Driver Spotlight: Kadence Davenport

Kadence Davenport

 Kadence aka “The Wolf” loves racing.  She earned her nickname when she first began racing.  She was the youngest competitor in the Putt Putt class and had to start in the back a lot but always seemed to be able to fight her way through the pack and hunt the leader down.  That nickname has stuck with her and she still even likes to howl after her wins! 

In 2013 at age 9 she was the Junior 1 track champion at both of her "home" tracks, Jamaica Raceway (asphalt) and Newton Kart Klub (dirt).  This talented young racer got her start in racing when she stopped at a family friends’ transmission shop with her dad. She noticed a poster advertising a race called Battle at the Barn at the Iowa State Fairgrounds and she asked to give it a try- the rest is history. 

When she first started learning about racing her biggest challenge wasn’t the driving, it was learning the racing lingo. Since she was only 6 years old her dad and Papa simplified the terms with their own little lingo to make it easier to communicate. She has always been in tune with her kart and has been able to direct her pit crew on how to help make it faster and handle better for her.  In fact several other racing dads have asked her to test out their son’s kart for them and give them feedback on its handling! 

Currently Kadence is racing Junior 1 karts, both indoors and outdoors, on dirt, asphalt and coke syrup. She runs a clone, flathead and most recently an animal motor/class and last year she was asked to run a 2-cylemotor in the 2-cycle nationals by an engine builder.

Her goal for this year is to do well in the IKF Nationals in July and win the (MAOS) Midwest Asphalt Oval Series which is a new series that involves 5 races in 5 states (Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, and Illinois). With the first two races of the series under her belt she is well on her way, she is currently the Junior 1 Elite Champion Leader in the series!

Kadence is very determined. She doesn't see anything as an obstacle. She says, “It's all exciting and a challenge so I always want to go back for more because I learn something new every race.” She has big dreams for her racing career. She hopes to be the first female NASCAR driver to win the Daytona 500.  To learn more about how Kadence is doing, follow her on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kadencedavenportracing