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Meet the Crew! |
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1320Xtreme members from SoCal, NY, Va, MI, and MD all
gathering for a day of fun and competition!
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What "drives" us: A few years ago, and due to the convienience of the internet, our core group members met through a shared passion for drag racing . In addition, we equally posessed a strong desire to promote and support "grass roots" drag racing. A grass roots drag racer is the average guy or gal, spending whatever "extra" time, effort and money they have at their local drag strip, racing, cheering, and lending a helping hand. Being a diverse group of people, all with different backgrounds, experiences etc. we decided to form an organization dedicated to our beloved sport. We have spent considerable time discussing and formulating ideas to aide in the continued growth, interest and appreciation of drag racing. Our Quest: We humbly ask you to join us in our quest to make drag racing a fun and entertaining sport that can be interactive for racers and spectators. We will strive for a festive atmosphere that is fun for individuals and families alike. Our hope is to attract children, lighting a "spark" in thier souls that will carry the sport of drag racing into the future! We realize the importance of keeping illegal racing off the streets and on the track where it belongs. |
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Jeff "Smitty" Smith Although
trained and certified as an Import car technician, when asked about his passion for 70's muscle cars and his beloved Chevy
Nova's His response is typical of what you would expect when engaging any "Car Guy" in his favorite topic.
Eyes wide, he fondly recalls his teenage years, building cars and racing with friends. " Nothing can quite
describe the feeling I get when I see the fine lines of any car from that era." "Unless you are truly
a car fanatic, you couldn't possibly understand." It just stirs.....it evokes such emotions in me....tough to verbalize."
Rarely at a loss for words or opinions, Smitty spends his free time blogging
about automotive exploits, humorous experiences or "anything that randomly comes to mind." Owner of Import
Enterprise, a repair shop and used car lot, Smitty spends his free time around his hometown in the Hudson Valley
of New York, enjoying the company of his son Zach, 21 and Daughter Taylor, 17. "Best thing in my life" Smitty remarks
when asked about his kids. "Ever changing and growing and making me laugh." "Very proud of my children and
nothing quite as rewarding as being Dad...well... except maybe winning a race!" "Seeing all that hard work pay off
after working so many hours on the car, building, prepping, changing, tweaking, it's just nice when it all comes together."
When asked about his favorite
cars, he says "Well, thats a tough one since I have owned so many!" " I suppose the 65 Malibu that I drove
through High School would have to be on top of the list." "There was the Daytona yellow 69 Camaro, RS SS, Big Block
car." His eyes seem to glaze over. "Geez, just saying that out loud stirs emotions in me." He laughs, "Yeah,
I've got the sickness alright, for as long as I can remember!" Smitty talks about influences in his life. "As a young kid, I spent a lot of time with older
guys who were already driving and tearing into cars." Two neighbors in particular come to mind since they both drove
early 70's Chevy Novas." "I suppose thats why after building and owning so many different cars, I have mostly
concentrated on Novas the last several years." "Recently, I've scaled down to only a pair of 72's, but have
owned as many as 5 or 6 at any given time," he smiles proudly. His most notable race acheivment? "Well, there was a perfect light last season but
hands down, winning 2009 "King of the Hill" race at my home track, Lebanon Valley Dragway." "I've always
been more concerned about tweaking and improving how my car performs than winning races." "The last few rounds of
that race I kept thinking that I had no business being there!" " It didn't really sink in that I won until
I was half way home that night." Smitty's goals for 2010 include building yet another car. "It's another 72 Nova... just love em" and seeing
1320Xtreme.com become "a site that helps to bring positive support to the Sport of Drag racing and helps keep dangerous
"street racing" on the track where it belongs." "1320Xtreme
was created by a great bunch of guys and gals that have the same passion and drive for drag racing and cars as myself."
"I'm just honored to be working with such a diverse team and am excited about the future of Drag racing!" Contact: Smitty@1320Xtreme.com
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Heather "ChevyChick" Rose Being the sole female commitee member on 1320Xtreme does not seem to bother "ChevyChick" (also known as CC) in the least. When asked about her status, her response is simple and straight forward, "Somebody has to keep all these boys in check." Any question of her being up for the task are quickly dismissed the moment you see CC roll through the staging lanes. Her flawless 72 chevelle has an unassuming yet threatening air about it. Known for her "CC burnouts", Heather gets a charge out of filling the lanes with thick white smoke from her tires. She stages with the poise of a seasoned racer and launches her 3500 lb. "street car" with both wheels hanging in the air. An impressive low 10 second elapsed time reminds "the Boys" that this Chevy chick means business. Heather hails from Connecticut where she owns and operates "Mirror Image Cleaning", a commercial and residential cleaning service. When not at work or behind the wheel of the Chevelle, she spends her free time with 19 year old son, Ryan. This drag racing Mom states, "Ryan has always been very supportive of my racing and has traveled to different events with me, cheering me on and lending a helping hand." When asked about the chances of Ryan slipping behind the wheel of the Chevelle, Heather simply smiles and shakes her head in a way that only the parent of a teenager can truly relate to! "Maybe at some point," she quickly adds as an afterthought. Heather, who purchased her car in 97', has upgraded the car over the years, bringing it from a 13 second "show car" to a formidable race car. The car still retains a factory interior and a full steel body. "I just can't bring myself to strip it down", she says when asked about reducing the weight of the car, a method racers use to make thier cars faster. "I might put a fiberglass hood on at some point, depending on the competition this season." In addition to several trophies for both showing and racing her car, she was also featured in "Full Throttle Hot Rod" magazine, has seen some TV time on the popular "Pinks All Outtakes" show and can be seen in the upcoming season of "Pass Time", another popular drag racing show where contestants compete for prize money by guessing each racers elapsed time in the 1/4 mile. Televison and magazine attention aside, what does this drag racer have in her sites for 2010? "Besides running in the Pro eliminator class for points and my home track Lebanon Valley, I hope to finish in the top ten and go to the bracket finals." "I bought a new enclosed trailer for the Chevelle, so I'll be practicing backing into tight spots with that, too" When asked about how she keeps it all up and running she replies, "I've been blessed with a great support system and group of friends who are always willing to help out and keep the Chevelle and I on the track" "Smitty, from our group, has been a huge help over the last few years, often working into the wee hours of the morning, to get the Chevelle ready for race day!" When asked about the 1320Xtreme group Heather states, "Meeting this group of people over the last few years has been a great experience!" "I truly value the friendships we have formed and look forward to the changes that 1320Xtreme will bring in the following years." Grinning she quips, "I am "X~tremely" proud to be a part of this group and to call them my racing family! Mother, business owner, and succsessfull race car driver. Sounds like this is one "ChevyChick" that is absolutely "On the right track". Contact: ChevyChick@1320Xtreme.com |
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Vince "AKA/CAMOMAN" Putman Originally from Texas, Vince, affectionately known among the race crowd simply as "Camo"
or "Redneck" is easily picked out in a line of race cars and drivers. His 74' Camaro is unlike any car
you have ever seen, covered from bumper to bumper in a camoflauged vinyl "wrap". When asked about the unique looks
of his car, he is quick to explain "It's a high quality wrap that you can cover just about anything with."
Vince, owner of "W8N2HNT WRAPS" a distributor of these 3m made wraps continues, "I've been hired
to cover everything from Cars to motorcycles, to guitars and damn near everything in between." His Camaro is always a
crowd favorite and always draws questions and strange looks as people peer closely trying to determine exactly how it
gets it's "Camo Look". Vince jumps at the chance to network, talking about his wraps and offering a business
card to interested race fans. An avid outdoors man, the "Camo Camaro" is a perfect opportunity to bring
up his other favorite hobby, deer Hunting. When asked about his love of hunting he responds "You got a few hours"?
Vince spends countless hours in the woods and is more than happy to share his experiences. Now living in Virginia, when Vince is not busy wrapping everything imaginable in camowraps, or
spending time in a tree stand, he is even busier in his full time position as Dad. Keeping tabs on 4 kids ranging from 18
months to 12 years old is enough to occupy anyones time, yet Camo still finds time to operate his "mobile mechanic"
business, keeping his repair skills sharp that were originally honed in local new car dealerships as well as
several years running his own repair shop. His
wife Suzan, daughters, Jamie and Tori, and sons Jacob and Trey, are the key support system in this home bred race team. Vince
explains, "I could not have built my car and spend the time I have at the track if it weren't for the constant love,
support, and patience of my wife and the kids." CamoMan, refered
to by fellow committee member Smitty as the "driving force" of 1320Xtreme, is passionate about racing and enjoying
the company of his race freinds and family. "Rain or shine, we always have a big time at the track" remarks Vince.
He goes on to say, "I'm really excited about spending as much time as I can at the track this year, promoting something
I really truly believe is the greatest sport ever". When asked
about a long time "friendly" rival between himself and Smitty, he states simply "Any time any Track, I'll drag
that yankee down the asphalt." "He can run, but he can't hide" he continues, "When I'm done beating
him, I'm going to buy him wings and a beer just to show him no hard feelings" "Somebody has to be the fastest and
it might just as well be me." "Maybe I'll offer him some pointers over dessert." And he's off and running!
Sounds like the fun and friendly competition has started already! Contact: CamoMan@1320Xtreme.com For more info on "Camo Wraps" please email Vince @ W8N2HNT@Cox.Net |
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Brian "Sully" Sullivan When asked about “stumbling” onto the group quite by accident, Brian “Sully” Sullivan responds, “ I figured they were a bunch of prima dona TV star race people.” He continues, “Boy, was I ever wrong!” Surprised to find that the group he discovered on a racing web site were “just like him,” Sully quickly became friends with the group and found himself feeling like he had known them forever. “It was kind of strange since I had never met any of the members face to face at that time.” “ When we recently had a chance to all get together in Virginia, it was almost like a Family reunion…..well, except we all had different last names, and I was better looking than Camo.” Sully sports a satisfied grin having gotten a chance to poke fun of fellow committee member “CamoMan.” He continues, “In all honesty, I really feel as though the sky is the limit with this group.” “We all share common goals and are driven by our love of drag racing.” Sully, hailing from Massachusetts, spent several years in the Automotive retail world, managing several chain Auto parts and service stores before jumping ship to join in the family business of printing. Now working at family owned Millennium Press, when asked about his work he smiles and states simply “printing is what my Family does.” “It’s what Mom and Dad did and now it’s what my Brother Sister and I do.” Family is the center of what Sully is all about. His wife Brenda and children, Theresa and Jolene are a constant in his life and he has also been blessed with a beautiful granddaughter who Sully refers to as his “Day fixer”. “Things just fall into perspective when I see that little angel.” “Plus, she likes to be around “Papa” and all his toys!” When the topic turns back to cars, the soft spoken Sully says “I own a Big Block Z-28.” And he settles back in his chair, satisfied with his direct answer. When pressed for more info he states, “I can’t really tell you too much except that I plan on tearing the Camo Wrap off that “other” members Camaro.” In addition to victory over all things camo and eventual World domination, Sully counts “Seeing this new web site and group grow wildly out of control” as goals for the future. In his ever present sense of humor he continues “when that happens I’ll probably let John Force pick up the tab for lunch or Dale Jr. , depending on where we eat.” In the mean time, this New England racer is content to spend his free time at the track with friends and family and just take it all in stride. Not to worry Sully, we’ll get word to John for you. |
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Jerry "JD" Lewis Spending an afternoon with Jerry “JD” Lewis is a sure fire way
of understanding why his fellow Xtreme committee members think so highly of him. Words like “honest” ‘humble”
“down to Earth” and “Father figure” were used to describe this soft spoken racer. In a sport where
louder is often better, committee member Brian Sullivan describes JD as a man who “uses fewer words to make a much bigger
statement”.
Jd’s love for cars began about the time his Father gifted him with a Galaxy 500, boasting a 428 engine. Although
it would seem to be enough car for most 16 year olds, he instead traded it for a 68 Mustang Fastback. He
fondly recalls “breaking way too many rears, running big M/T tires on the back.” JD spent the next 4 years serving in the Navy, however,
his appetite for cars continued. JD was soon purchasing a brand new 1977 Chevy Camaro. Cruising around
the streets of Charelston, he had no idea how long the love affair with his new car would last. Years after buying the Chevy,
JD was invited to a local drag racing track to help out a friend and the fate of that car and owner would be changed forever. More than 30 years later,
JD and that very same Camaro spend many weekends at Thunder Valley and 710 in NC blasting down the 1/8th
mile. When
asked about his life outside of the car, JD’s face lights up. His love for cars is easily overshadowed by his love for
Family. Wife, Donna, of more than 25 years, is more than happy to join her Husband, traveling from race to race providing
“he drives the motor home.” JD explains, “That’s her idea of ruffing it.”
As long as there is running water, lights, and a soft pillow, she’s in!” He continues, “ Donna does loves cooking
for a group, so generally, she fits right in at the track.” Following Dad’s footsteps, eldest son,
Daniel just completed 4 years in the Navy, including a one year tour in Iraq. Married to Ashley, who JD describes as “The
best daughter in Law you could ever ask for” they have a fourteen month old, August, better know as “Auggie man.” JD’s youngest son Austin, 16,
is in High School and living at home and promises Dad he’s going to college! Owner of Lewis Pool Repair, when JD is not racing
the Camaro or putting in the “family time”, he is doing everything from complete installations, repairs and maintanence
of anything pool related. He comments, “it’s a living until racing stops making the bills and starts paying them.” When asked about his affiliation with
the 1320Xtreme group he simply states. “They’re Family and what’s better than that.” For
this drag racer,that’s
what it’s really all about. |
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Bill "1 Take" Tucker Also known at work as "1 Take" for
having been in several TV information videos on specialty fasteners. Yes! Nuts, Bolts, Screws and Nails. I'm in sales and product development of specialty fasteners for Swan Secure Products/Simpson
Strong-Tie and have been in this business for the past 28 years with the emphasis on stainless steel products. If you
have a question about fasteners, ask me. If I don't know the answer off the top of my head, I will have it for you in 15 minutes. I have a lovely wife Stacie, who puts up with
a great deal of my shenanigans, and 3 beautiful daughters. Stephanie is in her 1st year of college and is helping with
1320Xtreme.com, Rebecca is a sophomore in Sr High School and Marianne is enjoying being in the 4th grade this year. I've been around
all sorts of over the years living in Annapolis Maryland, started out in Kart racing for a few years
then moved to lifted trucks, worked on a few 2 Liter Hydro Boats then moved into Antique Outlaw Tractor Pulling. After
my 5th year of pulling, receiving a great deal of trophies and written up in Off Road and Hook magazine, I realized that all
these forms of motor sports I was involved in were all a me thing. With the family gowning it became very important to me
that my family needed to be included in my activities. I put the tractor in the field and started looking for my favorite
Make and Body Style Plymouth, 1968 "B" body, a Plymouth Satellite became the answer. This project would be something
I could put together and take my family to local cruize nights, drive to the beach and when I wanted to kick my heels up,
take to the local drag strip and take the slack out! Next goal was to a line myself with a group of great people with the
same values and automotive passion as myself. By happenstance I stumbled across these fine people of 1320Xtreme.com and
I am very much so excited about what the future brings to me, my family and my new 1320Xtreme.com family. |
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Ryan Esposito Growing up with a gear head father and a passion for cars of his own, Ryan spent most of his spare time as a kid under the car with his Dad rather than spending time with his friends. As soon as he got his license he spent every weekend at the track, even though it was only with an 85 ranger 4cyl. The experience let him learn the rules of racing and the importance of keeping it on the track and not the street. When not wrenching on one of his numerous vehicles or spending 50hrs a week at his job running a parts store Ryan enjoys the other great things in life such as his family, wife Darlene, daughter Caitlyn, and his cat and dog. Being an avid waterman he also spends lots of time burning up the water ways on his jetski and boat. With so many hobbies it’s hard to focus on one, but racing has been in his blood from day one. He is currently working on his 69 firebird street/strip car and hopes to see some track time in it this year. Ryan’s passion for cars and racing has led him on this journey to make racing as it used to be, a family and friend sport, Together with 1320Xtreme, he's off to a good start! |
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Christopher "Double Scoop" Kraenzle Some people may think his size is what earned him the nickname "DoubleScoop";
the reality is a little different. His older brother "IceCream" is a truly wonderful individual. However, there
is one thing better than IceCream, and that's a DoubleScoop! The reality is, DoubleScoop has little to no clue when it comes
to cars. His involvement in cars is driven by the fact that drag racing allows him to spend more time with his big older brother. |
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Thank you for visiting 1320Xtreme.com! We are Just a bunch of "regular"
folks, from all walks of life, and many different States, doing whatever it takes to promote and support the sport
we love, "grass roots" drag racing!
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