The bombshell news that Speed Promotions & Racing has canceled the remainder of its 2025 season has left racers and fans across the country reeling. For many, it represents the end of an era that began more than a decade ago with Street Outlaws and grew into the wildly popular No Prep Kings and, most recently, The Outlaws touring series.
Among the first to speak out were two of the franchise’s most recognizable figures – Shawn “Murder Nova” Ellington and his longtime partner-in-crime, Daniel “Phantom” Parker. In a candid YouTube video the pair reflected on 13 years of television fame, addressed the swirl of online speculation, and made it clear that while Speed Promotions may be sidelined, they aren’t done racing.
“We Would Do It All Over Again Tomorrow”
True to form, Murder Nova led with humor. “Fired. I’ve been fired from every job I’ve ever had, man. So, I’m not too worried about it,” he quipped. But beneath the sarcasm, both he and Phantom acknowledged the weight of the moment.
“Thirteen years we’ve been doing this,” Ellington said. “I would do it all over again tomorrow.”
While critics on social media were quick to blame Speed Promotions for running the product into the ground in a single season, Ellington pushed back. He reminded fans that the same people who launched the original Street Outlaws were still involved, but this time without the level of financial backing they once had.
“Sam and Jen started all this,” Ellington explained. “It’s not that they ruined it in one year – they didn’t have the funding they had before, so they had to do what they had to do. Am I saying it was run right? Absolutely not. But this isn’t a bash session.”
A Traveling Circus
Both Ellington and Parker emphasized gratitude over grievance. “Would you know who we are if Sam hadn’t put us on TV? Probably not,” Phantom said. “Fans show up because they made y’all love us or hate us. Either way, you showed up.”
The duo readily embraced the oft-repeated description of Street Outlaws as a circus. “We’re a traveling circus. That’s what we do,” Phantom laughed. “And we had a damn good time doing it.”
From South Africa to Brazil to Australia, the show took the Oklahoma racers places they never imagined. “Would I have been to all them different countries without this? No, I wouldn’t have,” Ellington said. “Those fans reached out because it was their favorite television show, and they wanted us there.”
No Answers, Just Racing
One of the biggest frustrations, they admitted, was the lack of communication. “We got nothing. No explanation,” Ellington said. “That would have at least been nice.”
Still, they made clear that the cancellation doesn’t mean the story is over. The pair are committed to finishing out other obligations this season – including appearances in Canada, races with the Midwest Drag Racing Series, and a likely run in the Drag Illustrated Winter Series.
“We’re not done racing by any means,” Phantom said. “We still got three or four races left this year with Blue, and then we’ll be doing the Winter Series, too. Unless something else comes up, we’re 100 percent going to try to run all of Keith’s races.”
As for the future, both racers left the door wide open. “I’m not going to sit here and say it’s over,” Ellington said. “If it’s over, it’s over. If it was over after Season 1, we’d have gone back to our regular jobs. But we’d still be racing somewhere – just like we’re going to be racing tomorrow.”
“Everything’s for Sale”
In classic Murder Nova fashion, the conversation also took a practical turn. With a chuckle, he reminded fans that every piece of equipment has a price. “Everything’s for sale,” he said. “The OG could be bought. It would be stupid, and nobody’s dumb enough to pay what it would take, but you could take it home.”
It was another reminder that while the television spotlight may dim, the racers who became household names through Street Outlaws will continue finding ways to compete, build, and entertain.
The End of One Chapter
For fans, the news of Speed Promotions’ abrupt cancelation is bittersweet. The cars, rivalries, and personalities of Street Outlaws reshaped drag racing’s mainstream identity, creating household names and packing racetracks for more than a decade.
But as Ellington and Parker made clear, the legacy isn’t over. It’s just shifting into a new chapter.
“We don’t really know what we’re going to be doing yet, but we’re going to be doing something,” Ellington promised. “Guaranteed.”
This story was originally published on August 25, 2025. 
The post “Murder Nova,” Daniel “Phantom” Parker Talk Speed Promotions Season Ending, Future Plans first appeared on Drag Illustrated.