James‘ Birdman’ Finney
Q A &
James‘ Birdman’ Finney
Street racing falls into the category of being pretty dangerous as well. What are your thoughts on street racing?
Street racing is dangerous. People shouldn’ t do it( laughs). But it’ s just what we are. We wanna’ race, we wanna’ do something. And if there’ s nothing out there for us to do, then that’ s where we’ ll be, on the streets. I love the no-prep game. It takes street racers off the street, it brings them to the race track, and it’ s the best place for them.
Would you say the excitement and thrill of street racing with the combination of no-prep and the danger of getting caught is what makes no-prep such a big hit?
No. I would say that’ s what started no-prep. What made no-prep so big was a lot of big-name racers and, honestly, the Street Outlaws. People
that were watching them on TV could actually go to a race track, see the Street Outlaws race each other. It’ s not like you can go see them race each other out on the street. So bring them off the street and bring them onto the track with a no-prep situation. It’ s an excellent idea and the pioneers of no-prep did just that. That’ s what made it big.
How does that work for your street races? Is there a Facebook page you use to know you’ re going? And how often do you get caught?
We get caught just about every time and the cops just run us off usually. And no, I don’ t tell anybody when I’ m going street racing because I don’ t need the crowd out there. Because if you do that, somebody, one, is going to get hurt because they wanna’ stand beside the cars— I won’ t let go of the button if there’ s somebody standing by the car— and two, the cops are going to show up. No, I don’ t advertise that.
How well do you scout the areas ahead of time?
Very well( laughs). Very well. We check the areas out, check the road out, check local law enforcement. I ain’ t saying any more about that( laughs). No comment!
A lot of people feel that to be a successful no-prep racer, especially with cars as powerful as yours and Pro Mods, there’ s got to be traction control involved. Is it?
It’ s not illegal. I’ ve been trying to make it illegal because it takes away from the whole idea of the sport. You can go buy an expensive traction-control device and it gives that person a great advantage out there. I don’ t have traction control. And I’ m a strong advocate for no traction control. If they don’ t outlaw it in these no-prep races, I’ m going to have to get it myself one someday because I won’ t be able to keep up. They’ ll start to get me. And I can’ t have that. Gotta’ keep up with the times. It’ s a class I don’ t want to see killed because of money. If people can go out and spend five, ten, fifteen-thousand dollars on traction control, they’ ll kill the class because the little guy can’ t afford that, you know, for a little box to go into his car. You can’ t do it.
You’ ve made a name for yourself winning some of these big races, but what are your plans for down the road?
You ask some tough questions! You know, I’ m just rolling with the punches. Me and my crew, my guys, we’ ve been friends for 25 years. We’ re just a bunch of garage guys who are out having fun and rolling with the punches. So whatever happens, happens. I hope no-prep stays around for a while. We’ ve never had such a good time drag racing. We’ ve raced more than we ever have in all of our lives. I tell you, in two years, we’ ve made more passes with someone in the other lane than we have the whole time we’ ve been drag racing. So I hope it keeps going like it is. DI
PHOTO: DYLAN MCNEIL
48 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated. com Issue 114