LAS VEGAS—Hank Davis’ emergence in the Interstate Batteries High Limit Series did not happen overnight.

While other standout racers gained prominence from the micro pipeline at Port City Raceway outside of Tulsa, Davis was forced to keep on grinding.

But the 22-year-old third-generation driver knew if he could find a way to race, someone would eventually recognize his talent. 

“I just kind of beat up and down the road for a long time and fortunately had a lot of good runs at Chili Bowl,” Davis said Thursday night in the pits at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. “That’s probably helped get me to this point, to be honest with you.

“And then, a really good season with Wayne Johnson also helped get me here. I've only got like 37 or so 410 (sprint car) starts, but kind of just one of those deals. You just jump in with both feet if you got the opportunity, and that's what we're going to do.” 

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Davis jokes that it was likely Johnson’s wife Erin who first took a shine to the young racer, whom she had known from a young age. After Johnson was injured during a High Limit race at Texas Motor Speedway in April 2024, Davis got the call to drive the 2C for the former ASCS champion.

“She kind of got me hooked up and got me in the deal,” Davis said. “And Wayne and I just kind of developed a really, really good relationship that we still have to this day. That right truthfully probably really kickstarted my career. 

“He gave me my first 34 wing starts ever. So that's the reason I'm standing right here.”

Davis didn’t disappoint in the TwoC Racing seat. He had nine top fives in his first 10 starts and finished fourth in the 2024 ASCS standings with three wins, 22 top fives and earned rookie-of-the-year honors. 

During his second season in ASCS, Davis dabbled in 410-sprint competition, racing in 12 events between High Limit and World of Outlaws. Davis’ style caught the eye of Michael Dutcher. The former sprint car driver turned owner was ready to return to a full-time touring series, but he needed a gasser. He was instantly impressed by Davis’ speed.

“Hank was available,” Dutcher said. “He had been running the 360 car for Wayne Johnson and the TwoC team all year, and we were paying attention to him because he was so fast in that car. We were starting to piece this wing team together here and didn’t have a solid, full-time driver going into 2025. 

“We wanted to go to the World Finals at Charlotte, the final race of the year, get some laps and hopefully find a driver who could help us down the road. We just all got along really well; we jelled pretty good. And we did pretty well down there. We just weren’t sure where last season was going for both of us.” 

Although they started 2025 together, Davis had accepted a ride in Washington State. Dutcher Motorsports spent most of the season with Tim Schaefer. While racing progressed for both parties, Dutcher stayed in touch with the young racer. He saw Davis’ potential as something he could build a long-term program around.

“We wanted to look at our future,” Dutcher said. “Hank’s young. He drives really hard. And he’s a great sprint car driver—we picked that up pretty quick.

“So we put this deal together over the winter. Hank thought it was the best thing for him to do, jump on board with us, and thought Hank was perfect for us.”

Davis began his journey for the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Rookie of the Year at the season opener Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He entered the weekend without expectations, electing to take the season one race at a time. Davis did what he was hired to do. He finished fifth in his heat race, qualified for the feature, finished 18th and brought the 17GP back to the pits in one piece. He followed that up with an 18th-place finish Friday night in the second race of the season

When Daison Pursley, 2025 High Limit Rookie of the Year, was asked about his fellow Sand Springs neighbor three years ago, he described Davis as “just a kid flying under the radar.”

That was after Davis won the Tuesday preliminary night feature in the 2023 Chili Bowl Nationals. He has made the feature every year since and finished a career-high third in January.

While he made his reputation as a standout at the Chili Bowl Nationals, Davis wants to be known for more in racing circles.

“I really do give a lot of credit to the Chili Bowl,” Davis said. “At that point, nobody’s watching anything else. And I didn’t even think I was going to win it (prelim night). You always have faith you can do it no matter what. You always think you can do whatever, anything. 

“But it’s not something you think will happen, right? And it did. I’ve had four good years in a row. Obviously, nobody gives a shit who runs third, but it still means something to me.

“Everyone wants to talk about Chili Bowl, Chili Bowl, Chili Bowl. That’s what always comes up. I’m hoping we can have a few good runs in a winged sprint car and maybe change the narrative.”