The Man Behind the Builds
Untangling someone else's decisions, one cable at a time. This is the job.
Cloud Architect. Racer. Builder.
My IT career started in 1988 with component-level PCB repairs — logic probes, oscilloscopes, and transistor circuits. Over 35 years, that same hands-on mindset has carried me from field service technician through solutions architecture, datacenter engineering, and into leading enterprise Azure cloud environments at national scale.
Today I serve as Principal Infrastructure Engineer at Groundworks — the nation's largest foundation services company — where I architect and operate the full Azure cloud platform, Microsoft 365 environment, and enterprise device management across the organization. I've migrated over 150 TB of data, built out IaaS from scratch, and driven compliance programs that protect thousands of endpoints.
After a lifetime in New Jersey, my wife Joanne and I now call Citrus Springs, Florida home. Off the clock, I build race cars and boats with the same discipline I bring to infrastructure: precision engineering, zero tolerance for shortcuts, and an obsession with performance under real-world conditions. Whether it's a chassis, a hull, or a cloud architecture — the standard is the same.
What Drives Me
Precision
Whether it's a tolerance on a machined part or a lap time, the difference between good and great is measured in fractions.
Craftsmanship
Every build — from a race car chassis to a boat hull — deserves to be done right the first time. No shortcuts, no compromises.
Performance
The best engineering solution isn't the one on paper — it's the one that performs under real-world conditions, at the limit.
Career & Life Milestones
First Car — 1973 Mustang Grande
Got a '73 Grande with a 351 Cleveland as a daily driver. Built it into a hot rod — full engine rebuild, bodywork by hand, repainted Dodge Viper Red. Ran 12.8 @ 113 at Englishtown. FastLane Racing appears for the first time, painted on the back of this car.
First Day in IT — Business Micro Service
Started as a field service technician repairing DEC mainframes and component-level PCB boards in Toms River, NJ. The foundation of a 35+ year career.
1985 Fox Body — Getting Serious
Swapped a 5.0 into an uncle's 2.3L Fox, added a Vortech V1 Trim supercharger, ran mid 11s in full street trim. Then built a 306 with a 76mm Precision turbo. The FastLane name was starting to mean something at the track.
Solutions Architect — Total Tec
Joined a premier VAR for HP, DEC, and Compaq. Progressed from systems admin through Sr. Solutions Architect over 13 years, designing enterprise datacenter architectures across multiple industries.
Found the '88 — FastLane Is Born
Found a roller with a 12-point cage and fresh black and orange paint. Transferred everything from the '85 into it. Built a 363 on a Dart Iron Eagle block, dipped into the nines. The car that made the name real.
The Atco Crash — Goes Viral
At 115 mph, the car flipped onto its roof and slid the entire back half of Atco Raceway. The timing system clocked a 14.3 on the roof. In-car footage went viral. Corteco TV broadcast the full incident with in-car, out-car, and overlay. Dave Milcarek captured the crash on camera.
Rebuilt. Returned. ABM Nationals.
Scavenged the roof and parts off the '85 to put the '88 back together. Back at the track the same year — ABM Nationals, front wheels up. Photo by Tracy Smith.
Principal Infrastructure Engineer — K. Hovnanian Companies
Led datacenter consolidation, VMware virtualization, SAN design, and hybrid Azure migration over 14 years at a major national homebuilder.
Built a Sportfishing Boat
After stepping back from racing, channeled the same obsession into building a custom sportfishing boat from scratch. Coming to this site soon.
Principal Infrastructure Engineer — Groundworks
Joined the nation's largest foundation services company to lead their full Azure cloud transformation — migrating 150+ TB, building IaaS from scratch, enterprise compliance and endpoint management.
FastLane V2 — Dominic Takes the Wheel
Lane's son Dominic strips Lane's entire setup out of the '88 and starts fresh — 331 forged, AFR 185 heads, Tremec TKX, Holley EFI, supercharger-ready. The same car. A new chapter.
Cloud Architect. Builder. Legacy.
Leading enterprise Azure and M365 operations by day. The '88 is in Dominic's hands now. The FastLane name keeps going.