Tribute: A Look at Lizzy Musi’s Incredible Legacy
Being the son or daughter of a legendary racer can come with pressure that the average competitor doesn’t face, but Lizzy Musi handled that role with grace and determination. The daughter of iconic Pro Stock, Pro Street, and Pro Modified racer and engine builder Pat Musi, Lizzy forged a path of her own as she became a championship-level driver in PDRA Pro Nitrous and Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings. She formed a fan base of her own, inheriting some fans of her father while also connecting with a new generation of drag racing fans. She inspired many young women when she continued to race after receiving a triple-negative stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis in April 2023. Just over a year later, she passed away at age 33.
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #190, the State of Drag Issue, in September/ October of 2024.]
Musi started her drag racing career in Jr. Dragsters before moving up to a Top Sportsman car, which she drove to prepare for an eventual move up to PDRA Pro Nitrous. Driving Frank Brandao’s “King Kong 5” Dodge Stratus, which her father drove to a historic win in NHRA Pro Mod competition, Musi became the first woman to win in Pro Nitrous when she won at Virginia Motorsports Park in the PDRA’s inaugural season in 2014. She went on to win a total of five races in nine final-round appearances, putting her fifth on the all-time win list. She also ranked third on the all-time low qualifier list in the class. Her class speed record – 209.23 MPH, set in October 2018 – still stands.
The opportunity to blaze a new trail on the popular Discovery series Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings was an alluring one for Musi. With her father providing the horsepower, she made history by becoming the first woman to win in the NPK series. She also became the first driver to win three consecutive events in the series. With 136 round wins, 12 invitational final rounds, and seven invitational wins, Musi remains one of the most accomplished drivers in NPK history.
Musi shared the news of her cancer diagnosis in an emotional and candid video posted on her YouTube channel in April 2023. The news came as a shock to her fans and fellow racers, and the racing community quickly offered their support.
“It’s one of the fastest and most aggressive breast cancers that you can have. It’s something that I didn’t want to hear,” Musi said in the video. “I felt numb when I got the news. My dad and mom were there with me, and we were in the middle of testing the race car for the upcoming season of Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings. It was hard to tell everyone – what do you do? I couldn’t believe that I actually had to say that I had cancer.”
Musi started undergoing treatment at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center following the diagnosis. With permission from her doctors, she started the 2023 NPK season at National Trail Raceway in early June.
“We’ve got a couple of keyboard warriors saying she should worry about her health,” said Pat Musi during an interview on The Wes Buck Show. “Well, the biggest part of this cancer deal is mental health. She needs to keep her head up and know that she’s going to be there tomorrow and the oncoming times.”
“Why would you want to discourage her from that?” Pat asked rhetorically. “I’m here to tell you that we’re going to do whatever she wants. Her health is a priority, and so is her mental health. She needs to feel a purpose.”
Musi’s decision to continue racing despite a major cancer battle paid off in August when she drove her brand-new, Robert Hayes-built “Bonnie 2.0” ’69 Camaro to her first NPK win of the season in Tulsa. She jumped up to third in points with a 13-5 round record.
“I can’t even begin to explain everything I’ve been going through and dealing with this cancer diagnosis – a lot of people had their doubts about me,” Lizzy said after the win. “I’m very thankful and blessed that I can keep doing what I’m doing. It hasn’t put me down. I still have the fire in me. I can still do what I do, and it hasn’t changed. I have such a huge support system that keeps me going. My family has been so supportive. It’s incredible, and I’m so thankful for that.
“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,” Lizzy added.
Musi earned a second consecutive win on the NPK tour, winning the Firebird Raceway final round, which was completed at Bandimere Speedway. She finished the season tied for seventh in the NPK invitational points standings.
The 2024 season started off promising for Musi as she continued to work with doctors to find treatment options that would address the cancer, which had also spread to her lymph nodes and liver. She won a match race series over fellow NPK racer Jeff Lutz at the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod in March, then raced to a final-round finish at Empire Dragway in May. Shortly after, she announced a hiatus from the NPK tour so she could travel to Germany for a special cancer treatment.
“I’ve kind of tried everything here [in the U.S.], and I’ve researched the doctor and treatment in Germany that can isolate my liver and treat it,” said Lizzy.
“The medical system in this country just isn’t what it is in Europe,” Pat added. “Lizzy did all the research on this doctor and the treatment, and he reassured her that he could help. They’re way advanced from where we are, and they don’t have all these FDA regulations.”
Around a month after Musi left for Germany, she passed away on June 28th in the comfort of her own home while surrounded by family. The Musi family held a memorial service on July 2nd, which was attended by family, friends, and numerous fellow racers. In the days and weeks following her passing, racers in classes ranging from the NHRA pro classes and NPK to the Jr. Dragster ranks carried memorial messages on their cars. Musi created an indelible legacy in the sport, and she will be missed.
This story was originally published on October 16, 2024.
The post Tribute: A Look at Lizzy Musi’s Incredible Legacy first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
