DANIEL PARKER

“ morons” quickly became legitimate contenders in NPK.

“ It’ s I don’ t like losing at all. I never have,” says Parker.“ It’ s probably not one of my best qualities, but I’ m a terrible loser. When you go out and lose first round every single weekend, you eventually decide you don’ t want to do that and figure out how not to do it.

“ Since then, everything’ s changed,” Parker continues.“ I’ ve got lists on lists of everything we check on these cars. It’ s a lot of work, but I’ d rather do the work and see the good stuff at the end of it than slack off and get nothing for it. It costs the same money no matter what we do, so if we’ re gonna spend this money, we might as well get something from it. We came up with a plan, and it all came together.”

It came together in a big way in 2024, when

Murder Nova won both the NPK regular season championship and the No Prep Elite“ playoff” championship, capping it all off with a win in the season finale at the Texas Motorplex.

Since then, the team has added Pro Mod to their résumé, competing in both the Drag Illustrated Winter Series and the Mid-West Drag Racing Series in“ Blue,” a twin-turbocharged’ 69 Camaro owned by Keith Haney. In their MW- DRS debut, they won the 2025 season opener at Xtreme Raceway Park in Ferris, Texas.

And while the weight of an NPK championship and a new venture into a professional class brings a lot of pressure to the position, Parker says he wouldn’ t have it any other way. He relishes the opportunity to consistently be at the top of his game – whether it’ s checking tires, pulling data after each pass, or helping Ellington winning championships.

“ Whatever I do – whatever anyone does – I feel like you should want to be the best at it,” Parker says.“ That’ s where my mindset is. And I know I’ m not the best, but that’ s my goal. I want to be considered one of the best.” DI

40 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated. com Issue 196