| 33 Davey Ray | | Updated by Driver: 10/10/2008
Proofed by Staff: 10/10/2008 |
Nickname: The Drifter
Hometown: Davenport,�IA
Birthdate: 9/25/78
Height: 5'4"
Email Address: [email protected]
Racing Web Site: www.daveyray.com
Marital Status: Single
Job: Race Car Driver
Year Started Racing: 1997
Racing Hero: Racers with four columns under their names in the USAC yearbook
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Other Than Dirt Driver Tracks & Series
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| Awards & Accomplishments | 2008
Angell Park Speedway Feature win 8/17/08
Bloomington Speedway Feature win 8/8/08
Australian Speedcar Championship 2/23/08
Western Springs Speedway Feature win 1/30/08
Perth Motorplex Feature win 2/23/08
2007
4th place in B.M.A.R.A. Season Points
Angell Park Speedway Feature win 7/1/07
Chili Bowl Nationals Creek Nation Casino Feature win 1/10/07
2006
Australian Speedcar Championship 2/11/06
Parramatta City Raceway Feature win in Australia 2/11/06
Powerbuilt Speedway Feature win in Christchurch, NZ 1/25/06
2005
5th place in B.M.A.R.A. Season Points
National Midget Driver of the Year Award with 3rd place in Season Points
I-69 Speedway Feature win in Gas City, IN 8/19/05
Angell Park Speedway Feature win in Sun Prairie, WI 7/17/05
Angell Park Speedway Feature win in Sun Prairie, WI 5/15/05
2004
USAC National Midget Most Improved Driver Award 2/10/04
USAC National Midget Buckeye Nationals Championship 6/19/04
8th place is USAC Midget Series Season Points
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Rookie of the Year Award 12/9/04
National Midget Driver of the Year Award with 2nd place in Season Points
Fast Time in National USAC Sprint event at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA 10/16/04
2nd place in B.M.A.R.A. Season Points
B.M.A.R.A. Hoosier Tire Hard Charger Award
B.M.A.R.A. Terry Vaughn Memorial Award
Angell Park Speedway Feature win in Sun Prairie, WI 8/22/04
Angell Park Speedway Feature win in Sun Prairie, WI 8/7/04
Junction Motor Speedway Feature win in McCool Junction, NE 7/28/04
Eagle Raceway Feature win in Lincoln, NE 7/27/04 for 2nd National USAC victory
Angell Park Speedway Feature win in Sun Prairie, WI 6/20/04
Limaland Motorsports Park Feature win in Lima, OH 6/18/04 for 1st National USAC victory
Angell Park Speedway Feature win in Sun Prairie, WI 6/06/04
Valvoline Cup Midget win
2003
Badger Midget Auto Racing Association Championship
B.M.A.R.A. Hoosier Hard Charger Award
B.M.A.R.A. Terry Vaughn Memorial Award
National Midget Driver of the Year Award with 6th place in Season Points
Firemen Nationals Feature win at Angell Park Speedway 8/31/03
The Raceway at Powercom Park Feature win in Beaver Dam, WI 8/23/03
Milwaukee Cup Classic Feature win at Hales Corners Speedway 7/25/03, being only repeat winner
Pecatonica Motor Speedway Feature win at Pecatonica, IL 7/12/03
Angell Park Speedway Feature win in Sun Prairie, WI 6/22/03
Memorial 50 Feature win at Angell Park Speedway 5/25/03
2002
2nd place in B.M.A.R.A. Season Points
Chili Bowl Nationals Rookie of the Race Award in Tulsa, OK
National Midget Driver of the Year Award with 7th place in Season Points
2001
2nd place in B.M.A.R.A. Season Points
B.M.A.R.A. Terry Vaughn Memorial Award
First driver to win with the Mopar Midget engine on 5/27/01 at Angell Park Speedway's Memorial 50 opener event
Angell Park Speedway Most Popular Driver Award
National Midget Driver of the Year Award with 6th place in Season Points
Milwaukee Cup Classic Feature win at Hales Corners Speedway 6/29/01
2000
Track Record at Michigan Ideal Speedway 7/21/00
1997
Midwest Auto Racing Association Rookie of the Year Award
| | Career Summary | I am a third generation driver from Davenport, IA. I grew up in my father's garage, learning early on how to weld, machine, and fabricate everything on my father's race car. I know the ins and outs of putting a racecar together. My father taught me to work for what I wanted, and finally at the age of 11, I was behind the wheel of a Go-Kart that my grandfather, Ralph Ray, bought for me. I won 8 Championships and over 200 Feature wins in my Go-Kart career. I then took my racing career to the next level, and have earned my way into the seat of some of the most respected car owners in the racing industry.
I started my Midget career driving for my father in 1997. Our father-son team traveled throughout the Midwest, competing at as many different tracks as possible in order to gain vital experience on all types of racing surfaces. As my father coached me along the way, we were a consistent threat for the win at every event and earned the "Rookie of the Year" honors with the Midwest Auto Racing Association.
One of the early highlights of my career was being the first driver to win a Feature event with the Mopar Midget engine on May 27, 2001. Driving Harlin Kittleson�s "Red Deuce" at Angell Park Speedway, I not only claimed the first win for Mopar but also my own first career Midget win.
In 2003 I teamed up with legendary Indy car owner, Ralph Wilke, to compete in the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association (B.M.A.R.A.) series. Our new team had great success together as we were crowned the B.M.A.R.A. Driver and Owner Champions, winning six Feature events at four different tracks. The team claimed the prestigious "Firemen Nationals" Feature event that year in which I became the only driver to lead every lap of the event and the only driver to win from the pole starting position.
I was hired in 2004 by Greg Wilke of Wilke/PAK Motorsports as their USAC Dirt Midget driver. We scored three Feature wins together that year at Eagle Raceway, McCool Junction Speedway, and Limaland Motorsports Park. I also competed on the pavement in the "Copper World Classic" at Phoenix International Raceway in the Wilke/PAK entry and finished a respectable 9th place in my first start at the mile track. In addition to my Midget racing success in 2004, I was also busy setting track records in the Dan Robert's owned Sprint Car at miscellaneous sprint races throughout the Midwest.
In 2005 I won another USAC Midget Feature at I-69 Speedway in Gas City, IN, this time driving for car owner Keith Kunz. Later that year, Terry Klatt put me in the seat of his Midget for the "Belleville Midget Nationals" and we scored a close 2nd place finish to Jerry Coons, Jr. I then got the call from Steve Lewis of Nine Racing, who hired me to compete for him at three popular race events to finish off the year. Among the events selected were the "Hut 100", where we scored a 2nd place finish, the "Four Crown Nationals", where we claimed a 3rd place finish, and the USAC event at Angell Park Speedway, where the team retired from the event.
2007 got off to a great start when I won the Wednesday night preliminary Feature at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals for the newly formed Mecum Racing team. I prepared for the event all winter, assembling the new Spike chassis and its components while my father, Dave Ray, built the Chevy Gaerte engine that powered the team to our first victory. It was great satisfaction for car owner Dan Mecum to receive his first win, as well as our father-son team to be victorious with the car and engine we prepared together.
I recently won my third career USAC Midget Feature at Bloomington Speedway during the 2008 "Indiana Midget Week" Championship, driving for another top car owner in the racing industry, Don Fike of RFMS Racing.
When the racing season slows during the winter months in the States, I compete in Australia and New Zealand during their summer months. Our team is a fan favorite overseas, and we hold two Australian Speedcar Championship Titles, earning them in 2006 and 2008. I have won overseas Features at Western Springs Speedway, Perth Motorplex, Parramatta City Raceway, and Powerbuilt Speedway.
With this success, my future looks bright. I plan to continue competing in the Midget and Sprint ranks while pursuing and striving to move to the next level in motorsports competition.
| | Other Interesting Team Information | In addition to racing, I enjoy fishing, dining, traveling, and being active.
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