“Street Outlaws” drew millions of viewers season after season, as the thrill of watching underground street racing in the U.S. hadn’t waned since the show first aired in 2013. The reality television series was subject to much controversy, as the nature of the motorsport featured was illegal and therefore extremely dangerous; to say otherwise only meant that it was staged or fake. Many attested to the fact, however, that the cars and the races were real. As such, the fans wondered about how much money the cast made, that they willingly risked their lives as they participated in what was purported to be unsanctioned races.
The guys knew the risks they took when they participated in every race, as they drove powerful cars pushed to the limit just to be the first across the finish line. It was said that car racing was one of the most lucrative sports, and it was quite evident, with the number of sponsors that pay to have their name or brand on the driver’s vehicles, helmets, and racing suits. However, the same could not be said for the cast of the show, as they were not allowed to do that considering they were supposedly engaged in underground racing. Besides, some companies might not want to be associated with an illegal form of racing. This begged the question of how the cast made so much money, especially considering the cost of their equipment.
Winning races
The prize money came from bets placed by individuals who participated in the race. Naturally, only those who believed that they had a chance at winning would join. Unless one was highly skilled, had a fast car, and enough experience, there was no money to be had in street racing. If one had all that, then the driver could win at least until someone with a faster car and better driving skills would challenge him to a race.
In “Street Outlaws,” they did place bets on the side, but what they really wanted was to make it to the top of “The List” of the 10 fastest racing cars in Oklahoma City, or to win against guys from another city or state for bragging rights. Of course, no one would say ‘no’ to what they called Cash Day events with up to $50,000 on the line. In 2014, the buy-in was $1,000, and Shawn “Murder Nova” Ellington walked away with the winner-take-all pot of $12,000.
Mega Cash Day was on a different level, as it had a prize pool of $600,000. More than 60 racers participated in the event, which had a double elimination format, as each racer had a chance to win $5,000 per race for the “winner’s bracket” and $3,000 per race for the “loser’s bracket.” For the final race, the winner would take home the grand prize of $100,000, plus the money won from every round. The inaugural winner for that event was the California native Brandon James, who was new to the racing scene.
Ryan Martin won the prize money of $75,000 in the Mega Race Showdown 2 event in 2018, as he competed against the NHRA Pro Stock Racer Alex Laughlin, from Richard Rawling’s “Fast N’ Loud” Team. He also took home $100,000 as he won the “No Prep Kings” championship in 2019.
Selling merchandise
As the cast of “Street Outlaws” gained a huge following, it stood to reason that they would capitalize on that. Merchandise such as hats, hoodies, mugs, and shirts were for sale online, but they were also available on race days, as well as Meet and Greet events, which gave the fans a chance to meet their favorite driver and ask for their autographs. Here’s how much their merchandise usually cost: Daddy Dave’s fleece hoodie was for sale at $50. Ryan Martin had a collectible diecast car replica (1/64th scale) of his red Fireball Camaro, a 2010 5th Gen Camaro SS, for sale at about $30. Farmtruck’s Straw Hat was available for $28, but $10 more if one wanted a large hat signed by Farmtruck and AZN.
Running or working at an auto shop
It cost a lot of money to race cars, so not everyone could participate in racing events unless having a sponsor, and was given a car to drive. The cars were designed and modified for that particular sport, so the parts, fuel, testing, and everything it needed were quite expensive. Some of the guys in “Street Outlaws” owned a car shop, or worked in one as a builder, mechanic, or fabricator, which helped them in keeping their cars in top condition, ensuring that they would deliver the best results in every race. Some ventured into it so they wouldn’t have to spend so much in having others fix or improve the cars’ performance. It also became a source of income when they were not out racing.
Jeff Lutz, who was known for his expertise and skill in constructing racecars helped Big Chief and Murder Nova with their respective cars, and also participated in the racing events. Daddy Dave owned Comstock Auto Shop. Ryan Martin co-owned B&R Performance, which specialized in aftermarket performance products and performance cars. Doc was the operator and owner of a full-service garage called Southwest Diesel Service.
Monetizing YouTube and Instagram
Most people could monetize their YouTube Channels through the YouTube Partner Program if they gained at least a thousand subscribers, and over 4,000 hours of overall watch time. Creating content might be simple for some, but the biggest challenge was to attract the required number of subscribers and views for their videos. Those who were famous and already had a big following, such as the cast of “Street Outlaws” had it easy because once they announced that they’d opened their YouTube accounts, so their fans would flock to their channels and watch everything they uploaded, be it about cars or their personal lives. It was a great way to promote their shows or businesses, and they could also be paid to endorse products, services, or brands.
The more subscribers and views they had, the more money they earned. The Daddy Dave Racing channel had about 80,000 subscribers, and over 3.5 million views since he opened an account in June 2021. Big Chief’s Midwest Street Cars channel had over 300,000 subscribers and more than 35 million views since he joined the video-sharing site in December 2013. Ryan Martin had over 100,000 subscribers and nine million views since December 2015. Farmtruck and AZN joined YouTube in April 2006, and gained nearly 300,000 subscribers and close to 40 million views for their videos.
Also, they could make some serious money from their Instagram accounts, as they could be paid for each post that they made for a particular brand or company. The higher the number of their followers, the more they could command a higher price for sponsored posts.
Appearing on TV
There were several reasons why people agreed to appear on TV or be part of a reality show, including using it as a platform for their advocacy, educating viewers, or just wanting to be famous, but the biggest draw was probably the money they received – they were often paid to share their stories or expose their lives to the public.
Reportedly, the cast of “Street Outlaws” could each earn $20,000 to $30,000 per episode. Since their paychecks weren’t revealed to the public, it wasn’t known who was paid the most, or the least. Many wondered if the amount they received was based on who was part of the show the longest, or the most popular. It could also vary depending on the TV ratings each season, which would dictate the terms during contract renewal. Considering that “Street Outlaws” had been airing for 18 seasons, with each season having at least eight to more than 20 episodes, it appeared that the cast made serious cash year after year. Those of the original show could also be seen in the spin-off series such as “Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings” and “Street Outlaws: Fastest in America,” so that would have to be additional income for them.
“Street Outlaws” cast net worth
As the reality show became a huge hit, it meant that its stars gained popularity as well. It didn’t necessarily mean that they would all become rich, because it would depend on various reasons including how much they were being paid for their participation, or how many episodes they appeared in. However, it opened a lot of opportunities for them to generate more income. As such, many were curious about how wealthy they had become.
Here’s the estimated net worth of the cast members as of November 2022, according to an authoritative source:
Big Chief, Ryan Martin, and Sean “Farmtruck” Whitley each had a net worth of $2 million. Jeff “AZN” Bonnett’s net worth was $1 million, Daddy Dave’s was around $900,000, while Murder Nova and Monza had about $500,000 each.
Some of the cast had come a long way from earning a few hundred bucks during their street racing days before the TV series began airing. It seemed that as long as people continued to be obsessed with car racing, the network would continue to order new episodes, and its stars could make more money.
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