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Howdy Holmes
Holmes driving aMarch 84C-Cosworth DFX during the1984Domino's Pizza 500 atPocono International Raceway
Born	Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Achievements	1978North American Formula Atlantic champion
Awards	1979Indianapolis 500Rookie of the Year
Champ Car career
72 races run over 7 years
Years active	1979-1980, 1982-1985, 1988
Team(s)	AMI Racing (1979-1980) Doug Shierson Racing (1982-1983) Mayer Racing (1984) Forsythe Racing (1985) Morales Motorsports (1988)
Best finish	12th -1984
First race	1979 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race	1988Nissan Indy Challenge (Tamiami Park)
Wins Podiums Poles 0 1 0

Howdy Holmes (born December 14, 1947)^[1][2] is an American former racing driver in theCARTChampionship Car series. He began racing in the early 1970s and was based inStockbridge, Michigan, about 36 miles (58 km) southeast from downtown Lansing and 15 miles (24 km) northeast ofChelsea, Michigan, where his family owned a milling company.

He raced in the CART series for 7 seasons (1979-1980, 1982-1985, and 1988), with 72 career starts, including theIndianapolis 500 each of those years except 1980. He finished in the top ten 26 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in 1984 at Phoenix. He was the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the year in 1979, with a 7th-place finish. In 1978, he was theFormula Atlantic champion.

Holmes is currently the President ofChelsea Milling Company, his family's firm that was founded in 1901. His grandmotherMabel White Holmes became famous for inventing the Jiffy line of baking mixes in 1930, and the family brand served as a sponsor for his cars.

Holmes was born inAnn Arbor, Michigan. He would make his IndyCar debut in theUSAC National Championship during1979 forAMI Racing in the No. 46Jiffy Mixes/Armstrong MouldWildcat Mk. 2-Drake Goosen Sparks at theIndianapolis 500. In the race Holmes qualified in 13th place and was the only rookie to qualify, meaning Holmes won therookie of the year award. Holmes finished the race in seventh place. Holmes drove a second race, theMusic 500 Presented by Musicland & Sam Goody atPocono International Raceway, starting and finishing seventh. Holmes finished 12th in the USAC points, while going unranked towards the rivalSCCA/CART PPG World Series due to Indianapolis counting towards the points for drivers competing in their championship.

In1980 USAC and CART merged to form theChampionship Racing League while also counting for points in the CART championship. Holmes returned withAMI Racing to drive the No. 43Jiffy Mixes/Armstrong MouldOrbitor-Cosworth DFX. While Holmes was attempting to qualify the car he spun out and missed the race in that car. Holmes also tried to qualify AMI's No. 45Armstrong MouldLola T6000-Cosworth DFX, failing to qualify in that car also. During the season the Orbitor showed some promise, such as qualifying sixth at theKent Oil 150 atWatkins Glen Grand Prix Circuit and an eighth-place finish at theTrue Value 500 atPocono International Raceway. Holmes finished 12th in the CRL/USAC standings and 22nd in the CART standings. Holmes did not compete in any races in1981.

In1982 Holmes drove forDoug Shierson Racing in the No. 30Domino's Pizza March 82C-Cosworth DFX. During the season Holmes got best finishes of fourth at theProvimi Veal Tony Bettenhausen 200 atWisconsin State Fairgrounds Park Speedway and fifth at theDetroit News Grand Prix atMichigan International Speedway to finish 13th in points. During the year Holmes qualified for theIndianapolis 500 (counted towards theUSAC Gold Crown Championship) to finish 10th in the race and 26th in the USAC standings.

For1983 Holmes returned withDoug Shierson Racing to drive the No. 30 Domino's Pizza March 83C-Cosworth. During the year Holmes got a best finish of fifth at theCribari Wines 300K atLaguna Seca Raceway. Holmes also competed in theIndianapolis 500 (sanctioned byUSAC, but counted for points byCART), starting 12th and finishing 6th. Holmes finished 13th in the CART standings and 9th in the USAC standings.

In1984 Holmes joinedMayer Racing to drive the No. 41 Jiffy Mixes March 84C-Cosworth DFX. The season started off well as Holmes finished second to teammateTom Sneva at theDana Jimmy Bryan 150 atPhoenix International Raceway. Holmes then qualified second to Sneva at theIndianapolis 500. Holmes' car suffered mechanical problems throughout the race and Holmes finished 13th, 15 laps down. The rest of the season brought some more points finishes, although none were as good as Holme's early season form. Holmes finished the season 12th in the CART points and unranked in the USAC points due to scoring no points at Indianapolis.

For1985 Holmes joinedForsythe Racing to drive the No. 33 Jiffy MixesLola T85/00-Cosworth DFX. Holmes got a best finish of ninth at theMichigan 500 atMichigan International Speedway. Holmes also finished 10th at theIndianapolis 500. The result came under some controversy as Holmes was criticized for making contact with then-second place driver and former teammate Sneva, which caused Sneva andRich Vogler to crash. Following theDetroit News 200 at Michigan International Speedway Holmes was replaced byJan Lammers. Holmes finished the season 25th in the CART standings and 10th in the USAC standings. Holmes did not compete in any races in1986 or1987.

In1988 Holmes drove forMorales Motorsports in the No. 21 Jiffy Mixes March 88C-Cosworth DFX. During the season Holmes got a best finish of seventh at theQuaker State 500 at Pocono International Raceway. Holmes also had a good run at theIndianapolis 500, starting 33rd (last) and finishing 12th. Holmes finished the season with an eighth-place finish at theNissan Indy Challenge atTamiami Park in what was Holmes' final Indy car race. Holmes finished 18th in the CART standings and 12th in the USAC standings.

After retiring from racing, Holmes became the president ofChelsea Milling Company, the manufacturer ofJiffy Mixes, which was invented by Holmes' grandmotherMabel White Holmes. Holmes has also made appearances at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Legends Day (a day that honors past drivers of theIndianapolis 500) and other times simply as a spectator or guest ofChip Ganassi Racing, of which Jiffy has been an associate sponsor since 2023.^[3]

(key)

(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position)

¹ Replaced byJerry Sneva

² Race was delayed six days due to rain in the area. The qualified cars of Holmes,Johnny Rutherford,Dick Ferguson, andChip Ganassi did not return to the rescheduled race.

• Living people
• Champ Car drivers
• Indianapolis 500 drivers
• Indianapolis 500 Rookies of the Year
• Atlantic Championship drivers
• Racing drivers from Michigan
• SCCA Formula Super Vee drivers
• SCCA National Championship Runoffs participants
• Forsythe Racing drivers
• 1947 births
• Sportspeople from Ann Arbor, Michigan

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