Sometimes sitting in the back of the line can have its advantages. And for former Mountain Motor Pro Stock champion turned Factory Stock Showdown icon turned Factory X pioneer Chris Holbrook, having the third or so car for the fledgling class is turning out to be good for him.
Holbrook recently took delivery of his new VARSITY Ford-sponsored Factory X Mustang from Jerry Bickel Race Cars. If not for supply chain issues and rule clarification problems, Holbrook could have easily had the first out. What could have been a considerable negative turned out to be a positive for the second-generation drag racer as he watched the trials of Geoff Turk and Greg Stanfield as they navigated the strange waters.
“I watched their stuff along the way,” Holbrook said. “But at first, I was like, ‘Stanfield’s got his car done; what’s the deal here?”
Holbrook’s primary problem was getting the proper body panels for his Mustang, a problem alleviated when Bickel and fellow chassis builder Larry Jeffers teamed up to create the carbon fiber molds approved by NHRA.
Bickel and Holbrook invested in creating the molds, as Ford wasn’t behind the project. And Holbrook learned that while the COPO Camaro was also missing the necessary body molds, the manufacturer reportedly got behind the project, which led to it moving forward quicker.
“In the beginning, no one was really sure what the rules were,” Holbrook explained. “I know the rules were out there, but there was some confusion. And I think there were some chassis builders that wanted to do it their way. And NHRA stuck strong in saying, ‘No, this is how we want it.”
“And that held off the program for quite a while.”
With the project moving forward at a slower but steady pace with Jeffers creating the bodywork, the project was dealt a significant blow when Bickel passed away on April 5, 2023.
“That was a hard shot to take,” Holbrook admitted. “But thank God, he does have a great group of people there. And they buckled down. And man, they build an awesome race car. I couldn’t ask for a better job.”
As this story posts, the car is headed back home to Michigan, where it will be wired, and Holbrook will begin making the custom headers.
“Other than that, the car is pretty much done,” Holbrook said.
Holbrook can’t speak to the other manufacturers, but being a longtime Ford racer, he wishes the manufacturer were more involved in the process, which benefits them in the long run.
“I’m excited about the class, and I’m excited to get out there and run,” Holbrook said. “But you would think that Ford would be more behind this.”
Holbrook said he learned the other night, after the challenges of creating his body panel molds, Ford is planning a new line of Mustang body panels in September.
“Now, I built an older car. Now, you’re telling me you’re going to have body panels out in September,” Holbrook said. “Maybe Ford can help out with that one.”
Holbrook has been grooming son Del to eventually be his successor in Factory X like he was in the Factory Stock Showdown. But for now, he’s excited to make the maiden voyages in a car with a clutch and manual transmission.
Racing a stick-shifted car is a familiar experience, as Holbrook raced one in Super Stock in 2012. Before that, he raced with one in large displacement Pro Stock, winning an IHRA title in 1999.
Holbrook said the chance of having the Mustang ready to compete at the Factory X debut in Topeka, Kansas, is slim to none, but he’s giving it his all. Regardless, he’s excited about the NHRA’s new division.
“That’s the thing with this class,” Holbrook said. “There’s a variety. The COPO body is different than the Mustang versus the Drag Pak. They’re totally different. It’s not like the bodies are really similar. I’ve heard Stanfield saying that, with the rules, there was a lot of downforce on the rear of the car, and it made the front light. I take that into consideration. I guess they’re talking about, maybe, shortening the wicker on the wing to get less downforce on the rear. Some of the stuff is still in the works as people get out there and make passes.
“I hear of more and more people building cars, and that excites me. I think this year’s going to be just everybody getting their stuff ready and getting out there. I really think next year there’s going to be a lot more involvement.”
