SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1539923
DOING MORE WITH LESS KEVIN DAVIS PUSHES HIS GREEN ARMY TEAM TO DO THEIR BEST BY DAN SANCHEZ PORTRAIT BY JACK WRIGHT PHOTOS BY GETSOME PHOTO With his son, Justin Davis, behind the wheel, Kevin Davis, crew chief/manager/owner of the Green Army Team, has his hands full trying to keep his eldest son at the top of the SCORE Trophy Truck Spec leader board. As with most team leaders, Davis handles everything from the finances to logistics, team housing, and more, all with the help of family members and volunteers. “We’re a small team and we don’t have a lot of resources, so we divide up what needs to be done and just do it,” said Davis. For Davis and the Green Army, off-road racing is part of their culture and so is doing the work it takes to win. “I guess it started with me as a motorcycle racer,” he said. “Racing is what my family likes to do, and while we’re doing all of that, it’s how we get along.” Davis began racing at an early age and entered the 1977 Parker 400, then the Mexicali 300, and won with co-rider Fred Hanson. He was 15 years old at the time. Davis became a factory KTM rider and did so well that he retired at age 20. “I couldn’t stay away and so I began racing in SCORE in 1989.” By 1996, Davis became the Overall Car champ in Class 10. “By 1997, I stopped racing again to raise my kids,” he said. It was focusing on his son Justin’s racing career that turned him into the team owner and crew chief that he is today. “I had a 1600 car, and Justin wanted to drive at the age of 13. By the time he turned 15, he was racing in SCORE and was the 1/2-1600 Champ in 2009. Now he’s 32, and although I handle much of the team stuff, Justin handles the mechanical and does all the prep-work by himself and with Troy Holes.” Davis pointed out that Holes was his co-driver during his racing career and continues to help the team immensely. Later, Davis’ younger son, Jeremy, got into racing buggies and did well, winning the Class 10 Championship in 2020 and winning the SCORE Baja 1000. “Jeremy put aside his racing career to focus on helping his brother achieve success,” said Davis. “I’m very proud of him and Justin for everything they do for the team, including their sister Ashley, who also helps. We all have fun doing this as a family, and it makes all the difference in the world. There’s a photo from 2020 when Jeremy won the SCORE Baja 1000 in Class 10, where he, Justin, and I each hold up a finger indicating the number of times we won this race. That’s something we will always share together.” Davis admits that the hardest part of being the team crew chief and owner is when they don’t get into first place. “We put a lot of our heart and soul into the racing program, and we’re not happy unless we’re in first place. The SCORE Trophy Truck Spec class is one that we feel has the most energy in it, and we can’t afford to make any mistakes. We do what we can to get the most out of the truck, and we put an effort to make it better.” In 2023 the team got a new TSCO truck and has had tremendous success with it, finishing second at this year’s SCORE San Felipe 250 and first at the SCORE Baja 500. Justin Davis now leads in points for the SCORE Trophy Truck Spec Championship, one that he narrowly missed out on in 2024. “At the SCORE San Felipe 250, Justin went from starting 27th to second place,” added Davis. “This shows we’re getting good results from our team, and we put out the effort to help get him to the top. This is such a competitive class that almost everything is equal in these vehicles, and it is not all just on the transmission, torque converter, and rear gearing. It also greatly depends on the ability of the driver and teams to win.” This season, the Green Army team has several new sponsors, which Davis believes will help them achieve the TT Spec Championship. “With the help of Toyo Tires, King Shocks, Maxima Oils, and Titan 7 wheels, we’ve done great this year, and we hope to take this momentum all the way through the SCORE Baja 1000 and win the Class Championship. Along with the livestream, it helps our sponsors take notice, and it gives us more publicity, especially when Justin is doing well. So, we can’t thank SCORE enough for its live streaming capabilities.” SJ