By Sunday night, Jonathan Davenport had added a new line to his résumé — NASCAR wheelman.
Known as the “Superman” of dirt late model drivers, Davenport has won most of the crown jewel races that lie within his area of expertise — including the Eldora Million; he’s earned dirt series championships; and he’s raced against several Cup Series stars while doing it.
But prior to April 8, the 39-year-old was a world away from the stock car game of NASCAR.
Within the last month, Davenport signed a one-off deal with Kaulig Racing for the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway dirt race, prepared for the longest race of his life and made his on-track Cup Series debut in the No. 13 Chevrolet Camaro. He also drove the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports in the Truck Series race on Saturday, where he started from the rear and finished 14th.
However, Davenport’s fast track to the top came to an unfortunate end as he finished 36th in Sunday’s Food City Dirt Race after sustaining irreparable damage to the car.
Jonathan Davenport typically wheels the No. 49 dirt late model. (Matt Butcosk photo)
The Georgia native finished fourth in his heat race on Saturday, sliding in between Team Penske teammates Austin Cindric in third and Joey Logano in fifth. Davenport’s result placed him in the 21st starting position of the 37-car field.
As the green flag waved on Sunday’s 250-lap marathon, Davenport struggled to maneuver the No. 13 around the oval, attempting to hold his ground while still getting a feel for the car. He came across the line 23rd at the conclusion of stage one.
Stage two beckoned more trouble for the dirt late model ace, as he spun on lap 82 and lost several positions. The slick track — which lacked the typical dirt-track cushion Davenport is used to — proved tough to tame, as he finished 30th in the second stage.
“It’s probably just how I’m driving. I’m just trying to learn,” he relayed to the team.
It all came to a head on lap 176, when Davenport made right-front contact with Kyle Larson’s No. 5 car, which had come to a standstill in the top lane. Larson had spun in turn one, due to contact with the No. 41 of Ryan Preece. Davenport was forced to bring the No. 13 back to the garage and take home a 36th-place finish.
“I enjoyed the opportunity and had an awesome time,” Davenport said. “Hate to end it on a bad note. I know we didn’t run as good as we wanted to, but main focus was I really wanted to finish the whole 250 laps and put on a good showing for Nutrien Ag Solutions and Kaulig Racing.”
The 39-year-old completed 176 laps, which still qualifies as the longest race of his career. In the short-track world, most races Davenport enters are 30 to 50 laps, and 100 at most.
Without promise of another NASCAR opportunity — for now — “Superman” will return home to the cockpit of the familiar No. 49 late model, ready for the next ride.
Keyword: A Recap Of Davenport’s Dabble In NASCAR