Following the closure of Stewart-Haas Racing, another prominent name in NASCAR is winding down operations. Bret Holmes Racing, a key player in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, has announced an immediate cessation of its team activities.
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The announcement, shared via Facebook, confirmed that the #32 Chevrolet Silverado will not compete for the remainder of the 2024 season and has no plans to participate in the 2025 Truck Series season as well.
Despite the team’s shutdown, Bret Holmes, the owner, is open to continuing his racing career in 2025, albeit with a different team. The official statement from the team outlined these changes:
“As of today, Bret Holmes Racing has made the difficult decision to close our doors and will not be returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for the 2024 or 2025 season. To all of our fans, sponsors, friends, families – and most importantly our team – we thank you all for the support and commitment shown to BHR around every turn.”
“We appreciate each and every one of you for the roles you played in making each race day memorable. Following the closing of BHR, Bret Holmes looks to continue racing in the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.”
The announcement comes almost exactly a year after a similar situation unfolded. With just two races remaining at Homestead and Phoenix, a spokesperson revealed last year that Bret Holmes would not be participating in the final two races of the 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. The reason given at the time was the need for “regrouping.”
Colby Evans shared a screenshot of Bret Holmes Racing’s announcement on his X profile, lamenting, “Bret Holmes shutting down operations 1 of my favorite Underdog Teams, was so cool seeing Bret beat the big boys and win the 2020 ARCA Championship Gonna miss seeing the #32 in Trucks too, hope Bret can find a ride, guy has a lot of talent!!!”
The news saddened many fans who had been cheering for the team and its owner. One fan expressed his dismay, saying, “Man this sucks to see. I’ve always rooted for Bret. Especially since his 2020 ARCA championship It’s hard for independent teams to survive these days.” Another added, “Aw man Used to root for him in ARCA,” while another fan remarked, “<SIGH> major bummer.”
Bret Holmes shutting down operations
1 of my favorite Underdog Teams, was so cool seeing Bret beat the big boys and win the 2020 ARCA Championship
Gonna miss seeing the #32 in Trucks too, hope Bret can find a ride, guy has a lot of talent!!! pic.twitter.com/Tt8dnHa0jf
— Colby Evans 🎃🎃 (@StartAndParkCar) October 25, 2024
While Bret Holmes Racing did not specify the exact reasons for the sudden halt in operations, financial difficulties are suspected, highlighted by inconsistent sponsorship despite support from organizations like Precision Garage Door Service and First Bank of Alabama.
Additionally, the recent departure of Mike Shiplett, their former crew chief who moved to Niece Motorsports, might have also played a role in the team’s decision to close.
Holmes’ NASCAR odyssey so far
Holmes ventured into NASCAR through the ARCA Menards Series starting in 2016. Initially racing under his own banner, he also competed in three races for Ken Schrader Racing in 2018. Holmes won the series title in 2020, capturing a win in Kansas and securing top-5 finishes in 13 races of 20.
Since 2021, Holmes shifted his focus to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. His highest placement in the final standings was P23 last year. He notched his best finish in the series at P3 in 2022 at Talladega.
The 2024 season saw Holmes finishing P4 at Daytona and P9 at the recent Talladega race. With the closure of his team, the spotlight now turns to whether the erstwhile team owner will secure a seat for 2025.
