in Shreveport, Louisiana and St. Louis, Missouri almost didn't happen.

"I think it was 2d round of Shreveport I had a lifter start going out," Davis told. "I was going to replace it but time didn't allow for that, so I kept checking the valve lash and keeping it tight. I limped through and made it to the final. When I did the burnout it was squeaking so loud you could hear it over the engine. I saw Todd Tutterow started making the it's broke movement. I had oil force per unit area and ran anyway and got the win.

"Then I went on to win the Mid America Nationals. Nosotros got completely rained out on Saturday and the PDRA decided to Ronnie Davis
give us one final shot Sunday morning. Well Sunday the air was killer and track was cold and tight, then I shook my teeth out [in our last qualifying session]. I knew I wasn't going to get downward the rails in those weather with the tune up I had in it and had to do something, knowing I couldn't win a circular if I didn't go A to B. So I went back to the trailer and looked at a run I had made at the Gators with a small melody up in it. I telephone call that an A-B tune upwards, not fast but consistent. I took the eighth mile office of that run and dialed my car off of that. I was number one qualifier with a 4.01 only I dialed up to a 4.27. I don't think anyone thought I could win since I'thou used to spotting non getting spotted. I was .00 on the tree 3 of my 4 runs, and I ran close to dead on almost every round that race."

Davis accepted his Title at the PDRA Awards December 12, but his accolades weren't over yet.

That evening he was also voted Sportsman Driver of the Year.

"I never gave it a thought about who would win driver of the yr. It was very humbling to be voted Driver of the year past my peers. You win the last race of the year, you lot win the most races, you win the Championship, you lot win Driver of the Year, and I started thinking this may be a skilful fourth dimension to retire. I had been saying for about five years I was ready to hang it upwards and go hunting and fishing. My daughters said, 'If you lot ever wanted to quit, at present's the time to practise it when you're on peak.'"

His respond to that? A brand new motorcar.

Davis says he'southward "to stubborn to retire" and in his race shop he has a new Larry Jeffers '63 Vette, his 2015 Championship winning Tommy Mauney '63 Vette and his 2010 NHRA Championship winning Tommy Mauney '63 Vette. With 3 consummate race ready '63 Vettes, information technology doesn't sound like he's retiring whatever time soon.

"I'grand looking forward to the 2022 PDRA race flavour and defending my championship," Davis ended. "I'm a huge supporter of the PDRA, and volition exercise anything I can for them."