Take a look at this, Monza Joins The Outlaw Syndicate: How Ryan Martin’s Series Saved The Steel-Body Camaro!
When Monza joined the Outlaw Syndicate series led by Ryan Martin, it was not just another driver entering a new racing series. For many fans and racers, it represented something bigger. It represented the survival of the steel body Camaro in a world where full tube chassis and lightweight carbon fiber bodies have taken over drag racing.
The Outlaw Syndicate series has quickly become one of the most important small tire racing environments in modern drag racing. Unlike some classes that allow extreme lightweight bodies and unlimited chassis modifications, this series focuses more on cars that still resemble real street cars, including steel body Camaros, Novas, Mustangs, and other classic platforms.
Monza has always been known for his split bumper Camaro, one of the most recognizable cars from the Street Outlaws 405 scene. While many racers moved toward completely redesigned tube chassis cars with lightweight bodies, Monza continued working with a platform that still resembled the original car. That approach is harder, heavier, and often more difficult to make competitive, but it keeps the connection between street cars and race cars alive.
Ryan Martin’s Outlaw Syndicate series has helped create a place where these types of cars can still be competitive. Without classes that support steel body cars, many racers would be forced to move to full tube chassis builds that no longer resemble the original vehicles. That shift has already happened in many areas of drag racing, where cars look like production vehicles but are actually full race cars underneath.
Steel body cars are heavier and require different suspension setups and power management compared to lightweight race cars. Drivers must be more precise with throttle control, suspension tuning, and weight transfer to make these cars fast and consistent. That challenge is part of what makes steel body racing so respected among many racers.
By joining the Outlaw Syndicate series, Monza is stepping into a competitive environment where his style of car still fits the rules and the philosophy of the series. Instead of building a completely new lightweight race car, he can continue developing the Camaro platform that fans already know and recognize.
The Outlaw Syndicate series also represents the next evolution of Street Outlaws style racing. It combines small tire racing, high horsepower cars, and structured events while still keeping a connection to street car platforms. This balance is important for many racers who want professional level competition without completely abandoning the street car roots of drag racing.
For Monza, joining the series is an opportunity to compete at a high level while staying true to the steel body Camaro platform. For Ryan Martin, building a series like Outlaw Syndicate helps create a racing environment where these cars can continue to exist and compete.
In modern drag racing, rules determine what cars survive and what cars disappear.
The Outlaw Syndicate series may be one of the reasons the steel body Camaro is still alive on the drag racing scene.
