Bret Holmes, set to graduate from Auburn University next month with a degree in Building Science, received a special hometown celebration at Talladega Superspeedway for winning the 2020 ARCA Menards Series Championship.
With a host of friends, family and guests, Holmes, a Munford native and driver of the family-owned No. 23 Holmes II Excavation Chevrolet, was honored during a watch party for the 2020 ARCA Menards Series Virtual Awards. The event was held in the unique 35,000-square-foot Big Bill’s Open Air Social Club inside Talladega Superspeedway.
“This is so huge, to have all my family, friends and old racing buddies here,” said Holmes, who grew up less than 15 minutes from the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway. “It’s surreal, and this is the happiest I have been in a while. It’s been an amazing day.”
Bret Holmes honored for winning 2020 ARCA Menards Series title from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
As part of the celebration, NASCAR driver and International Motorsports Hall of Fame member Red Farmer spoke. He is one of the original members of the famed Alabama Gang and a friend who raced against Holmes’ father, Stacy, at the Talladega Short Track.
“I remember racing against Stacy, then they let me stay at their home on those late Saturday nights,” the 88-year-old Farmer remembered. “The room they originally had for me didn’t have a TV in it, and I really wanted to watch TV, so they gave me Bret’s room and made him move to another room.
“Seriously, I have seen him come through the ranks, starting out go-karts through super late-models, and now ARCA. All his hard work has paid off. He is now a national champion and I am proud of him.”
The other two original members of the Alabama Gang – Bobby and Donnie Allison – couldn’t make the ceremony, but they both talked to the 23-year-old Holmes via phone earlier in the day.
“Having Red here tonight was extra special,” said Holmes, who finished the ’20 ARCA season with one win (Kansas Speedway), 19 Top 10, and 14 Top 5 finishes in 20 races. “Loved hearing him talk about how he stayed with us and racing against each other. Then, getting a chance to talk to Bobby and Donnie on the phone and them telling me congratulations was just unreal. Just knowing they are watching and proud of me, I can’t put into words how cool that is. I hope to continue to make them proud.”
Proud is a good word to describe how many in Alabama feel about Holmes. During the evening, he was presented two proclamations – by Talladega County and the city of Lincoln. In addition, he received a commendation by the state of Alabama and Gov. Kay Ivey. Talladega Superspeedway posted two large roadside congratulatory billboards in the area; one off Interstate Highway 20 and one in Munford.
From the age of 8, Bret Holmes cut his teeth by winning in go-karts (for three years) and then moving on to dirt-track cars at Talladega Short Track (near Talladega Superspeedway). He won a championship at the short track (2012), followed by others on asphalt at Montgomery Motor Speedway (2015) and 5 Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida (2016). Prior to this year’s title, he ran the full ARCA schedule for three years, finishing sixth in 2017, 10th in 2018 and third a year ago. This year, he completed an amazing 2,709 of 2,714 laps (99.8%), won at Kansas Speedway and was third at Talladega.
Holmes continues the tradition of successful drivers from Alabama, including Grant Enfinger (Fairhope), who won the ARCA title in 2015 and was fourth in the 2020 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series battle. Other popular Alabama drivers who won national titles include NASCAR Hall of Famers’ Bobby Allison (NASCAR Cup Series in 1983) and Farmer (three-time NASCAR Late Model Sportsman in 1969, 70 and 71; 1956 NASCAR Modified) from Hueytown, along with Gadsden native Steve Grissom (NASCAR Xfinity in 1993).
Talladega Superspeedway will host its next NASCAR event on April 24, 2021, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, followed by the GEICO 500 on Sunday, April 25. For information, call 877-462-3343 (Go2-DEGA) or visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.
(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)
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