The news that Speed Promotions & Racing has officially canceled the remainder of its 2025 schedule sent shockwaves through the drag racing world this week. The group behind Street Outlaws, No Prep Kings, and most recently The Outlaws touring series effectively brought one of the most impactful eras in modern drag racing to a sudden close.
For many fans, it feels like the end of an era. For the racers who poured their hearts into it, it’s even more personal. One of those racers is 24-year-old Paige Coughlin, who jumped on social media to share her thoughts just hours after the announcement.
Coughlin, the daughter of former NHRA Pro Mod world champion Troy Coughlin Sr. and a third-generation member of one of drag racing’s most storied families, didn’t dwell on disappointment. Instead, she spoke with gratitude.
“Those [last two races at US 131 and Maple Grove] have been officially canceled,” Paige said in her video. “I just wanted to say that we are not done racing yet and to say a massive thank you to every single fan that has cheered me and Team Golden Child on over the past three years since I’ve made my debut in the Outlaw Racing Series. I have had such a blast and meeting you guys has just been such a surreal experience.”
A Personal Chapter in a Larger Story
The Outlaws series may have been short-lived compared to NPK’s long television run, but for drivers like Coughlin, it represented a dream realized. She grew up watching many of the stars of the show on TV and then, in just a few short years, found herself racing against them.
“I will absolutely never forget it,” she said. “This Camaro has taught me so much about driving and it will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you to all the drivers who welcomed me with open arms. Competing with you was actually a dream come true.”
It’s easy to forget how quickly Coughlin carved her path. Just a few years ago, she was contemplating the traditional Coughlin route – NHRA competition and big-money bracket racing. But a trip to National Trail Raceway to watch No Prep Kings flipped the switch. Instead of Super Comp or Pro Mod, she dove headfirst into the rough-and-rowdy world of no-prep racing, buying her ’92 Camaro and naming it Golden Child.
That decision allowed her to forge an identity separate from the weighty Coughlin name. “I really like doing my own thing,” she said in a 2024 Drag Illustrated feature. “I feel like I get to branch out. I’m still a Coughlin, but I get to do it my own way and make a name for Paige instead of being ‘Troy’s daughter’ or ‘TJ’s little sister.’”
Her climb was fast. In 2023 she entered the Futures class and scored a win in Bowling Green in just her fourth start. That earned her an invite into the Invitational, where she proved she belonged. By the end of her first full season in 2024, she had cracked the Top 10 in points, advanced to a playoff final in Texas, and cemented her reputation as one of the sport’s rising stars.
Carrying the Torch After a Series Shuts Down
For Paige, this week’s announcement closes one chapter, but she insists it’s not the end of her story. “We are going to get together over the next couple of days and figure out what is next for us,” she told her fans. “We are still building a new car, so we are definitely far from done racing.”
That’s the optimism many fans needed to hear. The demise of Speed Promotions & Racing leaves a vacuum, but it also creates opportunity. Series come and go, but the drivers, teams, and fans who’ve built this grassroots-meets-mainstream movement aren’t about to disappear.
Paige’s resilience reflects the spirit of this community. She’s not defined by the cancellation of a schedule; she’s defined by her passion for driving and her willingness to grind. That’s a quality she shares with her fiancé, fellow racer and engine builder Johnny Tolisano, whose J&J Racing Engines business has grown alongside their racing program. Together, the two have built a life around drag racing – Paige handling bookkeeping at the shop during the week, Johnny managing her team at the track on weekends.
It’s the sort of family-first, racer-driven story that fueled Street Outlaws in the first place, and it’s one reason fans feel so connected to drivers like Coughlin.
The End of an Era, but Not the End of the Movement
While many in the industry saw the writing on the wall – dwindling attendance at some events, organizational shake-ups, sweeping rule changes – the cancellation still stings. Street Outlaws and its spinoffs introduced drag racing to millions of casual viewers, minted larger-than-life personalities, and gave grassroots-style competition a primetime spotlight.
Paige represents the next wave of talent that emerged from that experiment. She might not be doing burnouts in front of Discovery Channel cameras in 2026, but her racing career is only just beginning. And she’s carrying forward many of the lessons, relationships, and momentum she built under the Outlaws banner.
Her final message to fans was simple, but powerful: “As soon as we get it all ironed out, we will be sure to keep you all informed. But thank you.”
It’s a note of gratitude, but also a promise – that Golden Child isn’t done, and neither is Paige Coughlin.
As the curtain closes on one of drag racing’s most polarizing and popular chapters, racers like Paige are proof that the story doesn’t end here. It just changes lanes.
This story was originally published on August 22, 2025. 
The post Paige Coughlin Reflects on No Prep Kings Experience, Looks Ahead After Outlaws Era Ends first appeared on Drag Illustrated.