Receiving a phone call from Strike Mamba Racing a few weeks before Saturday’s ARCA Menards Series West Colorado 150 at Colorado National Speedway was an unexpected but pleasant surprise for Holly Clark.
Strike Mamba, owned by Jonathan Reaume, was in search of a local Colorado competitor who could assist in refining their setups ahead of the first West Series event at the facility since 2021. After a productive conversation, a deal was made that would see Holly pilot Strike Mamba’s No. 72 Chevrolet in the Colorado 150.
With a local Subway franchise sponsoring the endeavor, Holly is ready to showcase the talent that has followed her in every discipline she has competed in so far. A clean, efficient outing on Saturday is something Holly believes could help transform a one-race deal into a potential full-time deal.
“Honestly, this is a huge opportunity,” Holly said. “I’m very excited about it. Just the fact that [Strike Mamba Racing] reached out to us wanting me to drive their car really meant the world to me and my team. We’ve been working at this for so many years, so I’m really excited to see where this can take us.”
When Holly first started competing in quarter midgets at the age of four, she initially saw auto racing as a fun hobby to enjoy with her family.
Every step Holly took only bolstered her passion for motorsports and convinced her to pursue it as a career path. The past few years have seen Holly venture into several different touring divisions along the West Coast, gaining experience in Super Late Models, Pro Late Models and Modifieds.
Holly made history along the way. In 2024 she became the first woman to win the SPEARS Modified Series title, joining an elite group of West Coast competitors that includes Jeremy Doss and Layne Riggs’ current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series crew chief, Dylan Cappello.
The versatile aspect of Holly’s driving career stems from her father Steve, a seasoned competitor in his own regard. Steve’s own journey in motorsports includes participating in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, along with starts in the IMSA Kelly American Challenge, SCCA Pro Racing, Formula Mazda, dirt bikes and jet skis.
As Holly became more invested in racing, Steve wanted to pass down every bit of knowledge he had to ensure his daughter could be successful no matter what she raced. Steve admitted it took time for Holly to comprehend the necessary sacrifices but is proud of how determined and motivated she has become in the driver’s seat.
“Hard work equals reward,” Steve said. “When she was little, we’d go out to the quarter midget track running laps all day and there wouldn’t be a single kid out there practicing. She would start to lose interest, and I’d say ‘Hey, I don’t see any of your competitors out here’. She learned that to achieve something that other people can’t, you have to outwork them.”
Steve added composure has been a key part of Holly’s identity as a competitor since the beginning. Unlike other competitors in the region he has observed, Steve said Holly never manhandles any car she drives, a quality that persisted even after the family purchased a Modified, which are known for being challenging.
Building cohesion in different cars is only one component of Holly’s developmental process. The time Holly spent in Pro Late Model, Super Late Model and Modified tours on the West Coast was insightful, providing her the confidence she felt was needed to be competitive in her West Series debut on Saturday.
“I’ve learned a lot on how to race at different tracks and being able to adapt very quickly to different conditions,” Holly said. “That’s the approach we’ve always taken throughout my career. We travel as much as we can and race with different people so I can become better as a driver and my dad can become better as a crew chief.”
Holly is grateful she has a chance to make a strong first impression on the ARCA platform at her home track, Colorado National Speedway. She knows passes on the top line are feasible at Colorado, but said track temperature and tire conservation are two key factors that will determine how her race unfolds.
Long-term aspirations are high for both Holly and Steve, the latter of whom hopes to see his daughter compete at more East Coast tracks within the next year or two. Steve expects the bigger short tracks on the other side of the country to be more arduous for Holly, but is confident she can find a comfort zone on them just like she has on the West Coast.
Having carefully curated Holly’s developmental path, Steve wants to be cautious and not put her in a situation where she is unable to be competitive. Many of Holly’s contemporaries possess the same goals as her, so Steve is hopeful that continuous track time results in more victories and helps her stand out in a competitive environment.
Steve said Strike Mamba contacting Holly about racing for them in the Colorado 150 is evidence that more people are taking note of her talent. If everything goes according to plan on Saturday, Steve believes Colorado can be the springboard that provides Holly stability in the West Series and beyond.
“My expectations would be to try and land a sponsor by impressing them this weekend,” Steve said. “We’ll probably run ARCA West next year, let things go from there and see what we decide to do. It seems like things have a way of working out, but we’re not going to get too far ahead with the planning.”
With plenty of new and familiar faces in the field for the Colorado 150, Holly is keeping her goals simple. By adhering to her father’s guidance and leaning on her Strike Mamba crew, Holly knows she can put together a solid weekend in her first of what she hopes is many West Series starts.
“I’d like at least a top 10, but we’re going to shoot for a top five or a top three,” Holly said. “I always go to win, but I never expect it. I don’t put that pressure on myself to always win. I have to take what I can, control what I can and don’t worry about what I can’t.”
A couple of months ago, Holly never imagined she would get to run a West Series event at her home track. Now with a perfect opportunity at her disposal, Holly is ready to exhibit the versatility and composure that have already earned plenty of accolades in her young career.
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