Recordpub.com - The Pride of Garrettsville

GARRETTSVILLE -- For the better part of three decades, a group of friends and racing enthusiasts from Garrettsville have been living their dream.

A fantasy fostered by buddies Jim Orban and Jeff Miller in the late-1970s has blossomed into what is now known as Time Bandit Racing: One of the premiere squads on the Nostalgia Fuel Dragster circuit.

"Growing up, Jeff and I used to go to the U.S. Drag Racing Nationals in Indiana every year," said Orban, who is the owner of the "Time Bandit" car. "To experience drag racing on that level was probably the most exciting thing on Earth for us.

"One thing led to another until we were driving home from the event in 1977 when we had the crazy idea to get a car of our own and see what we could do."

Since the mid-90s, Time Bandit, or "The Pride of Garrettsville," has been one of the biggest names in the Midwest circuit.

The team's success has created opportunities to travel as far west as the Mississippi River and south to South Carolina, competing in nostalgia races and participating in demonstrations and car shows.

While the original Time Bandit served the team well, Orban and company made the decision a year ago to write a new chapter -- one rather appropriately named Time Bandit II.

Once the call was made, Orban reached out to area companies such as Competition Fabrication, Brushworks and Mike's Auto Body among many to contribute to the project.

"(Building the new car) was just a great opportunity for our team and friends to get together and do something special," Orban said. "It takes a team to pull everything together, and there was a lot of hard work put into the project."

While winning is the goal every time he revs the engine, Orban says the opportunity to give back to the sport and its fans is what has been his most fulfilling experience.

Locally, the Time Bandit Team participates in events like the Night Under Fire at Norwalk Raceway Park, and Dragway 42 as well as exhibiting the car at automotive shows such as the Cleveland Autorama.

In April, Orban and company will be bringing the new Time Bandit to the Soccerplex in North Olmsted for the annual Choppers Hot Rod Association rod and custom show on April 11 through 13.

"When I was a kid, a lot of racers didn't have time for their fans," Orban said. "We pride ourselves on helping out and being available to people and our fans -- especially the young ones.

"If you even have one young fan who looks up to you, then I feel like its our obligation to make time to send them home happy," Orban said.