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It isn’t hard to understand why “Street Outlaws” has turned into one of the most successful reality TV series of our time. The show has gained fans all over the world by featuring the most exciting and dangerous street races, starting with their original cast in Oklahoma City, and then expanding to other places such as Memphis, and by releasing successful spin-offs such as “America’s List”.
Though “Street Outlaws” has turned into more than just a car show filmed on the streets, that has also meant that some of the show’s original drivers are no longer in it. That also includes the duo known as AZN and Farmtruck – respectively Jeff Bonnet and Sean Witley – whose appearances in the latest “Street Outlaws” seasons have been massively reduced.
So did something bad happen between AZN and Farmtruck to cause their disappearances from the show, or is something going on, and what are they doing now? Stay here to know it all!
Why Aren’t They In The Show Anymore?
Those who have been following “Street Outlaws” from the beginning know how much of a constant presence in the show AZN and Farmtruck were. That’s why it must have come as a shock to tune in to recent seasons of the show and find out the pair was nowhere to be seen.
The reason behind AZN and Farmtruck’s absence has to do with the recent change in the format of “Street Outlaws”, as the show and its drivers have evidently turned in favor of modified cars. As AZN and Farmtruck told DragZine in 2023, this racing style recently adopted by the show was out of their budget, pushing them to stick to their small tire style while their fellow racers did their own Pro-Mod thing.
Even though it was a bummer for the pair not to appear in the show as much as they did in the old times, not everything is bad news. As reported by DragZine, AZN, and Farmtruck have been preparing their cars ready to return to the show for its 15th season, which is supposed to revert to its small tire format.
It’s unclear when exactly this new season of the main show will air, but AZN and Farmtruck have been constantly promoting their participation in “No Prep Kings” through their social media throughout the first half of 2023, surely awakening the hopes of their fans who have been patiently waiting for their return to the small screen.
Which Cars Are They Running Now?
Given how long it’s been since the last time we saw AZN and Farmtruck in the original “Street Outlaws”, it’s widely expected that several questions will arise about their current rides.
Throughout the years, the pair have become known for favoring reliable and simple cars to take them to the finish line, and this time it’s no different. AZN’s Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 from 2008 was his choice to match the power of his fellow drivers on the streets.
According to what he told DragZine in 2023, his ‘Jeeper Jeeper’ used to be his daily drive for several years, but after becoming acquainted with the right team, the car was turned into a race-fitting machine, welcoming a new transmission, a centrifugal supercharger, and many other modifications. It’s been years since then, but the Jeeper Jeeper has proven to be AZN’s reliable partner.
For his part, Farmtruck bought a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee and put it into shape himself. Though his usual ride the Farm Truck could have done the job as easily, his new Jeep was more fitting for the small tire format which he was looking for. Just as Farmtruck told Dragzine, this Jeep Cherokee was a big step in helping him improve as a racer and builder.
Did They Have A Spin-Off?
Even though AZN and Farmtruck were notably absent from “Street Outlaws” and many of its spin-offs, that doesn’t mean that they were completely set apart from the franchise. To prove that, in 2022 their series “Street Outlaws: Farmtruck and AZN” premiered, and was everything their fans expected to see from the pair, who are known for their hands-on attitude and simple ways of approaching racing.
As AZN told DragZine in 2022, his show with Farmtruck is a test to bring back the basics of ‘Midwestern’ car culture to the small screen: ‘There was no, ‘Who’s got the nicest car in the parking lot?’ It was: ‘Who could wrench on it the most?’,’ he said.
Loyal to their sense of belonging to the local car and racing community, this new show allowed AZN and Farmtruck to proudly show the world what the process behind their builds was, how their creativity fuels their vision as a motorhead, and above everything else, how the camaraderie between them and fellow drivers and builders is the basis of what they do. The latter was also proven by the appearance in the show of other “Street Outlaws” stars such as Jeff Lutz, and several interesting collaborations the pair did throughout their journey.
All in all, “Street Outlaws: Farmtruck and AZN” was a great chance for audiences to see the magic going on with the pair’s cars and their garage.
Life Before The Show
Life was very simple for AZN and Farmtruck before they rose to stardom in “Street Outlaws”, but it always had something to do with cars.
On one side there’s Jeff Bonnett, whose earliest experiences with the automotive industry go back to the time he was a teen, and became acquainted with several other people with cars. From then on, it didn’t take long for him to develop a genuine interest in cars and later in racing well, eventually turning all of it into a hobby.
Things started differently for Farmtruck, though. Long before adopting his street nickname, Sean Whitley’s captivation with the automotive industry came from a very early age, but the financial limitations of his family added to their lack of interest in cars, made it hard for him to pursue his passion as freely as he wanted. Nevertheless, his interest never faded, eventually turning him into a gearhead and builder by his choice.
Fast forward to early 2013, “Street Outlaws” was still in the works, but AZN and Farmtruck had doubts about whether it would work. Just as they affirmed in a video on their YouTube channel, at the time they had jobs, and only pursued racing as a casual hobby, not in the least aware of how far that adventure would take them before too long.
Recognition & Fame
In a YouTube video shared by AZN and Farmtruck in 2023, the pair recalled their most memorable times since “Street Outlaws” premiered in 2013.
When it came to the changes they’ve experienced since becoming TV personalities, the pair didn’t hesitate to agree that their life was turned upside down right after the “Street Outlaws”s premiere, as people approached them all the time during events to buy merchandise from them, and ask for autographs. Though that sounds great, AZN affirmed that most of the recognition they’ve got had more to do with the fact that they were TV famous rather than with their actual racing accomplishments.
Nevertheless, while fame had its downturns, AZN and Farmtruck are aware of how positive it was for them to be part of “Street Outlaws” history. Though being on a TV show didn’t make them rich, it opened several doors for them which otherwise they wouldn’t have got through, such as attracting sponsorships and promoting their brand and businesses through it.
The show also allowed them to meet many people from all walks of life, but just as AZN and Farmtruck affirmed in the video, they’ve learned to surround themselves with people who would listen to them and their ideas, something they consider a valuable lesson.
YouTube & Business
While it’s often believed that appearing in a TV show could dramatically improve people’s lifestyles, the truth is that things aren’t always as good as they appear to be. As AZN and Farmtruck revealed in a YouTube video from 2023, their salary from their TV appearances isn’t a large sum, and certainly not enough to fund their racing escapades.
However, the sponsorships they’ve obtained thanks to “Street Outlaws” have done wonders to turn their automotive passion into a career. It’s thanks to their business partners and brands that the pair have been modifying their cars and promoting their auto shops, on top of allowing them to start their online shop, which sells everything from T-shirts to their original Pimp Juice Traction Formula.
Congratulations to the team Misfit garage! We had an absolute blast building the Gonorail and competing with those Texans for this year's Mega Race. I got the boys at Misfit Garage a gift that I'll be showing tomorrow afternoon. Great job and enjoy the victory lap! pic.twitter.com/3YFep0GiVr
— Farmtruck and Azn (@AZN_Farmtruck) March 6, 2018
AZN and Farmtruck have long since entered the industry of content creation through their YouTube channel, which now has over 300,000 subscribers. The video-sharing platform is one of the main sources of ultimate profit for the pair, as it helps them promote their races and builds, while also sharing their on-road adventures and tidbits about their life.
So what does the future have in store for AZN and Farmtruck? Besides the fact that they’re returning to “Street Outlaws” soon, the pair still have lots of projects on their hands that they want to explore, and that’s undeniably exciting for anyone who’s been watching them throughout these years.