PHOTOGRAPHS BY COURTNEY PAULSHOCK

JUSTIN “ LIL ’ Country ” Swanstrom set some major goals when he set out on his first full season in Street Outlaws : No Prep Kings competition with his new ProCharger-boosted Lexus known as “ Prenup .” He wanted to win a race , run the full season , and finish in the top 3 in points . Despite challenges like a minor crash and parts breakage , the Florida native accomplished all three goals , winning the third and 13th races on the 15-race tour to finish third in points behind two-time champion Ryan Martin and Kye Kelley .

“ We got to meet new fans , meet new supporters and everything , that was cool , but all in all , we had a good season and I ’ m happy with it ,” Swanstrom says . “ To be able to bring the car home , not have any catastrophic failures , and finish third in points , and take home some wins throughout the season , I think we did some successful stuff .”

Swanstrom also established himself as one of the true stars of the series , both on the Discovery show and online . Almost 60,000 subscribers tune in for his weekly vlogs on YouTube , while a combined 120,000 followers keep up with his antics on Facebook and Instagram . The 25-year-old has emphasized personally interacting with his fans both online and at the races .

“ The fans have been awesome ,” Swanstrom says . “ I try to do as much as I can , giving back parts , merch , and paid trips [ to races ]. A lot of them come out , sign the car , do all that . I just try to be different than the other 46 drivers so I can try to stick out a little bit more , and I think we have accomplished that this year .”

Swanstrom and his father , Corey , quickly got up to speed with the Pro- Charger combination after years of running nitrous engines in grudge racing and Radial vs . the World . The Swanstroms will stick with the combination for Justin ’ s new ride , a ’ 69 Camaro , which is in the works at Cameron Johnson Race Cars . Other than the body , it will be like a clone of Prenup , also built by CJRC . The Camaro will be Swanstrom ’ s No Prep Kings ride , while the Lexus will move to the streets .

“ I was able to earn some winnings this year and accumulate a little bit of money to be able to afford to build a new car , and I do have a bunch of sponsors coming on board with this deal ,” says Swanstrom , who plugs supporters like TMS Titanium , Frankenstein Engine Dynamics , Proline Racing , ProCharger , Quick Drive Racing , the Bribec Group , and NPB Racing . “ I think us running up front and being in the top 3 this season put us on people ’ s radar . There ’ s a lot of people that ’ s looking at me now that weren ’ t looking at me before . Hopefully , we can have an even better season next year and then maybe win a championship . That ’ s the ultimate goal .” – NATE VAN WAGNEN DI

November 2021

COURTNEY PAULSHOCK might not come from a racing family nor does she have a deep racing background , but she ’ s quickly immersed herself in the sport as a rising star photographer . She ’ s spent the 2021 season covering the hugely popular Street Outlaws : No Prep Kings tour as the staff photographer for Pilgrim Studios .

Paulshock got her start shooting drag races after receiving an offer from Damon Steinke of E3xtreme Media to shoot an NMCA race a few years ago using his camera and settings . She ’ s since shot major radial races and Pro Mod events , as well as a No Prep Kings race , which she covered for two-time series champion Ryan Martin .

Paulshock ’ s work from the 2019 No Prep Kings race and the 2021 West Palm race put her on the radar of one of the show ’ s executive producers , Sam Korkis . When the No Prep Kings usual photographer , Adrian Berryhill , wasn ’ t able to return for the 2021 season , Korkis approached Paulshock and hired her to join the production staff . She started at the third race of the season and continued for the rest of the 15-race tour , including a grueling six-week stretch of races .

“ The series has the most brutal schedule ,” Paulshock says . “ We all saw it on paper and then they added three more races and we all thought we were going to lose our minds . But our six-week stretch was rough because I fly in on a Thursday , I work Friday and Saturday , edit and upload on Sunday , and fly home on Monday . So that gives me two days a week , Tuesdays and Wednesdays , to do any of my schoolwork , any of my side work , to do anything else . We did that six weeks in a row . It doesn ’ t sound like a long time , but it ’ s rough .”

The 27-year-old ’ s work has now been featured prominently on social media , on hero cards and promotional materials for the show ’ s stars , and in magazines like Performance Racing Industry ’ s in-house publication . She ’ ll also shoot this year ’ s PRI Show as a PRI photographer .

“ I think I ’ m still in the imposter syndrome phase of this whole ordeal ,” says Paulshock , who also shoots events and handles social media for Harts Turbo . “ I ’ m just out there taking pictures because to me , that ’ s just what I do . I ’ m just taking these photos and it ’ s what I see about the sport and it ’ s what I love about the sport . The impact that it has on other people is just so rewarding . It ’ s just wonderful to me that people trust me and my abilities and enjoy and support what I ’ m doing enough to use my stuff in print . It ’ s wonderful .” – NATE VAN WAGNEN DI

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