Saskatchewan-based NHRA Sportsman Racing team notches very impressive points finish for 2023….
Over the post couple years the father and some team of Ray and Reid Holland have been busy building a solid reputation while accumulating win lights within NHRA’s Pacific Northwest Division Six Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
Racing within the 8.90 secs index Super Comp category, this aspiring team (from Warman SK) has put together a couple of consecutive impressive season campaigns — with the end result being a career high #2 official points finish within the NHRA Division Six championship chase for 2023.
The team has been racing a very reliable Worthy-built rear-engined dragster (dubbed “Killer Queen”) which they first acquired in 2021.
“I bought this car in October of 2021 – turnkey,” stated Reid Holland. “Initially we where thinking that we didn’t have to change much but we ended up giving the car a full facelift.”
“There isn’t a nut or bolt that we didn’t touch. This car got everything from being professionally wired, to professionally wrapped a brand new 632 cubic inch big block chevy, brand new Reid Racing Transmission case, new rod ends on 4-link bars, new dash, the seat cover/cushion got fixed and new memory foam installed for better ergonomics, and all of the aluminium got professionally polished to mirror status — so the car had bling!”
“Over all that time myself and my whole family put blood, sweat and tears into this car and it shows,” he continued. “This car has now become deadly consistent and has made it super easy for us to finesse and get into the precision level of tuning.”
The team is now reaping the benefits from all that effort, attention and focus and has the hardware to show for it.
“We won 4 Wally’s total in 1 and a half years,” Reid affirmed. “Last year I won the Rocky Mountain Nationals in Edmonton and in Medicine Hat Alberta at their National Open event. This year I won Edmonton again then we went onto win the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Regional event in Woodburn Oregon.”
The Hard Core Performance Specialites team earned a very prestigious NHRA event in 2023 — scoring the Super Comp title during the Pacific Northwest Lucas Oil Regional event held at Woodburn Oregon.
“I have two moments that I am most proud of so far in my career. The first moment is going to Boise Idaho for the Division 6 season opener in June (2022) and winning the Super class shootout — that was our first race of the year. The second moment would be the big NHRA win this year at Woodburn Oregon.”
Reid’s Super Comp class driving career was preceded with solid credentials within drag racing development classes. He began racing in a Junior Dragster at age 8 (winning a track championship at Saskatoon) before graduating to Junior Street and then Sportsman ET class racing at age 16. He also gained experience in a 8-seconds capable Super Pro Ford Mustang prior to acquiring his current dragster.
Along his trail Reid, who is 21 years old, also attended Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School with tutoring from Jack Beckman. Also, very appropriately, Reid’s racing aspirations in drag racing are also paralleled by developing career within Automotive tech. He is employed as a manual machinist for Standard Machine in Saskatchewan. “I’ve now completed my 4 years of schooling and am just preparing and awaiting to complete my red-seal industrial machinist exam,” he confirmed.
Reid Holland
This racing operation is a close knit and father/son operation.
“We’re not a high budget team — but we focus on refining the details which allow us to be competitive,” Reid added. “We bring everything we own to the start line every pass.”
“I need to thank my friends Nick, Travis, Hayden and Stephan who tag along and help out at the track — we couldn’t do it without those guys. Also a special shout-out to my 2023 sponsors – Gulf Race Fuels, Executive Protection Services (Regina), Hardcore Performance (Saskatoon), Twister Airworks (Edmonton), K&S Machine (Kelowna), Mr. Transmission (Saskatoon), Firebird Business Consulting (Saskatoon), Fairway Lawncare (Warman), Deep Pockets Custom Fabshop and Polishing (Saskatoon) and 24 Hour signs (Saskatoon). Thank you all for making this year possible!”
The Reid Holland Motorsports/Hard Core Performance Specialties race team confirm that they will be making a trip to Eastern Canada this off season too. They are now scheduled to attend Toronto’s Motorama as part of the Gulf Race Fuels booth display at that car show. Gulf Race Fuels have both elevated and resigned the team for for sponsorship the 2024 season.
For more information on the team visit their offical site: HERE
Posted by Bruce Biegler
Photos by Matt Levonas and Courtesy of Hard Core Racing
