The Alabamian ~ Billy Holt

Billy Holt Collage
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Billy Holt began his drag racing career in 1958 with a C-Gas car that dominated that class in the South for two seasons.  His employer then delayed his drag racing career for about four years.  A space firm employed Billy as a field engineer that required extended travel, not leaving much time for devotion to anything else.

Billy returned to the Drag Racing sport again in 1964 in a big way.  Campaigning various gas cars, blown and unblown, during the next five years holding NHRA National Class Champion title twice and class runner-up five times.  During this period he was a three time NHRA Record Holder for BB/G - retaining the record for a total of two years, plus holding the NHRA D/G record twice during this period.

Don Hardy built the second "ALABAMIAN" Funny Car having a 1971 Vega body.  With the first pass ever made by this car, it qualified well in the field at the Gator Nationals.  Had a good year, winning about eighty per cent of scheduled match races.  Also, won several open competition funny car shows and set numerous track records.

The third "ALABAMAIAN" Funny Car was built by Don Hardy also, sporting a 1972 Vega body powered by a stroked 426 Mopar Hemi built by Billy himself.  The first time out at the 1971 NHRA World Finals the car qualified and proceeded to defeat the "Assassination" Funny Car (NHRA Record Holder at that time).

Then in 1972 the "ALABAMIAN" had a great year running all of the IHRA Nationals and a couple of the NHRA Nationals qualifying well in the field and being runner up in two events.  Also campaigned the car in the Southeast and Midwest setting many track records and winning numerous races, always performing well and being very popular with the fans.  The "ALABAMIAN" was invited to the 12th Annual Auto Show SCCA in Dallas, Texas and took first place.

In 1973 Billy teamed up with the former "VIRGINIAN" pilot "Pee Wee" Wallace, for a crack at the Eastern tracks with the "ALABAMIAN".  The car with the new Wallace crew was very popular. Always making an immaculate appearance with excellent mannerisms plus an outstanding performance in the competitive campaign.  Billy continued to team race with "Pee Wee" until 1975 at which time he retired from Drag Racing.

In 2000 Billy decided to enter the Drag Racing World again.  This time he tried his skills with a Blown Alcohol Dragster that will exhibit a state of the art drive train, fuel management and data acquisition systems.

HE HAD MUCH GOOD LUCK IN THE NEW VENTURE!!!  Sadly Billy Holt passed away in October 2007.


If anyone has any Billy Holt pictures, to me.

2007-2023


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