Bakersfield, California is the oil and agriculture giant of the state of California. Some consider it, “central” California, but nonetheless, it has a completely different vibe than some of the other large cities in the state, rich in its own economical and musical history, as well as its drag racing. It’s ranked as roughly the 48th most populous city in America with just under 500,000 residents, and among them are two of radial-tire racing top names driving two of the more primo cars you’ll find anywhere on the planet.

Hailing from good old Bakersfield is Brylon Holder, the son of heads-up racing veteran Roger Holder. If you’re familiar with West coast and heads-up-style racing, then you’ll probably recognize the name. Growing up in Bakersfield, Brylon was involved in many different activities. “I have raced junior dragsters, go-karts, mini dwarf cars, and sport mods in the dirt. But over the past few years I have dedicated myself to drag racing.” By day you’ll find Brylon working in his family business, Holder’s Air Conditioning and Heating. Come race day, though, he’s wheeling one wicked 1967 Chevy II in the Pro 275 category.

“My dad was building a new Pro 275 car for himself to drive, and I was racing in Ultra Street. When the car was finished, it was a little heavier than expected. Since the bill was already paid, my dad said son, you are now racing Pro 275.”

The Nova

The chosen shop for the project was Reese Brothers Race Cars in Temple, Georgia. While most of the car was completed by Reese Brothers, the professionals at Pro Wire were called in to work their magic on the cars’ electrical system. The ’67 features a steel roof and quarters as required by the class rules. The rest of the Nova’s body panels are lightweight aftermarket carbon-fiber.

If you notice, a similar color is also used on Roger’s Nova, as well. The candy/brandy-wine red done by Kip at City Garage in Columbia, South Carolina really shines. The chassis features a chrome-moly, double framerail design that is certified to 6.0. Up front you’ll find a set of Menscer Motorsports struts hanging the front end nice and low. The rear suspension is a 4-link design paired with a set of custom Menscer Motorsports shocks. Besides the color scheme, the most noticeable feature of this Nova is its stance. With the plan to make lots of power, no expense was spared on the drivetrain either. The Chevy II is equipped with an M&M turbo 400 transmission complete with a Reid case.

Mating the engine to the transmission is an M&M torque converter. A custom carbon-fiber driveshaft was carefully machined to connect the Turbo 400 to the Strange full floater 9-inch rearend. Strange engineering axles and carbon-fiber brakes were also sourced on the build. The total build time for the Nova was roughly eight months, and considering the lengthy delays in getting parts at times, that’s fast.

The Power 

The heartbeat stuffed between the framerails of this Nova is a Noonan Race Engineering 4.9-inch bore space Hemi. This engine was originally designed for NHRA and outlaw Pro Mod racers, as well as for tractor pulling. However, it’s become a popular powerplant in numerous classes from drag radial to no-prep style racing. That giant round thing stashed in front of the Hemi is a 143mm billet turbocharger from Hart’s.

The FuelTech ECU controls the air/fuel mixture through the Wilson throttle body and billet Noonan intake to make explosive power. The engine was built by Roger Holder and John Kerchner. This combination is estimated to peak at nearly 5,000 horsepower, all of which they’re trying to put down on a 275 radial.

Wheels

The stance of this body style really sets it apart, however, often the most critical aspect of any hot rod is the wheel and tire package. Well, the Holder’s hit one out of the park with their choices: a set of RC Components 17-inch front wheels and 15-inch double beadlock rears wrapped in Mickey Thompson 275 Pro Drag Radial tires.

Interior

The tin and carbon-fiber work on the inside of Brylon’s Nova is a thing of beauty — it nicely compliments the perfected chassis work completed by Reese Brothers Race Cars. On the business side of the interior, Brylon has all his controls mounted to his MPI steering wheel and quick access to the dual Safecraft Halon fire system in case of an emergency. Mounted to the steering column you will find the FuelTech FT 600 ECU/digital dash.

Racing

The Holders’ game plan has been to run the car in the Pro 275 category within the new Radial Outlaws series, with tuning duties shared by Deeds Performance, Ziff Hudson, and the crew at FuelTech. The Nova made its debut in November of 2021 at the Street Car Super Nationals in Las Vegas, where the team gained some solid data and made several hits on the new chassis. After that, it was off the Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida in January of 2022, the official start of the radial tire-only series.

That event was eventually cancelled due to unseasonably low temperatures, but the team then hauled to South Georgia Motorsports Park for Lights Out 13 in February, where Brylon qualified deep in the field and ran a best of 3.92 at 202 mph. While the Holder’s were happy with the outcome, the combination is built to go deep into the 3.6-second range, and likely will do so in due time. Brylon along with his father, plan to run the entire Radial Outlaws series, which includes additional stops in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama this season.