Photo by: Brandon Davis
Brandon Davis, a sophomore at the University of Denver, is a professional race car driver whose been racing since the age of 7.
Davis, who moved to Denver from Huntington Beach, Calif. followed in the footsteps of his father, who began racing professionally when Davis was 4. This sparked Davis’ interest in car racing.
“I have always really enjoyed racing and the ability to push a car to its limits as far as you possibly can,” said Davis.
It is racing season, and Davis is working to live up to the 2005 Rookie of the Year Award he won last year. This prestigious award is given to an up and coming racer who is participating in their first series, and marks Davis’s career highlight.
Until the age of 16, Davis raced 5-speed go-carts. After receiving his driver’s license, he attended racing school in order to obtain a racing license.
He is currently a member of Time Racing Team based in Wisconsin. Although the team is made up of five racers, racecar driving is an individual sport.
Acura, one of Davis’s sponsors, supplies him and his team with racecars. Monster Energy Drink and several other sponsors support his individual racing efforts.
Depending on a racer’s finishing time, racer can win up to $15,000 in a single race. Generally the top 20 racers share in the purse.
Although Davis may live a life most college students only dream of, he also has to factor classes and homework into his schedule. An average racing season consists of 10 races, several test and practice days and any side events the racer may enter. The balance of school and racing has become something that Davis has learned to deal with.
As a management major, Davis hopes to someday own his own business. After graduating, he is unsure if he wants to work toward a business career or continue racing professionally.
For now he has found a happy balance between school and his racing career.
“If I start winning more races at a professional level it will sway my decision toward racing rather than a business career,” stated Davis.
It seems as though he will succeed in both, but for now Davis is focused on his next race, the Mid-Ohio Grand Prix in late May.
