NO-PREP’S
ROYAL
ROUNDTABLE
Stars of the hit show Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings take stock
of the Discovery series midway through filming season three
By CR AIG COOK
I
n the world of drag racing, you’d be hard pressed to find an arena with more buzz
surrounding it than no-prep racing. Beginning in 2008 with Chicago’s King of the
Streets (KOTS), no-prep has grown from a small group of street racers into a cultural
phenomenon. Once seen as a black eye on the sport due to the inherent danger of
racing on a non-prepped track, the 32-car invitational class on the hit TV show Street
Outlaws: No Prep Kings is now one of the most cov-eted spots in drag racing. And it’s
not just street and no-prep racers trying to cash in. Big-time names in radial and Pro
Mod racing – such as the Bruder brothers and Lizzy Musi – have also thrown their
names into the hat. Adding big payouts, big personalities and big controversy, No Prep
Kings is undoubtedly shining a bright light on the sport.
To dive into this mixture of live racing and television drama, D rag I llustrateD spoke
to some of the most successful drivers in the class.
One of the most recognizable faces in no-prep is RYAN MARTIN, driver of the “Fireball” Camaro.
A star of both Street Outlaws and No Prep Kings, Martin has won seven No Prep Kings events – more
than any other driver – and finished second in the points in both season 1 and 2.
JAMES “BIRDMAN” FINNEY is one of the most dominant drivers in the history of no-prep. With
victories at huge no-prep events such as American Outlaws Live and Outlaw Armageddon al-ready
under his belt, Birdman’s monumental success culminated with a points championship in the first
season of No Prep Kings – after not even being invited to the first race.
Even before MIKE MURILLO became the No Prep Kings points champion in season 2, he’d earned
a remarkable 15 championships in various organizations, including NMCA and NMRA. Murillo is
also the co-owner of the Dirty South No Prep Series with fellow driver Scott Taylor.
August 2019
LARRY LARSON is a five-time Drag Week
and two-time Rocky Mountain Race Week cham-
pion. He won two No Prep Kings events in season
2, and has finished in the top five in points both
seasons. Following multiple rules controversies
with his iconic Chevy S-10, Larson debuted a
brand-new Cadillac ATS-V for season 3.
JIM HUGHES is the tech/rules committee
coordinator for No Prep Kings. A former NHRA
world champion in Super Comp, Hughes is now
the owner of Tucson Dragway in Arizona.
No-prep has become a melting pot of sorts,
bringing racers and fans from all different
regions and backgrounds. How do you think
this ability for fans to relate to certain drivers
has impacted the show?
MIKE MURILLO: Most of the people that
can relate to no-prep are people that have been
watch-ing the TV show. And with the new guys
coming in, it makes it a little bit more difficult
for them. You kind of have to build your own
fan base. There’s a difference between a TV fan
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