Growing up working in an engine shop as a young man with his father Chuck Barnes, would prove to lay the framework for a life of building things over and over, with the intention of moving forward every time. Barnes Racing Engines build everything from the biggest baddest racing engines to daily drivers. Their reputation in the racing world is second to none, if you got a BRE built engine you got a good one.

With this being the family business, father and son building on information shared between them has proven to be a successful partnership. The handing down of knowledge to the next generation and seeing where they take it. Engine building, chassis tuning, engine tuning, fabrication, a wealth of knowledge in a small town in Mississippi shared by father and son.

Brady credits meeting Bubba Stanton in the Grudge Racing world, who helped him get his name out there. From there he met Kerwin Whitfield and the 901 Bad Boys. Big players in the Grudge Racing world. That was just the beginning for Brady. He found class racing, particularly NoPrep Small Tire Racing and that was the chase from there on out.

“MISSISSIPPI MONEY”

BRADY BARNES SMALL TIRE NOPREP G-BODY

“The people you meet in drag racing will absolutely amaze you”, words from Brady on the people you meet when it comes to racing and how wonderful the community is. The fellowship and family is like nothing else in this world. You can be racing a guy one minute for everything, and then helping him pull his transmission 20 minutes later. “These are the greatest group of people you can be around”.

Brady likes to credit Jason at Wizard Race Cars, and Brad and Jason at Tin Soldier Race Cars as far as setting the bar for quality built race cars. Going this fast you definitely want quality fabrication, welding, and set up. Earlier in the year in 2025 Brady stopped by Tin Soldier Race Cars to pick up a rear end and the guys there were more than willing to show him around and share their knowledge of the G-Body racing world.

He insists if you can read a tape measure, weld metal together, and work out problems you can build a race car. So if you are on the fence about getting started, don’t be. Brady Barnes is a great example of what you can do with knowledge, practice, and drive.

For now the engine shop demands the attention of Chuck and Brady. There is no shortage of work there, he hopes Mississippi Metal Worx can grow. It will take more people than just himself, for now he has friend Chris McCullough and Gregory Willard that help out. “One day this shop could be really great, I’d like to see that” says Brady. I’m more than certain we will all see the fruits of his labor in the time to come.

Chris Russell February 24th 2026