Family Torque – Erik and Paige Luttner Will Take on Sick Smokies in This Drag and Drive-Proven Chevrolet Camaro
Drag and drive events are a great way to enjoy your vehicle and see new race tracks, cruise routes and create new memories. When you add in doing a drag and drive with friends or family, that experience goes up a few notches.
For Erik Luttner, this 1971 Chevrolet Camaro has provided the medium for him to enjoy several drag and drive events, including some with his daughter Paige. Last year on Sick 66, they took Paige’s 1987 Chevrolet Corvette; this year on Sick Smokies Presented by Edelbrock, Erik’s Camaro will get the nod.
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Erik has been enjoying the Camaro for 20 years in a variety of ways. “Started out going to car shows,” said Erik. “Then making passes at the track.” The passes at the track gradually moved up, from doing test and tune days, then bracket racing the Camaro.
Erik got his first taste of drag and drive about five years after acquiring the Camaro. “In 2010, Hot Rod Drag Week came to Keystone Raceway in Pennsylvania, our local track,” said Erik. “After watching this, we thought it looked like fun.”
The Grabiak family, who have several members participating in several events, became part of Erik’s first drag and drive experience in 2016. His enthusiasm carried to daughter Paige, who did her first Hot Rod Drag Week as Erik’s co-pilot in 2019.
“We’ve done Hot Rod Drag Week, Midwest Drags, and last year did Edelbrock Sick 66 in Paige’s 1987 Corvette,” Erik said. Paige current owns a Pontiac Trans Am as well, while brother Ryder currently races Junior Dragsters. “He gets car sick easily.” said Erik. “So, he hasn’t done any drag and drives yet.”
Erik and Paige joined a crew of drag and drive enthusiasts for Sick 66 last year, including Jeff Oppenheim, Dan Nissen, and Jay, Timothy, Riely and Tonya Grabiak. “(Drag and drive events) are our chance to spend time together, doing what we love,” Erik said.
Erik and Paige planned to do another Sick The Mag ‘one off’ event, Sick Smokies Presented by Edelbrock, this year. But unlike Sick 66, Erik’s Camaro gets the nod as the vehicle. “Sick 66 was such a great time,” said Erik. “We put on 4200 miles round trip. What an adventure.”
“(We plan) to have a blast on Sick Smokies.”
Father Erik and daughter Paige are joining us on an epic drag and drive trip in October: Sick Smokies Presented by Edelbrock, October 12-19! Come see over 200 competitors, and the largest gathering of street-legal Gassers, on an adventure through Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. CLICK HERE for more details!
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Sick the Magazine, Erik and Paige Luttner, Tonya Grabiak.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com