The adrenaline-pumping world of drag racing has always been fueled by stories of fierce competition, determination, and unyielding passion. The Wes Buck Show, hosted by Wes Buck, JT "Murder T" Hudson, and Mike Carpenter, is where these stories come to life. This week, the show brings in a true standout in the world of No Prep Kings, the Tulsa Winner herself, Lizzy Musi. Join us as we dive into Lizzy's remarkable journey, her recent victory at No Prep Kings in Tulsa, and her unrelenting spirit in the face of health challenges.
Photo by Richard Rowe
At the Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings invitational held at Tulsa Raceway Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lizzy Musi secured her first win of the season in her newly-built 1969 Camaro by Robert Hayes Race Cars. This victorious moment occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Lizzy affectionately calls her nitrous-assisted Camaro "Bonnie 2.0," and her win comes after a lengthy summer break for the series. This triumph has propelled her to third place in the individual standings, with an outstanding record of 13 wins out of 18 rounds.
Photo by Lizzy Musi
Lizzy expressed her appreciation for Robert Hayes and his dedicated team's hard work in constructing the car, saying, "Robert and his team put in an immense effort on building this vehicle. While we've faced challenges in the past with hot weather runs, I remained calm because we've fine-tuned the setup under this car throughout the season, thanks to our collaboration with PDRA Pro Nitrous racer Jay Cox. I had immense confidence going into this event.
“We took it round by round. That car just was making consistent moves and fast runs, Lizzy continued. “And you know what? I finally get to say I felt like myself again – I felt like I put all the negativity and all the stuff that I was dealing with in the past behind me. I swear I haven’t been this happy in my whole life. I just feel like I can do my job as a driver, and it just came so naturally. It felt so good to be able to be myself again and race.” Lizzy's victory brought her No Prep Kings team into a tie with Ryan Martin's crew, sitting 30 points behind Daddy Dave's leading team.
Photo by Lizzy Musi
“This is one of the best wins we’ve had since Lizzy and I have been racing together,” said renowned engine builder Pat Musi, referring to his daughter’s breast cancer diagnosis. “We don’t go out there and complain. We go out there to the racetrack, and we do our talking with our car, and Lizzy does her talking with her driving, and that’s it.”
Musi family. Photo by Lizzy Musi
Notably, aside from her success on the track, Lizzy is making her mark in the racing industry as the Director of Musi Racing, based in Mooresville, North Carolina.
After enduring a yearlong dry spell without a victory, Lizzy made an impressive comeback at Tulsa. She first took on Chuck Seitsinger and Chuck Parker, securing wins in those matchups. Lizzy's next challenge was supposed to be against Ryan Martin in the third round, but an unfortunate accident sidelined her opponent, resulting in Lizzy making a solo pass.
Lizzy Musi reveals her win at No Prep Kings in Tulsa. Photo by The Wes Buck Show
Following that, she engaged in a thrilling race against Larry "Axman" Roach, so closely contested that victory was determined by mere inches. Finally, in the championship round, Robin Roberts' Firebird veered off the track just past the 60-foot marker, clearing the path for Musi to secure the win. This accomplishment has boosted her total round wins to 110, placing her third in the all-time rankings for round wins in the series.
This triumph underscores the strong competitiveness of the nitrous oxide-powered setups within the series. This season, only a handful of racers, including Musi, her teammate David Gates, and Jerry Bird, are representing this combination.
Photo by Drag Illustrated
Pat Musi further emphasized the significance of this victory for their racing team and sponsors. He acknowledged the pivotal role played by sponsors such as Red Line Oil, Lemons Headers, ACL Bearings, Jesel, Strange Engineering, Lincoln Electric, Robert Hayes Race Cars, Penske/PRS, VP Racing Fuels, TMS Titanium, and Newell INX in achieving this remarkable win.
Photo by Lizzy Musi
Additionally, Lizzy has discovered an unexpected way to shed light on her diagnosis and her unwavering determination to persevere every day.
She elaborated, saying, "I find myself in treatment rooms, undergoing chemotherapy, and then just a few days later, I'm back in a race car, and now, we've clinched this victory – it feels like the most significant achievement ever. We've faced numerous challenges, so I believe that going through those struggles makes a win all the more meaningful."
Reflecting on the emotional moment at the finish line, Lizzy added, "Me and my dad got emotional at the top end, but we both know that we went through hell and back to get to where we’re at. I look up to him so much."
The upcoming event on the No Prep Kings schedule is slated for August 25-26 at Firebird Raceway in Eagle, Idaho.
The Wes Buck Show with NPK's Tulsa winner & standout, Lizzy Musi. Video by The Wes Buck Show
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