Discovery Channels’ “Street Outlaws” reality series and its numerous spinoffs, including “No Prep Kings,” has brought legions of new fans into drag racing, many of whom have not yet been introduced to the more traditional components of the sport. Namely, they haven’t seen, heard, felt, or smelled the prepped-world’s kings of the sport. But if what we’re hearing plays out, things could be a’changing.

Scott Palmer, big-show drag racing’s true outlaw and one of its greatest modern-day showmen, will reportedly match race Greg Carillo in a side-by-side contest with cash on the line at the Tulsa Raceway Park August 12-13, when the series returns to action from a midsummer hiatus.

“Greg Carrillo and Scott Palmer have had some trash talk going on for years over a semifinals a few years back. Well, they’ve put up some cash and [they’re] ready to get it on! They both wanted a neutral track and to take track prep out of it, a real drivers race,” said event promoter and past Texas Motorplex General Manager Andy Carter in a Facebook post Sunday. And there are “no rules,” he added. Carter confirmed the matchup to Dragzine, saying additional details will be made available later this week.

Palmer, a Missourian who is no stranger to the Tulsa facility, has been flying the “Street Outlaws No Prep Kings” logo on the front wing of his dragster during the 2022 season, in a sign of things to come. When not campaigning occasional NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series national events with his own car, or fielding the part-time entry of Alex Laughlin, Palmer routinely makes appearances at small midwest tracks like Eddyville Raceway Park and the Ozark Raceway Park, clocking laps in the 3.20s at over 260 mph to the 1/8-mile.

“I love the show, and all of the racers are bad mofo’s. Pretty cool to get to participate,” said Palmer, who has raced Top Alcohol Funny Cars, Pro Mods, and even a blown fuel doorslammer, all equally as wild as a big-tire no-prep machine.

Carillo, a veteran sportsman drag racer and relative newcomer to Top Fuel, will make his season debut this weekend at the NHRA’s Mile-High Nationals in Denver, with veterans Aaron Brooks and Glen Mikres calling the shots on his rather competitive dragster. Said Carillo Sunday night, exhibiting his excitement for this one-of-a-kind match race: “I guess I’m gonna’ have to get off my couch from watching my favorite show ‘Street Outlaws No Prep Kings’ to show em’ how it’s done!”

Despite the connotation, no-prep tracks often become quite tacky as cars put down layer after layer of rubber on the surface over the course of a weekend. The difference, however, is that said surface is constantly changing and subject to the elements (like the hot August sun, for example) and there’s no one coming to rescue it with machinery and glue. And so, as great as a 660-foot throttle-slapping smoke-show (like the early days when Top Fuel cars raced on effectively “no prep” tracks) would be to witness, expect these two to make some dazzling licks and initiate “Street Outlaws'” loyal and lively fanbase to even more of our great sport.

“I’ve been to some pretty sketchy tracks and went down [them],” said Palmer. “I’ve been to a “No Prep Kings” race and hung around to get an idea about all this. I bet it goes down, but there’s only one way to find out, and I’m in.”