Bret Holmes Bio
Stacy Bret Holmes (born May 5, 1997) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for Tricon Garage. A versatile competitor with experience across asphalt and dirt, Holmes has built his reputation as a short-track champion before climbing into NASCAR’s national series.
Early Life and Background
Bret Holmes was born on May 5, 1997, in Munford, Alabama, and he continues to make his home in the same small community. He grew up around racing, with his father, Stacy Holmes, also a former racing driver. Stacy Holmes often competed at the Talladega Short Track and held the track record there until Bret himself broke it in 2013, an early sign of the younger Holmes’s speed and determination.
Holmes began racing at the age of eight when he entered go-kart events, a path he followed for four years and during which he collected sixty wins. After his karting years, he moved into Crate Late Model competition and won the championship in that division. He then expanded his racing across both dirt and asphalt surfaces, gaining the broad racecraft that would later help him transition to higher-profile stock car series.
Path to NASCAR
Holmes’s progression through the NASCAR ladder began in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, where he continued to sharpen his skills against weekly short-track veterans. In 2015, he earned the Show Me The Money Pro Late Model Series championship, one of the most respected regional titles for up-and-coming Late Model drivers in the Southeast.
In 2016, Holmes attempted to make his ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway with Empire Racing in the No. 18 Ford, though he ultimately withdrew from that season opener. He had previously tested with the team at Daytona in January of that year, beginning a relationship that positioned him for a full-time ARCA effort in the years to come.
Bret Holmes Career
Early Career (2016–2019)
Holmes began his national touring career in the ARCA Menards Series in 2016, running a limited schedule while balancing his development as a young driver. He continued to refine his approach on intermediate and short tracks, steadily improving his finishes and learning how to manage longer-distance races.
While competing in ARCA, Holmes also attended Auburn University, where he studied building science. Managing coursework alongside a demanding racing calendar required discipline, and his time at Auburn helped him develop the planning habits that later supported his rise as a team owner-driver.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2020)
In 2020, Holmes initially planned a part-time ARCA Menards Series schedule with his own Bret Holmes Racing team. Strong early-season results encouraged him to shift to a full campaign, and the decision paid off when he captured his first career ARCA victory at Kansas Speedway, leading 82 of the 100 laps in a dominant performance.
Holmes closed the season with four top-five finishes in the final four races, locking down the 2020 ARCA Menards Series championship by twelve points over Michael Self. The title made him one of the few driver-owners to win an ARCA national championship in recent memory and signaled his readiness for the next step in NASCAR’s national series.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Era (2021–Present)
In 2021, Bret Holmes Racing expanded to include a part-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series program, with Holmes sharing the entry with Sam Mayer. The team’s debut gave Holmes his first taste of NASCAR national series competition and a chance to apply his short-track background to the Truck Series schedule.
On October 1, 2022, at the Chevy Silverado 250 at Talladega Superspeedway, Holmes appeared to narrowly beat Rackley WAR driver Matt DiBenedetto to the line, but he was ultimately classified third after the caution. The dramatic result highlighted his growing comfort at the top level of stock car racing, even as he continued to balance team ownership with driving duties.
On October 9, 2025, it was announced that Holmes would return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, this time driving the No. 1 Toyota for Tricon Garage. The move aligned him with one of the Truck Series’ most established Toyota operations and marked a fresh chapter in his national series career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Holmes is widely recognized for his short-track pedigree, a product of his Crate Late Model and Pro Late Model roots. His dirt and asphalt background gives him a versatile feel for changing track conditions, while his experience as a driver-owner has sharpened his race-craft awareness, including tire management and long-run pace.
Notable Races and Milestones
His first ARCA victory at Kansas Speedway, where he led 82 laps, remains a signature win, and the 2020 ARCA championship ranks as the defining milestone of his career. The Talladega finish against DiBenedetto in 2022 also stands out as one of the most dramatic moments of his Truck Series tenure to date.
Bret Holmes Career Wins
Bret Holmes has built his resume on a foundation of regional and national touring success, highlighted by series championships and feature victories. His win totals reflect a steady climb from short tracks to NASCAR’s national stage, with his most celebrated results coming in the ARCA Menards Series.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Holmes captured the 2020 ARCA Menards Series championship after a strong late-season push that included four consecutive top-five finishes. His first ARCA victory came at Kansas Speedway, where he dominated by leading 82 of 100 laps, a performance that announced his arrival as a title contender.
The championship established Holmes as one of the standout driver-owners in the ARCA garage and gave him the platform to expand into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Other Wins and Performances
Before his ARCA breakthrough, Holmes won the 2015 Show Me The Money Pro Late Model Series championship and earlier captured the Crate Late Model Division title. His karting career produced sixty wins, providing an early foundation for the regional and national success that followed.
Bret Holmes Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Holmes comes from a racing family, with his father, Stacy Holmes, also a former racing driver. Stacy Holmes competed at the Talladega Short Track and held the track record there until Bret broke it in 2013. That father-and-son connection at the same Alabama short track remains one of the most memorable elements of the Holmes racing story.
Personal Life
Holmes lives in Munford, Alabama, the same community where he was born. While balancing his racing schedule, he pursued studies in building science at Auburn University, showing a commitment to education alongside his motorsports career.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season brought a significant development for Bret Holmes when, on October 9, 2025, it was announced he would return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Tricon Garage. The opportunity placed him in the No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, aligning him with a respected Toyota-supported organization known for developing talent in the Truck Series.
The move to Tricon Garage marked a return to NASCAR national series competition after a period focused on team ownership in ARCA. Running the established No. 1 entry gave Holmes access to veteran crew chief support and the resources of a multi-truck operation, raising expectations for competitive runs in the closing races of the year.
As the 2025 Truck Series schedule progressed, Holmes’s combination of short-track instincts and Toyota equipment positioned him to chase stage points and potential victories. His late-season return suggested a renewed push toward becoming a full-time contender in the Craftsman Truck Series heading into the next campaign.