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Getting a Little Help from His Friends, Texas Driver Davidson Enjoying Consistent Late Model Success

By Chuck Corder

Chris Davidson makes no bones about.

The Pearland, Texas, late model driver is not trying to keep the secret of his success under wraps.

“I’m not gonna lie. The key is Mike,� Davidson said.

Mike is Mike Garvey, who owns wins in both the Buddy’s Home Furnishings Blizzard Series for Super Late Models and the Allen Turner Pro Late Model Series this season.

Davidson has leaned on Garvey for a few years with the setup of his black Nos. 41.

As a deep PLM field returns for the second 100 lapper of the season Friday at Five Flags Speedway, Davidson is ecstatic things finally are beginning to click.

“(Garvey) hasn’t done anything different for us. He’s helping in the same exact manner,� said Davidson, who currently sits seventh in the PLM points standings going into this wee. “It just took us some time to figure out what we needed to do to turn it into results.�

Sportsmen and Bombers also will be looking for quality results when the gates open at 5 p.m. Friday.

Grandstand admission is as follows: $15 adults, $14 seniors, $12 military/students (ages 12 thru 17), kids 11 and under get in for free. Pit passes are $25.

This week also marks the return of the annual kids’ bicycle races, which will begin shortly after 8 p.m. Friday.

There will be four age groups and all will be required to wear helmets.

The 5 and under group will start at Turn 4 and battle spoke-to-spoke to the start finish line while the other three age groups — 6 through 9, 10-12 and 13 and older — will each complete one lap around the famed half-mile, asphalt oval.

There is no entry fee and registration will take place inside the main entrance to grandstands. Trophies and ice cream tickets will be awarded following the races.

While ice cream might not be handed out at the end of the PLM race, Davidson will gladly accept a trophy and the checkered flag.

A few years back, the 34 year old had the prestigious Tom Dawson trophy and short-track immortality in his grasp.

Davidson led the 2002 Snowball Derby on the white flag before tire issues forced him to a fourth-place finish behind eventual winner Ricky Turner, Rich Bickle and Charlie Bradberry.

“I couldn’t keep it together,� Davidson lamented. “We had been leading for a while and I didn’t stop to get tires when we should have. I made a mistake and paid for it dearly.�

This year he boasts a win at South Alabama Speedway in Opp and has finished in the top 10 in all four late model races this year in Pensacola except the season-opening Blizzard Series.

“We’re getting things straightened out,� Davidson said. “Now if we can just get qualifying figured out, we’d be in a whole lot better shape. We can’t seem to master (qualifying). It takes us forever to get through field and at the end, we run outta time.�

But the struggles in time trials hasn’t dissuaded Davidson from making the 9-hour drive from southeast Texas on race nights.

While Pensacola and nearby Mobile International Speedway are the closest tracks for Davidson to compete against the elite late model drivers, he feeds off the competition.

“We’re getting there at Pensacola, creeping closer and closer at the end of race,� Davidson said. “Racing against better cars does help you. Given more time will be right where we need to be.�

With the help of Garvey, Davidson seems poised to give the Port City family another trip to Victory Lane at Five Flags.

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