This article is re-printed from AAOWM "Around The Track", June/July issue, 2002

Bracket Masters

By Lyndon Conrad Bell (Afro-Americans On Wheels Magazine, June/July-2002)

Usually, when one thinks of drag racers, an image of tough, rebellious kids comes to mind. Defying authority with burning rubber and thundering engines, these ruffians, with each pass down the strip, lead the life they want to lead, regardless of what anyone thinks.  

That's the Hollywood version.  

The Louisiana version is quite different.  

Visit with the Bracket Masters Racing Team in Baton Rouge, La., and you'll find a group of people with strong family values, solid ties to the community and the intense pride that comes from working together as a team, pursuing a common goal.  

Established in 1996 with nine original members, the Bracket Masters racing team has grown to 17 primary members. In a nod to the family orientation of the club, each person in a primary member's family is automatically listed on the Bracket Masters' roster as a member as well. Far from being a bunch of speed-crazed kids, the Bracket Masters includes insurance salesmen, a nuclear engineering specialist, a vibration specialist, truck drivers, painters, certified mechanics (naturally), and several other professions.  

These are mature, responsible, respectable people.  

In addition to their love of racing, the Bracket Masters are drawn to using their passion as a tool for the education of young people. Frequent guest speakers in Baton Rouge area classrooms, they also show their cars at Boy Scout meetings and other community events. The Bracket Masters are working on an agreement with the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) to offer the Youth Educational Services (YES) program, developed by the U.S. Army in conjunction with the NHRA. YES educates young people and adults about the many careers available in the automotive industry.  

The Bracket Masters are also developing a Junior Dragster Program. They plan to offer scholarships to children who participate in the JDP and maintain good grades in school. With the help of Cox Communications and profits from their annual race (more about that later), Bracket Masters plan to construct a Junior Dragster.  

Oliver A. "Skip" Holbert, president and spokesperson for Bracket Masters, says: "The construction of the car will be a laboratory style workshop we'll use to introduce children to the many systems in a car. From electrical systems and mechanical systems to hydraulic systems, there is a lot to learn about automobiles. The kids will learn how all those systems work together and the theory behind how each system works.".  

From careers associated with the automobile industry, to the actual internal functioning of an automobile, Bracket Masters work to use their sport as a classroom for young people coming up.  

But of course, their first love is racing and the Bracket Masters travel throughout the Southeast region to put their pedals to the metal. Their fastest car/driver combo these days is Houston Hawkins and his 1981 Camaro called "The Taz." Houston and Taz's fastest time to date has been 8.14 seconds at 166 mph. By the way, women are not excluded. Houston's wife Marva is working toward her competition license and is expected to burn up the track in "The Taz" in the near future.  

The Bracket Masters' arsenal of racers includes five Super-Pro (Electronic) cars, all of which are legal NHRA Super Gas (9.90 Index) cars. Bracket Masters fields two cars in the Street Class and five cars in the Non-Electronic Class.  

This fall, on Saturday, Oct. 12 and Sunday, Oct. 13, Bracket Masters will take on all comers in the Cox Communications Louisiana Drag Classic at No Problem Raceway Park in Belle Rose, La. The track is about 45 miles southwest of Baton Rouge and about the same distance from New Orleans.  

Hosted by the Bracket Masters Racing Team in conjunction with United Drag Racers of New Orleans and sponsored by Cox Communications of Baton Rouge, there will be over 17 thousand dollars in cash and prizes.  

For more on the Bracket Masters and the Louisiana Drag Classic, visit the Bracket Masters' Web site at www.bracketmasters.com.