If you have a deep affinity for cars and street racing, more than likely the Discovery hit show Street Outlaws is saved on your DVR. The show, which follows the underground Oklahoma City street racing circuit, gives fans an inside look at how the culture brings car lovers together and shows their favorite drivers compete for big money prizes and street cred titles.
Every single one of Street Outlaws episodes comes with a valid warning: 'Just because we're dumbasses, don't mean you can be too. So don't do any of the sh*t that we do at home.'
This is a reminder that no matter how skillful you are with cars, if you’re pushing the envelope while behind the wheel, accidents become far more likely. Using the proper safety equipment, getting proper training, and racing on a closed course help minimize risk and hopefully lead to a better outcome, but there’s no way to be completely safe.
How did the most severe car crash of the show end up? Make sure to read till the end and find it out.
1. JJ Da Boss and his wife Tricia Day
In January of 2022, spouses JJ Da Boss and Tricia Day were involved a scary crash while they were filming America's List for the series. Tricia suffered more serious injuries than JJ did and spent a week in the hospital after the vehicle she was in crashed into several rental cars that were brought to set.
She underwent surgery on both of her hips, as per The Capital Sports Report, and her vehicle was totaled in the process, meaning she will more than likely not be racing for the rest of filming the show's season.
This is not the first time that JJ has been injured behind the wheel. According to a 2017 article from Dragzine, JJ fell asleep behind the wheel while driving to Arkansas and struck a concrete culvert on the highway at 55 miles per hour. He sustained a broken right hand as well as rib injuries and a series of cuts and bruises but otherwise walked away from the accident virtually unscathed.
2. Precious Cooper
Precious Cooper was also involved in a nasty crash in 2021 where she was run off the road and her car flipped over nine times. She was in a very serious car crash in the new season of Street Outlaws: Memphis, which Discovery released the exclusive clip of her harrowing accident.
Things quickly went wrong as soon as the race started. The South Carolina racer Stevie Croom, Cooper’s opponent, lost control of his car and swerved left to almost hit her Ziptie Nova. While he stopped in few seconds to turn back right, Cooper has already turned hard left herself to avoid the collision. Unfortunately, she drove into the gravel and turned right to come back to the track caused her car flip over nine times. She’s been visibly shaken by the scary accident but luckily she appeared to be fine and didn’t have any injuries.
3. Kamikaze
Street Outlaws' "Kamikaze" Chris had spent many years and his life savings – transforming the ELCO, also known as 1981 Chevrolet El Camino made famous in the Oklahoma City street racing scene by the late Tyler Priddy (better known as “Flip”) into a world-class twin-turbo thoroughbred as he journeyed to compete with street racing’s best.
But all of his momentum came to a screeching halt – literally when Chris lost control of the ELCO on a night he says he didn’t actually intend to race. The incident left the ELCO in ruins –the body, chassis, engine, turbochargers, virtually all of it a compete loss. Chris has spent the months since working to pick up the pieces and plot his return.
Chris “Kamikaze” stands next to the ELCO that he crashed during the taping of the Street Outlaws (photo by Kamikaze Chris Facebook)
Despite his fame, Chris remains a working-class guy. “There have been times during this show, I’ve been dirt-broke poor. So the ‘underdog’ thing, that I’m labeled as, it’s real. It’s not some kind of ‘role’ I’ve tried to play.” He said.
4. Shannon Poole
Veteran racer and Street Outlaws: New Orleans television star Shannon Poole was involved in a harrowing accident while competing at the Gulfport Dragway’s Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras Blowout in February 2020.
Poole was racing in his familiar nitrous oxide-assisted 1964 Corvette when, in an incredible scene the likes of which the sport rarely sees outside of nitro and radial-tire racing, climbed onto its rear bumper near the finish stripe and took flight. The car, from what we can see in the existing footage, turned sideways in mid-air and slammed down on its nose, erupting into a fireball as the fuel lines were likely severed. The car then barrel-rolled to a stop in the shutdown area.
Reports indicate that even immediately after the crash, Shannon was able to answer all questions and was completely conscious. He showed no signs of major injuries, but was still brought to a local hospital to undergo medical surveillance.
5. Lizzy Musi
Lizzy joined Street Outlaws No Prep Kings event in South Carolina in her brand-new 1969 Chevy Camaro dragster built by Robert Hayes Race Cars. It was only her third race in the Camaro and, needless to say, things didn't go as planned.
Musi lineup up against Brandon James' Chevy Nova and, as the lights went green, it looked like she would score a comfortable win. However, only a couple of seconds into the race, she lost control of "Bonnie" and slammed nose-first into the guardrail. Despite the violent crash, Lizzy got out of the car uninjured.
Lizzy Musi and her “Bonnie” in the first round of ‘Street Outlaws No Prep Kings’ at Darlington Dragway
She was obviously taken to the hospital for a routine evaluation but returned to the drag strip to support Kye Kelley, her teammate and longtime boyfriend, who was also racing that day. Needless to say, she had the surprise of her life when Kelley asked the big question at the starting line. She said "yes!"
This is not the first time that Lizzy has been injured behind the wheel. She got her first bad crash in the season-opening PDRA Texas Nationals at the Texas Motorplex outside Dallas in 2015 and another terrifying ordeal in 2019.
6. Big Chief
A night of street racing ended poorly for Street Outlaws star Justin “Big Chief” Shearer. He and costar Brian “Chucky” Davis were involved in a terrifying car crash in November 2015 that left their cars totaled and Big Chief with gruesome injuries.
Street Outlaws star Justin “Big Chief” Shearer recovered following that terrifying car crash, but his beloved car wasn’t so lucky as it was totaled in the accident. His 1969 Pontiac LeMans was his first car and gave him his first taste of street racing, which helped lead to his popular Discovery Network show. He’s mourned the loss of what he calls his “first love” with one final picture of his wrecked vehicle via Instagram.
Picture of his wrecked car (photo by Big Chief Instagram)
Photo by Courtesy of Facebook/Instagram
7. Jeff Lutz
Street legal drag racing star and chassis builder Jeff Lutz was uninjured in a crash on Sunday behind the wheel of his all-new 1957 Chevy during filming for an upcoming episode of Street Outlaws at the Memphis International Raceway in Tennessee.
Jeff Lutz, who debuted his new twin-turbo’57 at the Tri-Five Nationals in August, was racing alongside Street Outlaws star “Daddy Dave” Comstock when he drifted out of the groove and lost control of the car, careening across the centerline and striking the wall nose-first. The car spun to a stop and Lutz exited immediately and began surveying the damage.
Lutz has endured an earlier excursion with the guardrail, as well, that forced he and his crew to patch the once-pristine composite front end back together.
Photo by Motortrend
8. James Doc Love
Throughout his tenure on Street Outlaws, James "Doc" Love became renowned among fans of the show for his racing prowess. Driving a souped-up 1970 Chevy Monte Carlo that he dubbed "The Street Beast" for most of his time on-screen, Doc proved that he meant it when he said his car was "set on kill" for any competitors that got in his way.
"Me and the Street Beast were in an unfortunate big end accident while filming a very important race in Nebraska for the OG show," Doc said by way of an explanation. He then went on to detail exactly what went down.
"Car barrel rolled 5-6 times and even knocked three 8- to 10-inch round Cedar trees clean off at the ground," he said of how the crash transpired, which caused some injuries as well. Subsequently, he thanked fans for their support through his recovery process, which has been pretty long and arduous.
9. Jame Finney
James Finney, also known as Birdman was hospitalized overnight after he was involved in one of two serious crashes that occurred while the team filmed its racing program for The Discovery Channel on a highway west of Casper.
Finney would be transported to Wyoming Medical Center where he said that the doctors and nurses have been excellent. His initial condition was reported as “Alert but with lots of injuries.” However, he would remain in a lot of pain. A shattered left hand, three broken ribs, and three bruised vertebrae that doctors initially thought might be broken were the main cause of that pain.
James “Birdman” Finney had an accident on Friday during Street Outlaws LIVE at Virginia Motorsports Park (photo by James Finney Facebook)
Most concerningly, they would also find a spot on Finney’s heart after complaints of a hard time breathing and chest pain. That would initially be a major worry but was later found to be a small tear on his aorta that will heal naturally.
Finney would be able to return home after spending just over a day in the hospital.
10. Daddy Dave – the scariest and near-death crash
It happened at the Amarillo Dragway in Texas. Dave was driving a nitrous-fed Chevy II and struck the wall seconds after the race started.
Daddy Dave suffered a serious concussion as one of the nitrous bottles came free of its mount and shot out the side window of the car, propelled by a nearly full charge of the escaping gas. The bottle struck Dave in the head on its way out the window. His helmet most likely saved his life, and to this day, Dave has no memory of the crash. In fact, has no recollection of the few hours prior to the crash. That chunk of time is just gone.
What do you think what was the most insane crash? Share your opinion in the comments section and don’t forget to like and share to your social media network.
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