Davis going home to promote Quad City Speedway
EAST MOLINE, Ill. (March 7) – Shane Davis is the new promoter at the track where his long career in racing got its start.
Davis takes over at Quad City Speedway, where he turned his first laps in 1975. IMCA’s national Modified champion in 1987, Davis worked at East Moline and other area tracks in various capacities after retiring as a driver. He was inducted into the Quad City Racers Hall of Fame three years ago.
“It’s like putting on a favorite sweatshirt. It just feels right,” Davis said. “I’m really excited about this. There’s already a great team in place at the track and fans in the Quad Cities have always been the best.”
“I know my parents are looking down from heaven and saying I’m right where I should be,” he added. “It’s where I was born and raised and now at the age of 51 here I am, the new promoter.”
Both IMCA Late Models and IMCA Modifieds return to regular Sunday race cards from April 24-Aug. 28, along with local modified, street stock and 4-cylinder classes. The Deery Brothers Summer Series headlines a star-studded opening night show on April 17.
“I’m really looking forward to that. I grew up with defending champion Ray Guss Jr. and he’s going to be here slugging it out with the rest of the best Late Model drivers in the Midwest,” said Davis. “What better way could there be to kick off the 2011 season?”
Davis attended his first race at East Moline as a young fan, then worked in the concession stands before joining his father’s crew. His first turn on the track came soon after on the quarter-mile clay oval.
“I went to the pits and my dad, who raced in the old sportsman class, told me to jump in the car because I was driving that night,” Davis said. “I drove into the wall on the first turn but it was the beginning of a wonderful racing career.”
In addition to the national title, his IMCA accomplishments include 45 career feature wins and a pair of Quad City track championships.
“I had a lot of fun and made a lot of good friends when I raced IMCA,” he said. “When you’re a national champion, everyone knows your name. It’s something that no one can ever take away from you.”
After hanging up his helmet in 1993, Davis worked at a number of tracks in Illinois and Iowa, doing a three-year stint as manager of Hawkeye Raceway and then announcing at East Moline. He raced an IMCA Late Model in 2000 before returning to work at East Moline for Bobby Toland and then Kevin Feller.
“There’s a lot for us to look forward to this season,” said Davis, who already has plans made to get the facility race-ready and more fan-friendly. “I came and sat in the stands last year. This year it really feels like I’m coming home.”
IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root echoed those sentiments.
“Shane has a long association with Quad City and with IMCA. He’s always been a supporter and tremendous representative of this organization and racing in general,” Root said.