Who said that your age becomes a barrier if you love the tracks? When you are chasing a dream, age is just a number that is usurped by the passion to compete. Just when NASCAR brought forth a ruling that ensured 65-year-old Mike Wallace was not in the running for the Daytona 500, an 82-year-old’s Chili Bowl Nationals journey has brought a smile to everyone’s face. 

The Chili Bowl Nationals at Tulsa has been breathtaking. Wednesday night marked the third out of five preliminary nights at the SageNet Center in Tulsa Oklahoma. Every year, this Centre seems to be the ultimate celebration of midget car racing. The specialty of the Chili Bowl Nationals is that racers from all around the world arrive with spectacular stories to share and Barbara Davenport’s story warms the heart.

82-years-old with no thought of hitting the brakes

Recently, taking to the official X account, Jake Rosario shared his experience with someone who has certainly got his morals up. He is currently driving the DRC 2-seater for the Donnie Ray Crawford Legacy Foundation. Talking about the 82-year-old racer, Rosario posted, “Idk what your goals are at this age but 82 year old Barbara Davenport from Clovis, CA is about to rip the lip at @cbnationalsin the DRC 2 Seater! 🤘🤘 she told me not to let off the throttle😈”.

California native Barbara Davenport was seen sporting a white and blue racers outfit and surely the smile on her face exhibited the love she draws from racing. She came on board after Rosario had made a post where he put out open invitations for everyone who wanted to come and try out the DRC – 2-seater. The spirit with which Barbara approached and ensured that she could fulfill her dream at her age is remarkable. He had posted, “DRC 2-Seater is rippin the @TulsaShootout cushion 🤘Come by the @DRCFoundation booth to get a ride around Tulsa Expo Raceway!”. 

The Chili Bowl Nationals is undoubtedly one of the biggest events when it comes to midget car racing. The ‘Super Bowl of Midget Racing’ has seen some iconic winners in the past such as three-time champ, Christopher Bell and 2-time winner Kyle Larson. However, fans are gushing over the 82-year-old as she steals the spotlight at Tulsa.

Fans applaud Barbara for chasing her dream at the Chili Bowl Nationals

Taking to the tracks even when you are 82 is a remarkable show of courage and not many people are capable of doing that, despite their wants. Speaking of the same, a fan took to the post and commented, “Love it. Have a blast Barbera ❤️”. Not only that, but the positivity on the post was quite touching. While one fan commented with a “🤗🤗❤️🩷💖” another put a “❤️”. The showering of love is a testament to how someone going out of their comfort zone to chase a dream resonates with racing fans. After all, everyone starts with a dream.

The spirit and the courage that Barbara has put forth are infectious. It seems as though even at this age when most people avoid pursuing their dreams, she has been able to hold herself together. Applauding the same, a fan commented, “We all need to be a little more like Barbara”. 

Age has been a point of discussion in the world of racing for quite some time now. Only recently, Mike Wallace was denied his Daytona 500 entry citing the reason that he has been inactive on certain tracks for 10 years. However, some fans had also speculated that given his age and his continuous absence from the track, this decision was coming. Hinting at the same, a fan commented, “And Mike Wallace can’t qualify for the Daytona 500”. Barbara’s fearless determination and spirit serve as an inspiring reminder that passion and perseverance know no age limits.