ROCKINGHAM — “No Prep Kings,” one of the most popular series in the Discovery Channel’s “Street Outlaws” TV franchise, makes its Rockingham Dragway debut tomorrow and Saturday, Oct. 14-15 with Oklahoma’s Ryan Martin still dominating the driver points at the wheel of his twin-turbo “Fireball” Camaro.
The “no prep” designation means exactly what it says. Once racing begins, officials will do nothing to enhance the racing surface. It will be up to each of the individual racers and teams to adapt their high horsepower vehicles to prevailing conditions.
Not surprisingly, no one has done that better over the last three “No Prep Kings” seasons than Martin whose performance in 2021 was sufficiently impressive to earn him Drag Illustrated Magazine’s Racer of the Year award over NHRA pro tour champions including Steve Torrence, who won 11 of 20 Top Fuel starts.
General admission is $30 Friday and $40 Saturday. In addition, a limited number of VIP parking spots nearest the track and Street Outlaw pit area are available for $35 per day. Children six and under are $5 daily.
Dogging Martin’s trail this year is a familiar cast of characters that includes Kye Kelley and new wife Lizzy Musi, the 31-year-old former Pro Mod racer and daughter of Mooresville engine-builder and outlaw drag racing legend Pat Musi, Mississippi dragstrip owner Scott Taylor, Pennsylvania’s Jeff Lutz with a new version of an old Chevy he’s christened “The ’57,” and “Disco Dean” Karns Jr., whose brand new “shocking pink” supercharged Cadillac CTS-V is certain to be a fan favorite.
Both Kelley’s 1992 Camaro and his wife’s ’68 model get their muscle from 592 cubic inch, nitrous-boosted powerplants from the elder Musi’s Carolina engine shop. Filling out the early Top 10 in points were California’s Guiseppe Gentile and his 2004 twin-turbo Mustang, the Missouri-based “High Velocity” Pontiac of Robin Roberts, Larry “Axman” Roach and his Virginia-based Chevy II and Sooner standout Kayla Morton in her “Hot Mess Express” Mustang.
Gates and Street Outlaw pits open at 2 p.m. Friday for VIP all-access customers and at 4 p.m. for all others with racing to begin at 6 p.m. On Saturday, VIP all-access guests enter at 9:30 a.m. and all others at 11:30 a.m. Racing at 2 p.m.
‘STREET OUTLAWS: No Prep Kings’ UNOFFICIAL POINT STANDINGS
- Ryan Martin, Norman, Okla., 2010 Chevy Camaro – 235
- Kye Kelley, McComb, Miss., 1992 Chevy Camaro – 185
- Scott Taylor, Hattiesburg, Miss., 2010 Chevy Camaro – 180
- Lizzy Musi, Mooresville, 1968 Chevy Camaro – 155
- Jeff Lutz, Callery, Pa., 1957 Chevy Bel Air – 140
- Dean “Disco Dean” Karns Jr., Fairborn, Ohio, 2022 Cadillac CTS-V – 135
- Guiseppe Gentile, Los Angeles, Calif., 2004 Ford Mustang – 135
- Robin Roberts, Liberty, Mo., 1968 Pontiac Firebird – 130
- Larry “Axman” Roach, Altavista, Va., 1963 Chevy II – 110
- Kayla Morton, Oklahoma City, Okla., 1993 Ford Mustang – 110
