Donnie & Holbrook Performance Parts Accomplishments


NHRA Drag Racing Hall of Fame


East Coast Nostalgia Drag Racing

Performance Award [Hall of Fame]

(Donnie, Marion & Steve)


 ​Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame


Two World Championships 

Four World Records for ET and/or MPH 
Fourteen National Records for ET and/or MPH
Fifty-three Event finals
Twenty-three Event championships
Thirty Event runner ups
Twenty times #1 qualifier
Sixteen times Low ET
Eleven times Top MPH
Fourteen times finished in Top 10 in points
Twelve times finished in Top 5 in points

Raced in 5 continents
NHRA's Team USA member


Donnie and his airplane

Donnie and Barbara in Brazil as Team USA

Donnie Holbrook was a humble family man who loved racing and flying.  He was a Christian and applied those values to his business.

 

He always had a passion for racing.  He was not one to be satisfied with his most recent run.  He was always seeking ways to improve the car and be quicker.  Throughout his career as driver, crew chief, team owner and sponsor, Donnie achieved world championships, world records and national records.  He was the youngest Top Fuel team owner at the age of 27.

He enjoyed learning how to make the various types of race cars perform.  During his career he raced Top Fuel,  Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car.  In the Top Alcohol Dragster class he raced with both a supercharger and as an A Fuel Dragster.  His passion was always Top Fuel (aka "The Kings of the Sport"). 

Donnie and his wife Barbara founded a racing business in 1992.  Holbrook Performance Parts, Inc.  – a business designed for racers (drag racers, monster trucks, mug boggers, drag boat racers, tractor pullers and 10.5 racers), and today, has a footprint across six continents.  Through Holbrook Performance Parts, Donnie quietly trained and helped numerous racers  get proper training and/or the parts to keep their dream alive.  His client list includes the biggest names in the business.  However, it also includes names of people you have not heard of but had a dream to race in the alcohol or nitro classes.  Donnie quietly accepted phone calls to assist with tune ups or a “Crew chief” by phone call to help them down the track. 

NRHA asked Donnie to represent the sport overseas as Team USA in Japan and Brazil.  Donnie raced in 5 continents during his career. 

In 2012, Donnie was killed in an airplane crash.  He had been a pilot for almost 20 years.  


He was engaged in the sport and with his clients until his death in 2012.  His legacy continued on as his business Holbrook Performance Parts.  Carrying out his vision in its daily operations until the family sold the business in July 2020.  However, the new ownership (Andy "Skippy" Pinkerton) embraced Donnie's vision and legacy in its current operations.  


In 2018, NHRA inducted Donnie into the Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2017.  He received the Don Garlits Pioneer award.  Don made the call himself to inform Barbara of Donnie's induction.


Donnie was inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.


In 2021, Donnie, Marion and Steve were recognized by the East Coast Nostalgia Drag Racing Organization and presented with their "Performance Award", previously their Hall of Fame award.

Donnie, Dad and Barbara - Germany

Donnie and Steve waiting to make their first Top Fuel run