24th-Annual Roadracing World Young Gun Honors:
By David Swarts
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 24th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
AMA Pro races and Championships, including eight AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (8 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 11 and 18 (as of the start of the 2020 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships on a 125cc two-stroke/250cc four-stroke or larger racebike or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Blake Davis
Age: 13.
Current home: Lynchburg, Virginia.
Current height/weight: 5’1”/100 pounds.
Current school grade level: 7th grade.
Began riding at age: 3 years.
First road race: Talladega, Alabama, WERA, Formula 3 and E Superstock, 1st place in both.
Current racebikes: Kawasaki Ninja 400, Suzuki SV650.
Current tuner/mechanic: Mike Davis (father).
Primary race series: WERA Sportsman, WERA/N2 Endurance, MotoAmerica Junior Cup.
Top sponsors: Lucas Oil Products, RS Taichi, Moto Liberty, Shoei, Highside Photo.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2019 season, won AMA Nicky Hayden Road Racing Horizon Award, won Lightweight Twins Superstock Expert and Formula Two Expert WERA National Challenge Championships, won D Superstock Expert WERA Sportsman National Championship, won 7 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships (won 20 WERA races); 2018 season, named AMA Youth Road Racer of the Year, won AMA 300 Superstock Grand Championship, won 3 WERA National Challenge Championships, won 13 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships, won 41 of 60 WERA races started; 2017 season, won 3 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships.
2020 racing goal: Win a MotoAmerica Junior Cup race.
Racing career goal: Race on the world stage.
Racing hero: Scott Russell.
Favorite track: Road Atlanta.
Favorite hobby: Riding anything on two wheels.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Maybe competing in triathlons or mountain bike races.
