Harry (Hairy) and Pete Burkholder based out of Sacramento, California became the renowned Burkholder Bros. Their racing career started in 1959 and ran through 1975. They established numerous records in both Gas and Alcohol Altered racing from 1959 - 1968. In 1968 the team switched to AA Fuel Altereds. Hairy and Pete debuted the 1948 Fiat Topolino in 1971. Their racing career from 1959 - 1975 afforded them many wins and records in each class.
To highlight a few: In 1963 the Burkholder Bros and Argee & Sorenson Altered won the famed March Meet in Bakersfield. The Burkholder Bros, Hairy and Pete, again won the 1970 March Meet in the AA Fuel Altered class in Bakersfield. In 1971 the 1948 Fiat Topolino set the national ET record of 7.06 seconds at 205.94 mph at Orange County International Raceway. The Fiat Topollino went on to win numerous events at tracks throughout northern and southern California. The Fiat Topolino was sold in 1973 going through five different owners. In 1996, Hairy’s cousin, Robert Reel, located the original 1948 Fiat Topolino in Idaho and pursued the purchase of the race car he grew up with since the age of 8 years old.
Unfortunately, another buyer had already made the purchase. Finally, in 2008, the buyer was ready to sell the Topplino to Robert Reel and Hairy Burkholder. Robert immediately contacted Hairy and the two of them set out to bring the car back to California. Currently, the 1948 Fiat Topolino is shown at car shows and cackle fest events throughout the state of California.
