Backbone of Drag and Drive Part 7: Built Over Time. Driven for Life. A 1960 Ford F100 Story
It’s apparent that to most people, cars are just tools whose ability to move you from point A to point B are the sum total of their worth. Giant toasters with little contribution or affect on who we are as people. And then … there’s all of us! The collection of people from all walks of life, every social background, every age and generation, who see our rides as the perfect canvas for personal expression and creativity. They become more. Sometimes we name them. We begin to treat them as members of our family. We connect with what feels like the personality and soul of the machine. We look at folks who have managed, through all the twists and turns of life, to hang on to their first car with some sort of reverence. A respect for the commitment required to resist the temptation to turn that inevitably broken car/truck into cash flow for a growing family or career. We understand how life is and so all the more we love to hear about that guy/gal that hung on to that special ride. That’s why we are taking a few minutes to talk to Brandon Holmes. He’s one of those guys.
It’s not often that you pull into the pits and see an early box bed Ford pickup. A 60 model with a tilt front end is definitely even more rare. A F100 with a NA small block that runs 12’s “rarer” still. One that drove 800 miles pulling a camper? “Rarerest”!!
Finding said vehicle and finding the fella driving it to be an absolutely solid dude? Well you better be looking in the lanes of a Drag and Drive. Cause this thing we love seems to draw folks like Brandon Holmes in from all corners of the planet. He has been pursuing his relationship with this 60 ford and drag racing for decades. And it’s apparent that he has the kind of character necessary to wear the moniker of “backbone of drag and drive” in a way that represents the genre and all of us that identify with it in the best light. That’s why we are highlighting Brandon and his F100 today. (by Rodney Reeves)
Where are you from/live
From North Louisiana, but have been living on the Gulf coast for 15+ years. Currently in the Beaumont, TX area
What made you start racing?
I guess I caught the “hotrod bug” or “car fever” from friends of the car community at my local track. I grew up going to our local racetrack (Twin City Raceway in Monroe, LA) with my dad and my uncle. We were always at someone’s shop helping with someone’s racecar.
Who inspired you to build a hot rod?
Probably every male figure (dad’s uncles, friends) in my life. Back in the day, everyone had a V8 pickup truck old or new. The only person without “pipes” on his truck was my grandpa. He looked at me like I was stupid when I asked him why his truck was so quiet, lol
First Race and Where?
(no exact date) At the age of 16, as soon as I thought my truck could successfully make the 1 hour drive, and I had enough gas money, I went to the track. I drove this truck to highschool.
What was your first car?
1st street legal car > 1984 Ford Ranger 4WD. (kept it for less than a year). 1960 F100 was actually my 1st regular car…I’d use it to cut grass on Saturday morning and lights on Saturday evening. It started out as an 18-second slow poke. Before I left high school, I bolted on enough used and hand-me-down parts and ran a personal best 15.87. In 2002, it was faster than a new stock single cab LS truck. The HEMI came back onto the market shortly after and put a whooping on everybody.
What was your first Drag and drive style event? What vehicle?
2021 RMRW. 1960 F100 . Blew up the motor at the 1st track.
Bucketlist Race or Event?
The next trip. (My 13-year was excited to make the next leg of route 66, and that’s where we are going this fall. She wanted to see the Rocky Mountains; so we’re going to RMRW 1.0 this summer). If you wait your whole life for a bucket list event or race then life will race right by. I have taken a different approach from the traditional bucket list. If a friend or kiddo is excited then we plan it, fund it, and do it - now. So, a couple of years ago, I decided to shift my focus from making the truck faster (the index classes 12.0-14.0 have all the fun anyway, right) and focus more on reliability of the ride and adventure that comes with the trip. I try to make as many family memories as my time and budget (or credit card) allows. My D-n-D trips have evolved from best friend trips, to dads n dudes, to Dad n Son(Jr Street and regular class), Drag n Drive with the whole family tagging along. This year, my 13 year old daughter and I plan to Jr Street. Then in the fall, the family plans to join for the next leg of Route 66 (we did Sick 66 in ‘24 previously).
What's your PB and how/when did that happen?
12.70ish in testing at my local track . Cool spring night air made it
Favorite car movie? Gone in 60 seconds, the new one. The inspiration for my youngest daughter’s name.
Favorite music for cruising? Depends on the scenery, 90’s Country or 2000’s rock
Favorite Roadsnack? Mixed nuts and/or pistachios
For the story, tell us about your best/favorite event
Event: Sick Smokies 2025
Event Average: Slower than a mini-van
Vehicle at that event? 1960 Ford F100
Year, Make, Model
Powertrain Combo at time of Event:
Engine: Ford Roller Block 347
Transmission:Ford AOD
Rear Gear: 3.70 with ratcheting locker
Power Adder: none
Tires: 275/50r15 MIkey Thompson ET Street, allegedly 2014 mfg date
History:
How long you’ve had it - Since I was 16
How many races have attended in this vehicle? 6 events RMRW 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, Sick 66 ‘24, Sick Smokies ‘25
Why did you build this car? It’s what I’ve always had
Plans for events this year
Which vehicle? 1961 Ford Starliner (fingers crossed) for RMRW
Who will be co-pilot - My 13 year daughter, Margaret
Which class? Jr Street only
Goals? - Drive it there, race it, drive it back; go to “the castle”
Any changes or upgrades planned? - It’s practically a parts car currently
Favorite Racing Memory:
Grudge Race against my dad in about 2001. I had the blue 1960 F100 with a 302 and my dad had a 1965 F100 with a 351W. He was hoping to tree me, but he didn’t. It was a good race and I won, something like my 16.33 to his 16.71. Other than racing on the back roads in Mexico, this was the only racing I remember doing against my dad.
Struggles in the Smokies.
I had the bright idea to buy a camper instead of renting hotel rooms. So, I spent those 6 weeks leading up to the event building out a gutted camper.
Then, I had the even brighter idea to pull the trailer with my race truck. Since there’s a “single axle” trailer rule, I wanted to stick with that. I installed new brakes on the trailer and a controller in my truck. Wanna know how to turn a 10 hour trip into 16 hours? Wanna know how to start off day -2 with adventure?
To make a long story short. Mama bear, a flat lander, learned how to a trailer in the hills of Tennesse. As for the race truck pulling the camper? Yep, you guessed, transmission smoked. Special thanks to those Junkyards open on Sundays. Wanna talk about community? A fella racer lets you borrow the dovetail part of his trailer to be used as your lift.
He chose the hard way to build a “racetruck”
Old trucks cruising along the roads are always a treat to see. Brandon’s truck is unique enough to really stand out in a sea of C10s. He chose the hard way to build a “racetruck”, but in doing so it set him apart in a crowd. The truck sounds great, drives great, and from these stories, has created some of the best memories a family could ask for. His story mirrors my own, I’ve owned my “old truck” since my grandfather passed it down to me when I turned 16. Having a truck for nearly 30 years means you do become attached to these pieces of metal. With the memories forged in the bench seat of his truck, we hope future generations feel the draw to keep the truck on the road, as he has all these years. (by Mike Narx)
It takes a longtime, or a life changing moment, to get people living out their best life. Brandon figured it out early that life is about building the biggest list of cool stories and helping people do the same. That’s the Backbone of Drag and Drive for cars that are fun to drive.
Do you have a car that is 10 Seconds or slower and want to tell the story? Or do you have a friend with a car you think will fit in this kind of coverage? Let us know by sending a message
Article by Rodney Reeves and Mike Narx. Photos from Brandon Holmes
