Editorial: Remembering Kyle Loftis

Before there was even such a thing as a ‘content creator,’ Kyle Loftis was doing it — and he inspired legions of automotive enthusiasts like myself to do the same.

Today is Kyle’s birthday. Each time his name crosses my mind I still can’t believe he is gone. It’s a strange feeling, not like remembering a friend (even though I would be happy to call Kyle that), but more like some sort of towering, benevolent figure. Kyle was one of those people who seemed to have the world in orbit around him, or in his case, the entire automotive scene. His passing remains a huge loss months later.

I have to confess, I was surprised when I learned Kyle was only two years older than me. He carried himself with confidence and wisdom, like somebody who had life figured out. Maybe he did, or maybe he didn’t. He had accomplished so much that I assumed the former.

I remember thinking that Kyle had won the lottery of life, getting to document drag racing and building a media empire at the same time. He was an early adopter of the whole internet video thing, arriving at the perfect time to capitalize on YouTube’s growth, but I never realized how much passion and goodwill he was constantly returning to the community. That reputation was one built on his gracious soul.

I thought to myself, “I need to write a feature on that guy one day.” I’d ask questions about how he got started and all the amazing places he had been to. I’m sad that I waited too long to ask him. I thought I knew the guy, but in the days after his passing I realized I didn’t have a clue. Stories were flooding my Facebook feed, each adding a chapter of positivity to Kyle’s memory. There were so many lives he touched. Each post was a revelation, another insight into the man. I knew Kyle’s importance to our industry, but his significance as a human in his own world of friends and family was just as special.

Why do we wait until someone is gone to reveal what we think about them, especially when it is so positive? How much better the world might be if we told people the impact they’ve had on us before it is too late. All of those stories at the time of Kyle’s passing, and since, have brought brightness to his memory.

Kyle, if you were here today, I would tell you that you helped drag racing bridge the divide into a new media era. For all the chatter about how young people don’t like cars, 1320 Video is the reply. But more importantly, you did so while remaining a stellar person. You believed that a ‘rising tide lifts all ships’ and were always supporting new events and creators. The way you and your team approached events was inspirational to me, so committed and yet effortless.

But I’d also tell Kyle that I wish I knew more about him, about the things that made him human too, behind the smile. Again, I thought I knew the guy, but maybe I wasn’t even paying attention. Maybe I should have taken inspiration from Kyle himself, who was always listening to other people’s stories. Sometimes we only yearn to know more about a person once they are gone, and it’s a reminder to do it while we can.

To all of Kyle’s friends and family, we will always remember him for the passion he brought to the scene. We are thankful for having known him and his rare combination of humility and brilliance.

Luke Nieuwhof
Editor, Sick The Magazine