CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Vintage race cars make the turn during a recent “Night of Nostalgia” race at the Sports Park Raceway near Fort Dodge. These races are just a small part of what the Nostalgia Dirt Series offers including vintage car restoration and Iowa’s only driving experience which allows vintage race fans state and nationwide ways to preserve and promote vintage racing history.

MASON CITY — It is no secret that Mason City native Mark Holt is a fan of racing, and that love has developed into what is now known as the Nostalgia Dirt Series.

The purpose of the new organization is to promote vintage racing and to keep the racing history of cars and drivers alive in everyone’s mind. The organization will also honor Christ, as Holt said, “I have put Him first in my life.” It will also provide a way to honor veterans by showing thanks for our country’s freedoms and the people who have served and are serving today.

“I guess you can say that racing is in my blood. I was two years old and on the family farm. I remember seeing the white and gold ’57 Chevrolet and the Robin-egg-blue old coupe that my father, uncle and grandfather used to race,” Holt said. “I grew up through the years hearing many stories of our families racing adventures, and it inspired the racing bug in me.”

As a four and five-year-old little boy, Holt said he would run around as fast as he could in circles pretending to be his dad in the car number 98. And as a young teenager he admitted that he took many chances driving like the wind.

“I guess what sparked the start of my racing was one night in the mall parking lot. I was driving my girlfriend’s father’s car: a giant white Ford LTD. I saw a friend in the parking lot and challenged him to a race. I think I was clocked at 90 miles an hour going through a mall parking lot,” Holt said. “Needless to say, there was a local police officer watching me the whole time, and with that my racing career was kicked off as the police officer threatened that if he ever saw me driving like that again, I would lose my license forever. He suggested that if I wanted to race I should get a race car and get on a race track. I married that girl that was with me that day, and started my racing career in the following couple years.”

Holt’s racing career was not nostalgia oriented though, but rather in a hobby stock division at the local Speedway.

His first car was a 1980s Oldsmobile that he and his brother built themselves. Later the two brothers purchased a race car, a 1973 Chevelle.

“We named the new car Flipper. My brother and I had many fun times and won some races with Flipper,” Holt remarked. “Flipper was a fitting name, as the car had been owned by several other owners and had been rolled over many times. The car was very beat up.”

Holt soon passed on his racing fever to the couple’s children and their racing family grew through the years. His brother and both of their families all raced at the local Speedway.

“It was kind of like a traveling circus but they were amazing times,” Holt laughed. “Throughout the years, we have raced hobby stocks, stock cars, late models and even modified.”

But even then, Holt said he always remembered his dad’s white and gold car — number 98, the ’57 Chevy.

“As time passed, racing and competition had taken its toll. It became more expensive and it seemed like the next generation of drivers wanted to drive through you instead of around you. It seemed like I came home with a damaged car every week,” Holt said.

So because of those changes, and remembering the love of his father’s racing, the North Iowa Vintage Racing Club was born.

“Two good friends of mine were also racing enthusiasts. So I pitched the idea of putting some old bodies on modern stock car bodies, and starting a vintage club. It was the perfect idea! We could make our rules for safety. We had the skills to make some amazing cars. Soon friends joined our club and started building cars,” Holt remarked.

The club members had ’57 Chevy’s, ’55 Chevy’s, a Studebaker and even a Richard Petty Plymouth. For many years the club grew and flourished. The members raced tracks such as the Kossuth County Speedway, The I 35 (it is known now as the Mason City speedway), the Britt Speedway, Fairmont Speedway in Fairmont, Minnesota and many other tracks around Northern Iowa.

“During the last year I have had the opportunity through the grace of God to start a new career with my passion for racing and my passion for history. I am taking my club to the next level by starting the Nostalgia Dirt Series,” Holt said.

“I like to reflect on the word WHY — that’s right — why. Why the Nostalgia Dirt Series? Why restoration of old race cars? Why am I trying so hard to offer events for people that share the same passion as I do about Nostalgia racing?

Well, my why is little men like one of my grandkids ­– to tell him the story of Dick Holt, Gary Holt, Ron Holt, the Anderson’s, the Gustafson’s, the Nobles, the Zieman’s and Hinold’s, It’s to share the Pringle family story, it’s to talk about tracks long ago closed where families share memories and dreams of that checkered flag. It’s heroes like Craig Ruppelt, Craig Gray, Larry Portis, Duane Smidt, Craig Miller, Wade Eastman and the list goes on and on. It’s because of my love of racing and the people who share that love – that’s my why.”

The Nostalgia Dirt Series is dedicated to preserving racing history. Holt pointed out that these cars each have a special story of long nights being worked on in a shop or garage, with maybe a young child looking at dad all greasy during an engine swap. Regardless, each car has a unique story of an amazing driver or an amazing family or awesome crew members or friends.

Holt said people can help the Nostalgia Dirt Series by reviving their old cars and bringing them to local events. Or by selling the cars to the organization to restore such as they do, and to be brought back to life again. Holt’s brother Ben can usually be found in the restoration shop working on one of the cars used in the series’ driving experience or in races for other drivers.

Holt said people like Ryan Jonesburg gave them the honor and privilege of doing some work on his beautiful Ford in the restoration shop. Ray Chobanian created brochures for the series, which Holt called, “a work of art.”

“We are able every day to honor our heroes and one of my personal heroes is Mr. Ron Gustafson, The way Ron, and his family ran their vintage race reunion in Webster City, Iowa left a lifelong lasting impression on me,” Holt remarked. “And I was able to talk my brother into hanging my dad’s tribute ’57 Chevy body on our racing experience car so it’s good to be back in the 98.”

For anyone who has ever wanted to experience what it’s like to drive (or ride in ) a real racecar on a real racetrack, the Nostalgia Dirt Series Driving Experience is ready and waiting for you.

The first week in May was an exciting week for Ben and Mark as the brothers kicked off the Nostalgia Dirt Series racing experience on Sat. May 7. Holt said they spent the week making preparations to give the most informative and intense racing experience in the US.

Holt added that several of the experienced participants/graduates have gone on to become circle track drivers in their own right.

Also open to all race drivers and fans are “Nights of Nostalgia” at two area tracks.

Nostalgia Dirt Series “Nights of Nostalgia” are being held on various Thursday and Friday nights throughout the season. See the Nostalgia Dirt Series Website for the complete schedule. “The stock class and the super stock class hit the track for a great and action packed night of racing and all vintage cars are welcome to come and participate,” Holt said.

Holt commented that his vision is that someday the Nostalgia Dirt Series will be all over the United States and will aid in keeping the racing history of cars and drivers alive in everyone’s mind.

“The Nostalgia Dirt Series will welcome any and all vintage race cars. We will offer racing, as well as exhibition,” Holt remarked.

He added that he is very excited to network with other clubs around the United States and is excited to see the different kinds of cars and grow the sport of vintage nostalgia racing.

“You will see many exciting things coming from the Nostalgia Dirt Series consisting of a museum, a driving school and points racing and pay out. I have many exciting goals, and I know with the good Lord on my side I will be successful in achieving them,” Holt concluded.