The Pit Crew
Larry O'Donohue
Larry developed the gear head disease about the time he learned to walk, he was able to clearly pick out manufacturer brands on cars shortly after he could talk.
He often went with his dad to Riverhead and Islip Raceways where he watched midgets and modifieds.
At the age of 15 he was introduced to the sport of drag racing at York US 30 Raceway. He was often seen running his C/Gas ’55 Chevy and his D/Stock 1966 GTO at Atco, Englishtown, York, and Cecil County.
He also raced at the road racing level first in auto cross and later competing in a 510 Datsun often mixed in with a little go-karting. In 1984 he sold his road racing equipment and went back to straight line racing in a super gas Camaro he co-owned. Later he was involved with a Pro Mod team as well as several pro-stock teams. His last professional drag racing involvement as in the RPR top fuel team in the mid 1990’s.
It was on to broadcasting. In 2001 Larry started IN THE PITS on a small northern Virginia AM radio station. 2021 will mark the 20th anniversary of the two time national award winning IN THE PITS. “We are very proud to be part of DC’s superior sports talk radio station 106.7 THE FAN” says Larry. “CBS Sports really has a great format for our racing program.”
Upon the passing of co-hosts Dave Reininger and Craig Murto, IN THE PITS stopped broadcasting. “I lost a big part of the heart and soul of my racing world, said Larry O.
In late 2020 he decided the show must go on!
With the addition of co-host, Mike Neff, and the support of WTKN 94.5, I feel rejuvenated and on a new mission to produce unique racing and automotive content on the Grand Strand.
Art Schilling aka: East Coast Artie
Artie has been producing award winning pinstriping for over 60 years. A native of Paterson, NJ, Artie now resides in Surfside Beach, South Carolina and continues to travel the country striping and gilding on cars, motorcycles and fire trucks.
Artie also does seminars and represents major corporations at trade shows, along with organizing charity pinstriping events. These events, including “Artie’s Party” at the Syracuse Nationals, have raised over $800,000 for children’s charities.
Artie’s work has been featured in “Advanced Pinstripe Art” & “Pro Pinstripe Techniques” both books are from Wolfgang Publications. Along with automotive and pinstriping magazines in the US and Europe.
Artie is a Representative advisor for the “Right Coast Cars Association” and a proud member of West Coast Kustoms.
You can reach Artie at 843-995-1043 or email him at artschilling@sc.rr.com
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Mike Neff
What is it that Mike Neff doesn’t do? The radio host, writer, podcaster, radio contributor, and racetrack announcer spends as much time as he possibly can at race tracks.
He hits up Saturday night specials across the country while tracking the sport’s future racing stars.
He writes a commentary for “Fronstretch.com” every four weeks while co-hosting the site’s podcast every week.
Mike announces several shows each year for the “Good Guys Rod and Custom Association” and spends time at local cruise-ins and car shows to check out amazing street rides.
He also pops up everywhere from PRN Pit Reporters and the Press Box with Alan Smothers to SIRI:US XM Radio and the Fast Lane with Ed Lane.
He has announced at tracks all over the southeast, starting at Millbridge Speedway. He was also the a track announcer at Myrtle Beach Speedway and at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Mike definitely has his pulse on the regional and national racing scene.
Al "Big Al" Liebmann
From the Beginning- “Big Al” Liebmann
Al Liebmann attended his first drag race at Englishtown in 1969. It was from that very moment on that “Big Al” was addicted to the sport of drag racing, especially the nitro funny cars. Al couldn’t get enough of the extreme violence these monsters created. He was instantly in love with the screaming of their nitro engines. He was in awe of the burning fuel that ripped at his lungs and made his eyes water and shut tight. He loved the long smoky burnouts and the flames being pushed out of the exhaust. All of it, from that moment on, hooked Al Liebmann.
So, it began that Al started working his way onto nitro-teams in any capacity that he could. He was hungry to learn as much as he could so he did whatever was asked of him. Over the years he crewed on several notable entries including the Shady Glenn, Boston Shaker, Fireball Vega, the Chicago Patrol, and he spent more than 10 years with the legendary Gary Densham. He was involved in cars that were fielded by the legendary “T.V.” Tommy Ivo.
Big Al also became an active partner of the Shady Glenn AA/FC team at one point. As a team member, Liebmann traveled to and raced at every major race track in North America; Gainesville, Lions, Englishtown, OCIR, Sanair, Epping, Denver, Chicago and many others.
Quarter-mile burnouts, dry hops, explosions launching blowers 200 feet into the air, Al was there for it all.
Al’s day jobs were also with big corporations. He understood sales and marketing so he could help with sponsoring, too. He landed communication company NEC AMERICA for Gary Denham and many other companies for other teams of which he had associations. He’s currently the marketing partner and crews on Rocky Pirrone’s Frantic Ford & Super Camaro of Philadelphia.
Al says he discovered his “second childhood” when he became hooked on hot rodding in 1999. He quickly became involved with two high profile projects designed/produced by George Barris and Jerry Kind along with 7-8 other cars owned. Al is currently the proud owner of a 1932 traditional Ford 5W Coupe that traveled our west in the 70’s including going to Bonneville.
A personal milestone was achieved when Al was chosen to attend the Grand National Roadster Show “Year of the Deuce” event in 2007 with one of his previous ’32 Ford 5 window coupe was chosen as a “Top-Ten” pick by Street Rodder Magazine in 2006.
During the day, Mr. Liebmann works as a Sr. Sales Exec for RACING JUNK and is a staff photographer for over 20 years www.hotrodhotline.com. Yet, somehow, he always manages to find the time to be around nitro funny cars.