KYLE LOFTIS
By 2026, 1320Video had built a massive following across multiple platforms, including more than 6 million Facebook followers, nearly 4 million YouTube subscribers, and nearly 3 million Instagram followers. Loftis built a team of similarly talented and hard-working content creators to help him in his mission to take car culture to a new level.
“ I don’ t have words to convey the feelings I’ m having right now,” said Scott Witty, one of 1320Video’ s lead photographers.“ Nothing I write seems like it’ s enough. The last 15 years of my life have been spent with 1320 Video and every bit of it has been a dream. Today feels like a nightmare as we have lost Kyle Loftis. My friend and boss who allowed me and everyone else at 1320 to live out our dream lives. My car, my house, and everything else I have is because of what Kyle built here at 1320. Kyle was one of the most kindhearted, passionate people I’ ve ever met and the racing world will not be the same without him.”
For many racers, fans, builders, tuners, and
event promoters, Loftis and the 1320Video team did more than document the scene. They helped define how a generation viewed it. The brand’ s videos gave visibility to cars and personalities outside the traditional national-event spotlight, bringing small-tire racing, street car shootouts, road trips, grudge races, and drag-and-drive events to audiences far beyond the local tracks and message boards where that culture first took shape.
Loftis’ influence was also felt throughout the media side of the sport. His work showed that handheld cameras, road miles, access, consistency, and a genuine feel for the scene could build an audience as effectively as traditional broadcast production. In doing so, 1320Video helped open the door for the creator-driven motorsports coverage model that is now a major part of drag racing and automotive media.
Loftis was also a philanthropist, as his Ice Cream Cruise event has raised more than
$ 750,000 for Omaha non-profits over its 20- year history.
Tributes from across the automotive and racing communities began appearing almost immediately after the news was announced, with fans and industry figures remembering Loftis for his impact on the sport, his energy at events, and his role in helping bring street car culture to a worldwide audience.
Billy Hoskinson, a 2025 DI 30 Under 30 honoree who grew up watching 1320’ s videos, was one of the people who spoke on Loftis’ impact on the industry. Hoskinson also cited Loftis and 1320Video as inspiration to start his own YouTube channel, the Street Racing Channel, when he was interviewed for his 30 Under 30 feature.
“ He made more of an impact on racing and car culture than just about anyone,” Hoskinson said.“ Without him, there would very likely be no Street Outlaws, no Cleetus McFarland, no Street Racing Channel. The spark he ignited in this world created a fire that spread throughout the entire automotive community, inspiring so many.”
David Freiburger, the former editor of HOT ROD and a drag-and-drive pioneer, similarly shared his thoughts on the tremendous impact Loftis had.
“ I’ ve known Kyle since the seminal days of Pump Gas Drags and Drag Week, which he absolutely helped grow,” Freiburger said on social media.“ Of course, he built one of the earliest examples of a social media empire. The Cleetus juggernaut was launched under his brand. He brought joy to so many tens of thousands of people. Godspeed, Kyle.”
Following Loftis’ passing, the 1320Video crew vowed to continue his mission. Their coverage continued in late May at Brown County Dragway’ s infamous War in the Woods in rural southern Indiana. Their posts that weekend ended with a hashtagged call to action: # smilelikekyle. DI
54 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated. com Issue 201