• Kye Kelley is a notable name in the racing community, widely recognized after his victory over the OKC Street Outlaws.
• He started his career in the oil mining industry, but now has a car dealership in his hometown.
• He had to give up his studies at university due to financial problems, which he later overcame after appearing on the Discovery Channel docuseries ‘Street Outlaws’.
• Kye has an estimated net worth of over $800,000 as of mid 2020 and is also paid for appearances at various races.
• He is currently in a relationship with fellow drag racer Lisa Musi, and the two share a French Bulldog named Biggie.

 

Kye Kelley has become successful not only in the reality TV industry, but also in a very unconventional arena: Street Racing. Kelley is widely recognized as a notable name in the racing community, following his first loss to the OKC Street Outlaws. Kye appears in the Discovery Channel’s “Street Outlaws” docuseries, which follows the lives of drag racers and their adrenaline-packed careers. Kelley has worked hard to make a name for himself, coming from a background that forced him to drop out of college due to financial hardship. Though he started his career in the oil mining industry, today he is a notable name in his chosen profession and owns an auto performance shop in his hometown.

Early life and family

Kye Kelley II was born on May 18, 1985 in Magnolia, Mississippi, USA, to Kye Kelley I and Tammy Kelley. Kye has a sister named Lacy Howell, who he grew up with on the family farm in Magnolia, where his mother taught him how to hunt and fish. He even did credits his mother with his charitable nature, claiming that she would do anything to help and keep the family healthy.

Kye first developed an interest in cars around the age of 14. A man close to him named Otis organized regular Sunday gatherings, consisting of anywhere from 50 to 60 people, offering a chance to socialize, cook and , most importantly, drag race.

Hoping to eventually buy his own car to race, Kye took several jobs to fund his dream, working at the local grocery store and milking cows at a neighboring farm.

Education

Kye attended South Pike Senior High in Magnolia, and was a conscientious and intelligent student, so he enrolled in Junior College on a partial scholarship. However, Kelley did not come from a wealthy family and could not afford to complete his education. He was forced to enter the workforce immediately, which was a huge blow to his self-confidence. Kelley says his subsequent fame and success in “Street Outlaws” was even more important to him, as he believed he was destined for a life of darkness.

Career

Refining petroleum

After being forced to drop out of school, Kye transitioned into the petroleum refining industry, starting at the lowest of the rungs as a fire watchman. This role was incredibly unsatisfying, consisting of sitting for hours at a time, watching for possible fires while welding was going on. Kye said dragzine that this “makes you feel like the most useless person alive.”

Determined to find fulfillment and success in his career, Kelley devoted the next decade to rising through the ranks. He eventually made it to the top of the chain, earning the title of Superintendent and managing 250 other workers, but despite his success in the industry, Kye was always drawn back to the streets and regularly met up with friends to drive grudge races.

Racing Career

The car

When Kye got serious about his racing habit, he realized it was time to upgrade his vehicle. After purchase a third-generation 1984 Chevrolet Camaro, he worked tirelessly to completely revamp the car, upgrading and replacing virtually every element. Known as The Shocker, the result is complete with a state-of-the-art motor, wheels and optical armored windows.

Career start

For years, Kye raced at the infamous New Orleans venue known as Da’ Pad. Aside from building expertise in car construction, Kye also became famous in the neighborhood as the fastest racer in New Orleans, which was just what Kelley needed to launch his career.

#KyeKelley take the leap #Swamp thing at Tucson #NoPrepKings race. That leaderboard is going mighty wild. #StreetOutlaws pic.twitter.com/EByuy2Kj34

— Street Outlaws (@StreetOutlaws) March 30, 2018

Justin Shearer, a prominent “Street Outlaws” cast member, arrived at Da Toad to recruit the best racer in the area, and was immediately referred to Kye, and Kelley’s life took a momentous turn.

“Street Bandits”

“Street Outlaws is produced for the Discovery Channel by Pilgrim Studios, who have also produced popular titles such as “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” and “The Runner”. Street Outlaws’ documents the drama of drag racing on the streets of Oklahoma City and premiered on June 10, 2013, and later spawned multiple spin-offs in Memphis and New Orleans.

Kye Kelley in “Street Bandits”

When he was recruited by Justin Shearer, Kye was given the chance to race against the star of the show, Daddy Dave, on his home turf.

Although he narrowly lost the first race, he was invited to compete in a huge street racing event in Texas during the show’s fourth season, episodes nine and ten, which aired on February 23, 2015. Kye’s participation was an incredible success, as he eventually defeated Daddy Dave and several other cast members and walked away with the $16,000 grand prize. This led to a string of successes, one at Da Pad where he won $6,000, and another in Oklahoma City where he won another $16,000.

Kye became a regular on the show during season seven, but only appeared for nine episodes before his tenure ended. Although his participation was short-lived, the show allowed him to take part in events he never would have been able to do.

One of these was his 2015 race against 14-time world champion Mike Murilla. In all likelihood, Kye would have won the race by three car lengths, but it was eventually determined that Kye had hit the ground running due to his adrenaline. He admitted the mistake in good humor, but claims he still would have won the race.

Business career

After losing his “Street Outlaws” paycheck, Kye knew he had to create a new business opportunity. After taking out a bank loan, he opened a performance store. His friend Greg Champagne joined the venture and Down South Performance in McComb Mississippi was launched. The shop became known for their skill and quality of work, but closed sometime in 2018.

Kye then started Kye Kelly Racing, a merchandise store that capitalized on his success and fame. Run by him and his girlfriend, a fellow drag racer, it sells a variety of designer clothes and gear. He also regularly appears at racetracks and spreads his love for street racing.

Private life

Relationships

Kye met Alisa Mote when he was looking for a car. Although their professions differed greatly – he a drag racer and she a nurse – the two soon developed a romantic relationship. They got engaged on May 21, 2014 and were married more than a year later in August 2015. Almost exactly two years after their engagement, Alisa gave birth to a girl they named Kenadigh Alexa Kelley.

This was Kye’s second daughter, but the identities of both his first daughter and her mother remain unknown. Sadly, Kye and Alisa’s marriage took a turn for the worse and they divorced in 2017.

Since his divorce, Kye has been dating a fellow drag racer named Lisa Musi. Lisa comes from a family of drag racers, having started in her family business at the age of eight and competing in Junior Drag at the age of sixteen, making her a very experienced driver. She and Kye have no children, but do share a French Bulldog named Biggie.

New car

Everything about Kye’s new car is of the highest quality. While it’s also a Camaro, it can still top its current ride.

Dubbed ‘The Show Stopper’, the new vehicle is equipped with six Nitrous Kits – four more than the original Shocker; he teamed up with Jordan from Jordan Carriers who enabled him to make his dream a great success.

Appearance

Kye has an extremely friendly face and is almost always smiling. He has dark brown hair and eyes, and has a short beard. He is tall and well built, although he is usually depicted in his vehicles. He is 1.75 m tall and weighs about 90 kg.

Net worth and salary

Since he no longer appears on “Street Outlaws”, Kye relies on the fame he gained during that time to make a living. Kye has an online store and also gets paid for appearances at various races. He has a net worth estimated at over $800,000 as of mid 2020.

, Wikipedia