The Munford, Alabama driver was also unofficially under Parker Kligerman's one-lap track record he set back in 2009. With the test in the rearview mirror, Holmes will be making his mile-and-half intermediate track debut Friday night at Kentucky in the Crosley 150.
“We ran well in the test and are very eager to get a new car out on the track and see what she can do,” Holmes said. “I can feel that first win coming, and I think as our team starts to gel more and more, I have a better chance every time we come to the track. We're pretty excited."
Holmes got faster and faster as the day went on at the open test.
"We kept trying to push it harder every time I went out. It's hard to know where the limit is on this mile-and-a-half stuff."
Bret Holmes Car Tech Kentucky 2016With a lot of help from some very dedicated Bret Holmes Racing crew members and veteran Sam Schram directing the effort back home in the shop, the 23 car that the team unloaded here at Kentucky is sparkling new, front to back.
“We have great people on this team, and they put in so much time and effort. I have to tip my hat to these guys; I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Two weeks removed from his highest career ARCA finish at Salem (third), Holmes still knows that there is a long road ahead, but as each race passes he feels as if he is getting closer to that first win.
“It's a lot different running on this size of a track, but after the test, I think I have some experience, and I can go get after it this weekend."
ARCA champion Grant Enfinger will again serve Holmes as crew chief during the race.
From here, Holmes will head back to Alabama where he's a full-time student at Auburn University, studying Building Science. In addition to his schooling, Holmes had a very successful season back home in the Pro Late Model ranks, winning the 2016 track championship at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida.
"It's a been real busy week. We ran Pensacola Friday and Saturday night...got rained out Saturday, so we ran it Sunday. We had the test at Kentucky Tuesday, then I went back to Auburn for classes Wednesday and Thursday. Today (Friday), we're back at Kentucky.
"That's pretty-much my life right now...school and racing. I'm in school four days a week...the other three I'm at the race track or in the shop."
The Bret Holmes Racing team just this morning added Southern States Bank as an associate sponsor on the 23 car. Wholesale Controls Internnational is also on board for this weekend.
Wholesale Controls International to sponsor Holmes at Kentucky
Wholesale Controls International (WCI) is a newly formed partnership and sponsor that will be along for the race on Friday. WCI s a parts distribution company out of Birmingham, Alabama that has provided design assistance for construction projects, including commercial drawings, submittals, and data booklets. In addition, Alabama Wholesale offers an array of commercial building automation products, such as electrical components, damper actuators, and valves. Find them online at wciparts.com.
Three-time ARCA Racing Series champion Tim Steele won the inaugural ARCA race at Kentucky. From there the list of ARCA winners at Kentucky includes Ryan Newman, Frank Kimmel, Kyle Busch, Steve Wallace, Erik Darnell, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Michael McDowell, James Buescher, Corey LaJoie, Parker Kligerman, Brennan Poole and Reed to name a few.
This year’s Crosley 150, the 23rd ARCA race at Kentucky since the inaugural event in 2000, will serve as the show-opener for the next-night NASCAR XFINITY Series MyrtleBeach.com 300.
Raceday Schedule, September 23
Practice for the Crosley 150 is Friday afternoon, September 23 from 12:30 p.m. – 2:00, followed by Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell at 4:40. The Crosley 150 is scheduled to get the green flag at 8:19 p.m. In addition to Live Timing and Scoring and Live Chat at arcaracing.com of all on-track activities, the Crosley 150 is live on FS2 at 8:00 p.m. eastern. The race also re-airs Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 24.
via ARCA.
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