Kyle Loftis, the founder of 1320Video and one of the most influential media figures in modern street car and drag racing culture, has passed away.
1320Video announced Loftis’ passing Wednesday afternoon, stating that Loftis died Tuesday night. “Kyle’s passion for motorsports inspired millions of people around the world and we will never forget what he has done to grow our beloved sport,” the company said in its statement, adding that Loftis’ “enthusiasm, kindness and creativeness was contagious.”
Loftis founded 1320Video in 2003, long before YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and other social platforms became the dominant distribution points for automotive media. What began as one enthusiast shooting photos and sharing them on message boards grew into one of the most recognizable brands in grassroots performance, street car, and drag racing coverage.
Based in the Midwest, 1320Video built its identity around documenting the cars, drivers, events, and culture that were often overlooked by traditional motorsports media. Its coverage stretched across drag racing, street racing, dyno shootouts, car shows, roll racing, and major enthusiast events.
The platform’s rise coincided with a major shift in the way fans consumed motorsports content. As social media and video platforms grew, 1320Video became a bridge between underground street car culture and a global audience. The brand’s coverage helped introduce countless fans to events like Hot Rod Drag Week, Race Week, TX2K, FL2K, Cash Days, Street Car Takeover, and other gatherings that became central to the modern street car movement. It also helped launch the superstar status of Cleetus McFarland, the alter ego of Garrett Mitchell, who was working for 1320Video when he filmed his first video as Cleetus McFarland.
“Completely shocked about the loss of Kyle,” Mitchell said on Facebook. “The most influential person on my life. We’re crushed. Please pray for his Mother and close friends, they need it most.”
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 kind hearted 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.
Drag Illustrated extends its condolences to Loftis’ family, friends, the 1320Video team, and the countless racers, fans, and creators impacted by his work.
This story was originally published on May 7, 2026. 
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