Amy Holland never expected her first DIRTcar 358 Modified Series race would produce a season highlight, especially with it being one of the biggest Series events of the year. And her home track.
During the High Bank Holdup at Fulton Speedway on June 21, Holland, of Fulton, NY, finished third – her first podium finish with the Series and first podium finish in any DIRTcar Series event.
“It’s something that I will never forget being my second Series race that I’ve ever raced,” Holland said. “To be able to finish third is an indescribable feeling. There were 58 cars that came there, and especially being a home track of mine, I always have high expectations of myself, but I did have higher expectations going in there. I’m so thankful and blessed that I have the help and support behind me that helped make it possible.”
Born into a racing family, Holland started racing Quarter Midgets at 5 years old. Having watched her father, Bob Holland, race Big Block and 358 Modifeds for years, it was always her goal to race a dirt Modified herself.
She ran a Novice Sportsman for two years, starting in 2016, before moving up to the DIRTcar Sportsman Series in 2018. In her time behind the wheel of a Sportsman she finished third in points at Fulton Speedway and second in points at Brewerton Speedway in 2021, before scoring the track championship at Brewerton in 2022.
After discussing with her parents the possibility of competing in the DIRTcar 358 Modified her father owns, it was decided that going into the 2023 season the finances were in place and she was ready to join the DIRTcar 358 Modified Series.
Holland had a slow start to her first DIRTcar 358 Modified Series season, not making the Feature at Glen Ridge Motorsports Park. But a couple weeks later, she was in high gear with her standout run at Fulton.
She set the fastest time in her group during Time Trials, then went on to win her Heat Race and drew the outside pole in the redraw. Then, during the 60-lap Feature, she went wheel-to-wheel with the likes of Super DIRTcar Series winners Mat Williamson and Larry Wight.
“One of the biggest things that I was trying to work on was viewing those drivers as just other drivers,” Holland said. “Not comparing myself to them or their experience, and that’s something that I think is really important. It helped me maintain and hold my composure. That’s something I think I need to continue working on.”
Her goal for the rest of the season is to enter Series races with the same formula that brought her success and a boost of confidence at Fulton.
“It definitely is a confidence booster going into the next week and the following week knowing the car was good,” Holland said. “Maybe you changed something that worked for you or didn’t work for you. It’s just kind of building a notebook off that and being able to move forward from that finish. I’ll know how to handle my car the next time I’m running a track that looked like Fulton did during the Feature.”
There’s several more pages in her notebook to fill with five months of racing still to go, including Super DIRT Week 51, October 2 through 8. But she said this path is one she’s committed to. Especially with a season highlight already under her belt.
“When we decided to make the jump to 358s, one thing we discussed was staying there, and not going back down to Sportsmans,” she said. “So ultimately, that is my goal.”
Up next: The DIRTcar 358 Modified Series returns Friday, September 8, at Can-Am Speedway in La Fargeville, NY in a $4,000-to-win, matchup.
Super DIRT Week 51 at Oswego Speedway will be Monday to Sunday, October 2 through 8. For tickets, go to https://superdirtweek.com.
Provided by DIRTcar Racing, DIRTcar.com
