From underground street racer to TV star

Rockville Centre’s Peter Avram revives Long Island’s race car driving scene

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Rockville Centre resident Peter Avram has made a name in the world of drag racing, both on and off the track.

Avram, 47, said his fascination with high-speed motorsports began while growing up in Oceanside, where his cousins, who were also drag racers, influenced him.

“Whenever I would go to their house, I would be drawn into it immediately,” he said.

His first car, a 1970 Monte Carlo, ignited his lifelong passion for muscle cars, but it wasn’t until he purchased a 1969 Camaro that his racing future took shape.

“I purchased my Camaro 25 years ago, and I still own it today,” he said.

Avram’s racing journey began far from traditional tracks. After Long Island’s Westhampton Raceway closed in 2003, many young racers turned to the streets to fuel their passion for speed, and Avram was no exception. Street racing became an underground culture, filling the void left by the lack of legal venues.

In 2013, Avram’s YouTube channel, which chronicled his street racing exploits, gained significant attention and eventually caught the eye of producers of “Street Outlaws,” a popular Discovery Channel show celebrating the underground racing scene.

Over the next 11 years, the show took Avram across the country, filming in Texas, Las Vegas, Wyoming, and California.

“We would go out and film in the middle of the night,” Avram said, explaining that, though filmed on a closed set, the show managed to capture the raw energy of real street racing.

Despite the glamour of television fame, Avram remained grounded in the tough realities of the sport.

“Drag racing is a hustle, it’s hard work,” he said. “One team would put up money against another team, and then raced for the settled price.”

Avram eventually founded his own racing team, the .Net Boyz, competing in high-stakes races and appearing as a guest on the Speed Channel’s show “Pinks.” There, his team built a car from scratch and went on to win a competitor’s car in a high-pressure race.

His success in the underground racing world opened new opportunities. Sponsorships and partnerships started rolling in, many stemming from his growing online presence. His YouTube channel not only built connections with sponsors worldwide but also fostered meaningful friendships within the racing community.

Three years ago, Avram celebrated a major milestone when legal drag racing returned to Long Island. The Grumman Airport in Bethpage, with its abandoned runways, became a venue for legitimate racing events from August to October.

The track has become a haven for local racers, offering a legitimate venue for those who once had to do so on the streets.

He and his team made waves at a National Hot Rod Association-sanctioned race at Enterprise Park in Riverhead on Oct. 12, winning the small tire class championship. And the next day, they stunned spectators yet again, defeating the winner of the big tire class to become the track champions of the year. 

Known in the racing world as “Petey SmallBlock,” Avram is considered a legend in the racing world. Through the years, he has continued to push himself to be the best.

“Racing is my whole life, it’s everything I do,” he said. “There’s always going to be someone faster, but you always want to try to be the best at what you do. Of course, I can’t win every race, but when I lose a race, I try to remember the feeling of the times that I won. That’s what keeps me motivated.”

Despite the costly and laborious demands that come with modifying a race car, Avram maintains a balance by prioritizing what matters most to him — his family.

He currently resides in Rockville Centre with his wife, Nicole, and their two children, Chase and Kylie. 

“(Racing) is a lot, especially now, since my kids have sports and everything,” Avram said.