Black History Month: Davis sees Cup future

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The first time Joe Gibbs heard of Marc Davis, Gibbs was enlisted to try to talk the youngster out of pursuing a career as a racecar driver.

Davis was a youngster then and he's a youngster now -- but Gibbs long ago went the opposite way on offering him career advice. Now 16 years old, Davis is one of the hottest young drivers on the fast track to the big time, and Gibbs is the one giving him his ride.

As he prepares to enter his second season as a member of the Joe Gibbs Racing/Reggie White Drive for Diversity program, Davis, an African-American, is poised in Gibbs' opinion to perhaps become NASCAR's version of professional golf's Tiger Woods.

Not in the sense that Davis would dominate the sport the way Woods has golf -- because it's not likely anyone can duplicate that in the NASCAR arena -- but in the sense that Davis has a real chance to someday become the first African-American to carve out a long-standing and successful driving career.

"I would say that in NASCAR, all of us feel the same way. It's for America. I think it would be great for all nationalities to be involved. ... It would be great to see Marc break in," Gibbs said.

"I think that's another great area of growth for our sport. We'll continue growing as we get all segments of America involved -- because the kids like Marc are excited about driving the cars. They get started when they're 5 or 6, driving go-karts. I think we'll see another area of growth in the sport when you get a high-profile black driver who is doing well in the sport. I think it would be great for the sport."

Davis has been raising eyebrows and turning heads in the sport for some time. But he really opened some eyes last year when, at age 15, he competed in the legendary Bailey's 300 Late Model Stock race at Martinsville. Among those who have competed in the Bailey's 300 and then gone on to drive in the Nextel Cup Series are Jeff Burton, Elliott Sadler, Ward Burton, Denny Hamlin, Scott Riggs and Mike Skinner.

"It's the biggest Late Model race around," Davis said. "There were 120 cars that showed up to try to make the race, and they only started 36. I actually ended up qualifying 13th out of 120 cars my first time there, and then I ended up finishing sixth in the race. I really thought we could have won that race. Pit strategy kind of got us a little bit."

That's the way Davis talks and thinks. He seems humble, yet quietly and supremely confident. He speaks matter-of-factly about his talent, the racing accomplishments he already has piled up, and what the future holds. (Continued)