MotoAmerica Rising Stars Spotlight: Blake Davis

We spoke to rising star Blake Davis about his career and future aspirations.

Like so many young riders before him, Virginia native Blake Davis grew up in a racing family. Blake’s dad was an accomplished amateur racer along the east coast of the United States and served as crew chief for a handful of MotoAmerica teams. Blake caught the riding and racing bug early and has continued to hone his racecraft over the years.

In 2021, his second season in MotoAmerica, Blake finished in a strong 6th place overall in the Junior Cup and was the top Yamaha Rider in the class. Blake’s professional racing career, although short, has seen him make a steady climb up the order in races into the top 10 and even top 5. Not only this but he boasts the 2019 Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award, which was given to the rider showing the most promise for success in the professional ranks, he was a top-10 finisher in 2020 coming home in 9th overall and followed that up with a 6th place finish in 2021.

When did you start riding motorcycles?

I started riding motorcycles when I was three on a pocket bike.

What was the bike you first raced on?

My first race ever was a dirt bike race on a PW-50 when I was 4. Someone told us you could take a dirtbike to VIR’s (Virginia International Raceway) kart track so we went there a few times and I really liked it.

What was it about racing that got you hooked?

The competition, the speed, having to be smart about your race, all of it is why I love racing.

What series did you race in over the past few years before MotoAmerica?

WERA was the first series to let me race, everyone else said I was too young. The officials and the racers are like family now.

Blake being hunted down at Laguna Seca.

List your accomplishments in those series’ (podium, winner, etc)

I love to win but I’ve never really kept track of how many. WERA would host the AMA championships also and I won some of those each year, but my favourite award was the AMA Nicky Hayden Horizon award.

You’re stepping up to the Twins Cup in 2022. Tell me how that came about.

We all felt like it was the best step for my career.

What bike will you be riding for 2022?

I’ll be racing on the Yamaha R7 that will give me the chance to be tied to Yamaha with all the support they’re giving to the Twins program.

Goals for the 2022 season?

The Twins Cup is a huge class and has had lots of good riders. I don’t know who’s going to be out there this year but, of course, I want to be up at the front.

Biggest challenges last season?

The biggest challenge last year was trying to get the (Yamaha) 300cc to be as fast as the (Kawasaki) 400cc within the rules MotoAmerica set.

Ultimate goals in the sport? MotoGP? WSBK?

My goal is to race on an international level. MotoGP, World Superbike, and I want to race World Endurance too.

Any racing heroes growing up?

Scott Russell is good at endurance and I like endurance. I got to ride with him and that was super cool. He’s one of the greatest. Also Josh Herrin, he rode with me a lot when I was younger and vouched for me which let me start racing as young as I did.

The biggest influence on your career?

Probably my dad because he got me on motorcycles and built them for me, he still does, he’s one of N2’s mechanics. Miles Thornton because he was one of the best coaches I’ve had and he never gave up when he didn’t have a team to ride with, he kept working and ended up on another team.

Any advice for other young kids that want to get into racing?

My advice would be, you can’t be the best if you don’t work harder than everybody else.

Featured images – Brian J Nelson