Kyle Loftis
1320Video started with homemade clips and DVDs in Omaha before growing to more than 10 million followers worldwide INSANE SPECS/X

Kyle Loftis, the 34-year-old founder of 1320Video who spent two decades turning underground drag racing into a global digital phenomenon, died on 5 May 2026, just weeks after one of his most famous protégés handed him the keys to a brand-new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.

1320Video confirmed Loftis's death in a statement posted to its Instagram page that night. 'We are extremely saddened to share that Kyle Loftis, the founder of 1320video, passed away last night,' the company wrote. 'We are in a state of shock.'

No official cause of death has been released by the Loftis family, the company, or any official authority.

A Gift That Now Carries a Different Weight

In the weeks before his death, Garrett Mitchell, the automotive YouTuber better known as Cleetus McFarland, gifted Loftis a new Corvette ZR1. The car was a gesture of gratitude from a creator who has publicly credited Loftis with helping launch his career in automotive content.

Mitchell, who now runs the Freedom Factory race track in Florida and commands more than 4 million YouTube subscribers of his own, built much of his early following through appearances on 1320Video. He has described Loftis as his mentor, and the gift was meant to honour that bond and Loftis's wider influence on the industry.

Fans have since flooded social media with tributes, many pointing to the ZR1 moment as proof of how deeply Loftis shaped the people around him. What was filmed as a celebration has taken on the weight of a farewell.

From Forum Posts to Four Million Subscribers

Loftis founded 1320Video in 2003 in Omaha, Nebraska. The name referenced the 1,320 feet in a quarter-mile drag race, and the channel's purpose was clear from day one. It would document the raw, unfiltered side of street racing, cash days events, and grassroots car culture that mainstream outlets either ignored or dismissed.

What began with homemade clips shared on niche forums and distributed as DVDs grew into one of YouTube's most recognised automotive channels. By the time of Loftis's death, the platform had nearly four million YouTube subscribers and more than 10 million followers worldwide.

The channel's work drew scrutiny because it routinely covered racing events that pushed legal and safety boundaries. But its influence on digital car culture was difficult to dismiss. 1320Video helped bring underground motorsports to a mainstream online audience and showed that grassroots coverage could compete with polished, studio-backed productions.

A December Crash and Unanswered Questions

Loftis was involved in a severe crash in December 2025 while filming for the channel. Reports indicated he was a passenger in a Toyota Supra that lost control and struck a pole. He reportedly made a full recovery from the incident.

No confirmed connection between the December crash and his death has been established. The absence of an official cause of death has fuelled unverified speculation across social media platforms. Neither the family nor 1320Video has responded to those claims directly.

A Community Without Its Founder

The grief pouring from the motorsports world speaks to something larger than the loss of a single YouTube channel. Loftis didn't just film races. He created the blueprint for an entire genre of automotive content and proved that authentic, creator-led storytelling could reach millions without corporate backing.

'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's statement added. 'Kyle was a beam of light at every gathering.'

For the car community he spent 23 years helping to build, Loftis's death doesn't just mean losing a founder. It means losing the person who gave an entire subculture its voice.

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